Does your dog think it’s a butterfly who can just leap out the car window while driving? Or does your dog act like it drank a Monster Energy drink before the car ride?
Either way, a car harness is the answer.
Car harnesses discourage pulling, and both you and your dog will be A LOT SAFER while driving.
This blog will walk you through the different dog harness options on the market (well, we only talk about the best ones) and teach you about front clip, back clip and overheard harnesses.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks: Best Car Harnesses for Goldendoodles
Let’s get straight into the good stuff and show you which harness you need for a safe car ride with your Doodle.
Best overall: VavoPaw Dog Vehicle Safety Vest Harness
This is the best dog harness your Doodle will ever lay their paws on! No more worrying about your dog jumping around in the back (or in the front). It’s made from highly durable Oxford fabric, and it’s filled with a soft sponge. Therefore it’s well-built (you won’t need to fork out for a new one soon) and SUPER comfortable (happy doggo!).
It comes in sizes small to extra large and six different colors (blue, pink, black, lake blue, purple and magenta). So whether you have a mini Doodle or a standard one, and no matter what their (or your) favorite color is, VavoPaw has got you both covered!
Pros
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It comes with an adjustable seatbelt
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Dog and driver safe
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Fast secure buckles
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Easy to adjust
Cons
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It can get twisted with a lot of movement
Best for price: The COOYOO Dog Seatbelt
The COOYOO Dog seatbelt is a three-piece set that is completely adjustable to fit Doodles of all sizes safely. The material is nylon – hence the lower price – and you can select several different colors.
The price is under $15 and included in that is a collapsable travel bowl so your pup can drink water wherever you go (we know that dogs can be almost as difficult as kids on long journeys!).
You don’t need to fiddle around when clipping this seatbelt in as it should take seconds. No more blaming your dog for making you late! The clip is also a universal design, so it will fit in most vehicles.
Pros
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Durable
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Tangle-free
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Universal fitting
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Free gift included (collapsible travel bowl)
Cons
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Your dog will be able to move around a lot in the car
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Not great for avid chewers
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It’s long
Best for movement: PetSafe Happy Ride Dog Zipline
No….this is not a zipline that will take your dog right out of the car! It uses the idea of a zip line to keep your dog inside the car so they can’t jump out a window or hop into the front seat. It’s what every active dog’s owner dreams about!
Dogs with way too much energy might find sitting still EXTREMELY HARD, especially when there are so many amazing things to see when driving (people, other dogs, traffic lights, bicycles, trash cans and….you get the drift).
Pair this PetSafe Happy Ride Dog Zipline with the PetSafe Happy Ride Safety Harness, and you have the perfect “freedom of movement” combination.
The hook attaches to any sturdy anchor point on the back seat. The tether slides left and right along the red zipline so your dog will have unlimited movement.
However, this harness is less safe than the VavoPaw Dog Harness due to its leniency of movement.
Pros
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Decreases driver distraction
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The zipline works with dogs of all sizes
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Perfect for active dogs
Cons
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Not the safest during an accident
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Your dog will be able to move all around the backseat
Choosing The Best Car Harnesses For Goldendoodles
Goldendoodle owners need to think about the personality characteristics of their specific dog when picking out the perfect harness. Are they a chewer? Do they tend to pull away from the harness?
These traits will help you make the best decision…so keep them in mind while choosing.
Don’t know your front clip harness from your back clip harness? Does the term easy walk harness make your head spin?
Don’t worry; these are the fundamental boxes your car harness needs to tick:
High-quality materials
The best dog harnesses must be made of durable materials that can withstand the event of an accident or just a bumpy ride. The material must be thick enough and strong enough for IMPACT.
The material for a harness needs to be of the absolute best quality, not only for protection but also to avoid any possible skin irritation. For instance, some dogs may be allergic to wool.
That said, it’s also important to strike a balance!
For Goldendoodles, it is essential to find the perfect balance between high quality and durability, as well as light and not too thick and fuzzy. This is to avoid matting and overheating, especially for long car rides.
Material such as fleece or faux fur tends to cause these dogs with long hair to radiate too much heat. Instead, opt for harnesses with nylon or mesh incorporated.
As little material as possible
As much as the harness needs to be protective, it should also be made of as little material as possible to ensure two things:
No overheating and as little matting as possible.
The best way to do this is to choose a harness with a padded chest but thinner straps around the rest of the torso.
Padded
The harness needs to have soft padding and be comfortable in the areas that matter to avoid chafing.
The ideal areas for extra padding are under each front leg (the armpits) and the chest strap. This way, your Goldendoodle will be protected from any cuts or chaffing that sudden jolts could cause. If you choose a no-pull dog harness, you’ll certainly want to make sure it’s padded and comfortable. That way when your dog pulls, it won’t be in discomfort. Remember if you have a puller, the front-clip harness is a great choice for walkies.
Dual clip harnesses
As most Goldendoodles tend to be playful and curious, they usually want to pull away from the harness during car rides.
The perfect harness to combat this is a dual clip harness. These dog harnesses are a front clip and back clip harness in one!
A dual clip harness uses the back clip as an attachment piece hooked to the car seatbelt, ensuring your dog is well strapped up. This style of harness can also be used for walks thanks to the front clip. This is an excellent way to get more bang for your buck!
Adjustable harness
The best dog harness for your Goldendoodle will be adjustable in more ways than one.
You should be able to adjust the harness to your dog’s size, weight, and stage of training. This is the best way to ensure you stretch your penny.
