{"id":10001,"date":"2022-04-20T14:39:25","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T14:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/blog\/uncategorized\/puppy-car-carriers-guide\/"},"modified":"2024-09-12T09:30:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T09:30:32","slug":"puppy-car-carriers-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/en-us\/blog\/new-puppy\/puppy-essentials\/puppy-car-carriers-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Puppy Car Carriers for Safe & Comfortable Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We all know about the rules and regulations surrounding children and car seats, but have you ever thought about your puppy? Wondering about getting a puppy car carrier? Perhaps you\u2019ve been looking at a car seat for your puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Carry confidence into your training with Zigzag! <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Whichever travel system you decide to use, we do suggest you keep your puppy restrained, puppies are bouncy and want to be near you all of the time! This won\u2019t change because you\u2019re driving, so let\u2019s keep everyone safe and look at the options to get you and your pup on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll be driving you forward through the uses of a puppy car carrier, how you should use a car seat for your puppy, and things to watch out for when using a puppy car carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like more help with puppy car carriers, we also have a dedicated program on puppy car travel inside the Zigzag puppy training app<\/a>. If you\u2019re not sure which one might suit your puppy or how to train them for the car and need some extra support, we also have a team of puppy coaches<\/a> available to talk to you on Whatsapp, email or the good old dog n bone, whenever you need them. If you’re looking for general travel tips for your pup<\/a>, check out this article we’ve written here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Morgane Perraud<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7 popular puppy car carriers for safe journeys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few uses for a puppy car carrier, and you don\u2019t always have to use them in a car! The main job of a pet car carrier is to keep your puppy safe when travelling. It stops them from falling off the seat (or worse) if you slam the brakes on, or are involved in an accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dog seatbelt puppy car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A puppy seatbelt<\/a> can be a great option and clip into your car\u2019s existing seat belt holder. They are attached to the back of your puppy\u2019s harness and safely restrain them. For safety reasons, we recommend you use a puppy seatbelt with a crash tested puppy car harness<\/a> so that the harness won\u2019t break or snap under pressure. Do be aware, if your puppy is a prolific chewer, they might enjoy a chew on the seatbelt!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puppy seatbelt harness as a puppy car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This puppy car carrier is a harness<\/a> that can be clipped around your existing seat belt system. Puppy car harnesses<\/a> are an attractive option for people who don\u2019t want or can\u2019t have a crate as their puppy’s travel safety system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Harness your inner trainer with our app! <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Choose a crash tested car harness<\/a> to make sure it holds up in the case of an accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puppy booster seat car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These puppy car systems are more like a car seat for your puppy. They allow your pup to get a great view out of the window, lift them up off the seat, and contain them. Generally best suited for small to medium dog breeds, but probably great for when your puppy is, well, a puppy. They come in various designs, with some being more of a box style you can use at your destination<\/a>, whereas some are more of a throne like a padded bed<\/a>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll still need to clip your puppy in to keep them safe, don\u2019t forget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puppy hammock car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This puppy car system<\/a> is a hammock that fits between the front and back seats. Like other pet car carriers, it stops your puppy from wandering about too much while still giving them freedom. You can also tether your puppy with a car harness so they won\u2019t move around so much, and the puppy hammock also protects your seats from mud and fur. These are particularly good if you have a larger breed of puppy that needs a bit more room in the back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel crate as a puppy car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Travel crates can be a good choice for pet car carriers, if you have room on the back seat or a large boot. You might also want to take the crate out to use it at your destination. It\u2019s particularly useful if your puppy has been crate trained <\/a>at home, as it feels nice and cozy like their regular bed. For safety reasons, you should clip the crate into a seatbelt if on the back seat or to a secure tether if in the boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crash tested crate as a puppy car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the safest ways to travel and keep your puppy safe in the car and a favorite among the Zigzag puppy coaches<\/a>. There are not many crash tested car crates on the market but the variocage<\/a> is one of them. We know they\u2019re probably the most expensive puppy car carrier available, but if you have multiple dogs who need to travel separately, or you want your dog in the boot of your car, then you want to be sure they\u2019re safe in the event of a crash, don\u2019t you?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dog car guard or barrier as a puppy car carrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For many people, having their puppy in the boot behind a dog guard<\/a> is how they want their puppy to travel long term in the car. Maybe they have children on the back seat, or just want the peace of mind that they\u2019re safely in the boot. You can get many different tailgate guards which work well as puppy car carriers, so choose one that suits your set up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t forget to get a barrier between the boot and the back seat, or your puppy might escape over the top. We like this dog safety boot fit<\/a> as it has an opening door – useful for training and easy to get to your puppy if there\u2019s ever an accident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Priscilla Du Preez<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to use a car seat for a puppy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using a car seat for a puppy can be attractive as they can sit on the passenger seat next to you, but be safely strapped into the puppy carrier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n