Having adjustable straps means that you can ensure a custom fit as your pup grows. This ensures your pup is always comfortable and well strapped in for car rides or a walk around the dog park.
Although having an adjustable harness is ideal, it’s not a one size fits all solution for your pup. It’s still important to measure your dog’s neck, torso, and weight when buying the harness. The adjustability of your harness is just so that your dog can have some leeway if they gain or lose weight.
The dual clip harness is the best way to ensure that you have all the metal rings and bits and bobs you need to adjust to your dog’s stage of life, size, and weight. It is also the best way to easily attach your leash for walks regardless of your stage of leash training or if your pup is a puller.
Reflective material
It is of absolute importance that your dog harness has reflective material sewn into it. This is important for three reasons:
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Night-time car rides: In the event of an accident, it should be easy for emergency personnel to spot your dog harness at night or during gloomy weather, which makes it easy for them to get your dog out of danger as quickly as possible.
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Night-time walks: Not only is it important to choose a dog harness that has reflective trim, but also a leash with reflective trim. This is so that cars driving around at night can easily spot your dog’s harness during a walk (you never know when they’ll need a toilet break during a long journey!).
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To make them look and feel more important than all the other dogs…just kidding.
Weatherproof
Come rain or shine, the walkies need to continue (we asked a bunch of Goldendoodles, and this was the overall vote). The best dog harness, as we know, should be ready for both car rides and walks.
So, your car harness should be made of waterproof material, especially for Goldendoodles.
The best dog harness for Goldendoodles is one that protects them from matting as much as possible during wet weather.
The best recipe to create a matted mess is by adding friction and water to long, curly fur.
Avoid this headache by choosing a harness made from material such as TPU-coated nylon or polyester, which allows water to roll off your pooch’s back. This is important to keep the fur underneath the harness as unmatted as possible.
Why A Car Harness?
Any type of protective gear is ESSENTIAL for dogs in a car.
It is as vital to a dog as a seatbelt is to a human being. A dog harness provides a safer car environment for you and your pup. It ensures your happy, bouncy puppy does not distract the driver while also keeping them safe if an accident occurs.
Car harnesses look similar to standard walking harnesses with leash attachment points. However, they are made of very durable materials and have a loop or ring which attaches directly to the car seatbelt.
Harnesses often provide leash attachment points and, sometimes, come with an attachable leash so you can use the same harness for your walks.
Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Car harnesses for dogs provide little room for your furry friend to run around in the back seat as opposed to any other car safety gear for dogs. They tend to have thick, soft, padded material across the dog’s chest and shoulders to evenly distribute any force from an accident.
These dog harnesses are made of high-quality, durable material and can sustain any force from a sudden stop or a car accident.
The best type of dog harness for cars have been crash-tested and PROVEN to PREVENT EXTREME INJURY to animals in the case of an accident. A tag or symbol on the packaging or harness should indicate that the harness has been tested and certified by the Centre for Pet Safety (CPS).
Using some sort of leash or strap that hooks onto your dog’s collar is a dangerous move to make. If sudden movements occur in the car, your dog’s neck could be severely injured. This is an example of not having safety gear evenly distributing pressure around your dog’s body.
The Dangers Of Not Wearing A Dog Harness
There are many unnecessary dangers and risks you take when not using any safety gear for your dog, such as dog harnesses. These risks don’t only endanger you but also your precious pooch!
Overall, dog car harnesses provide a safer car environment for you and your pup.
If you have an anxious dog, allowing them to roam freely in the backseat with the window open might encourage them to jump out of your moving car. It will look like a scene from Marley & Me…
Another risk is that your dog’s head might get hit by external objects if popping out of a window.
Lastly, one of the many other risks includes your dog trying to physically get attention from the driver by either licking the driver or rubbing its body against the driver. This could easily cause an accident…why wait and find out?
In life, it’s better to be safe than sorry. So choose one of the best dog harness options above if you want to be on the safe side!
FAQs
What’s the difference between a dog car harness and a dog seatbelt?
A dog car harness does not allow as much movement in the car as a dog seat belt. Most car harnesses also have a leash attachment so dog owners can take their pups out for a break (or just use it as a harness for their walkies all the time).
What’s the average cost of a dog car harness?
Car harnesses for dogs start at around $15 and can go up to as much as $250. It all depends on the features you are looking for in your dog harness. The more bells and whistles, the more expensive.
You’ll often find that the most secure car harnesses for dogs are more expensive, but it’s up to you to decide (with enough research) what’s worth living with and without. Prices can also vary depending on if you choose a no-pull harness, front-clip harness, and so on.
What if my Goldendoodle is too anxious for a car harness?
Using a car harness with a chest strap for your Goldendoodle is still the best idea, but if it happens to be anxious, you might want to try a step-in harness. A step-in harness looks like a regular harness but allows the dog to step into the two front openings for its legs rather than pulling over its head. Both types fasten securely around your dog’s chest, keeping them safe in the car.
Usually, a step-in dog harness doesn’t go around the dog’s neck. This helps avoid choking, as anxious dogs tend to want to pull away from the harness.
Final Thoughts
A car accident with your dog SOUNDS EXPENSIVE!
Vet bills and hospital bills together are a bad combination. This is why you wear a safety belt, and your dog wears its version of one too.
We have chosen the VavoPaw Dog Vehicle Safety Vest Harness as our number one choice for a dog harness. It has strong security, is easy to use, and the fit is super snug. You can also walk your dog with it as it has a leash attachment.
Accidents hurt, but safety doesn’t…