I have a confession. Sometimes Mr. N would ride in my lap in the car. I know it’s unsafe. But Mr. N has terrible crate anxiety which I think stems from being shut up in a crate for 10-16 hours as a puppy and he will whine almost the entire way if he’s confined in the car. And if I have to listen to him whine for a half-hour straight, my brain will explode and we’ll get into a car accident anyway.
We’ve tried several different car set-ups for small dogs including crates, carriers, and booster seats. He really hates anything where he’s confined or restrained and I couldn’t find a booster seat that had been crash-tested. I thought he would be more comfortable with a car harness but they don’t make crash-tested ones in his size and manufacturers recommend against it for tiny dogs.
Then I found the
Air PupSaver and it ticked the vast majority of the boxes. The car seat looks like a bolster bed which is Mr. N’s favorite type (he likes using the edges as a pillow). I can use it in the front seat. It has been through crash testing at the MGA Research Corporation and passed the canine variation of the FMVSS 213 crash test since 2012.
The updated model comes in two sizes (under 25 lb, 26-40 lb) and in a black-and-white hounds-tooth pattern.The rear-facing design is meant to mimic infant seats in their safety design. And the airbag style seat back helps makes the seat lighter and safer. You fill up the three compartments with air with the provided pump before using it. I found the pump a little tricky to use until I discovered that one of the air valves had to be blocked off while filling it.
Mr. N’s ringing endorsement would be that he hates it less than everything else we’ve tried and if he must be restrained in the car, this would be his pick. He actually finds it very comfortable, he just dislikes captivity. Before I put it in the car, it was sitting on the living room floor for a few days. He would use it as a little den and sleep and hoard toys and chews there.
The company also makes Pupsaver-compatible harnesses. I’m anxiously waiting for them to come out with the xx-small harness as they run a little big and their existing models won’t fit Mr. N (x-small to medium). They no longer recommend using collars with their products. Their harness has a chest d-ring which I think will make it easier to attach to the car seat. All of Mr. N’s harnesses have back rings and the seat clasp is bulky which makes it a little difficult to fasten and unfasten from that angle.
The Pupsaver can be used in both the front and back seat if the air bags are turned off in the front. I have not tried the Pupsaver in the back yet because I’m anticipating that Mr. N will throw more of a fit if he is further away from me and I want him to get further accustomed to riding in the Pupsaver first.
There’s an installation
video but basically you yank the seat back away from the air bags, pull out the seat belt all the way and keep it from retracting with a provided clip. Then you fasten the under seat and front buckles on the Pupsaver and adjust the clip. There’s a clasp in the middle of the seat which you attach to your dog’s harness. It takes maybe about two minutes.
Car rides are so much easier and quieter(!) with the Pupsaver. Mr. N’s whining has decreased significantly. He averages about three (on a good day) to about a dozen whines per trip. Compared to when he would whine almost the entire way. I feel much better knowing that he is safely restrained and if we get into a wreck, he’s not going to slide off the seat and go hurling into something. A friend has already offered to buy the Pupsaver off me!
How does your dog ride in the car?
Update: Pupsaver has come out with the xx-small harness and the xx-small harness petite. We were sent the xx-small harness and it fit him nicely over the winter. Now that he has lost all his hair weight and bulk due to a groom, I’ve had to adjust the straps to make it as small as it will go and it just barely fits him when he is not wearing clothes. For dogs Mr. N’s size (seven pounds) or smaller, I’d definitely recommend the petite as it runs a little big. He is pretty fine-boned as well.
The front ring makes it much easier to attach to the car seat. Before it would take some fumbling and moving about of Mr. N’s legs and a couple tries to get his normal walking harness with a back ring attached to the seat. Now I can do it smoothly with one try. And the red and black goes nicely with his houndstooth car seat as well.
He’s been for multiple hour-long walks using the Pupsaver harness and it does not impede his movement or make him uncomfortable in any way. I can lift him by it and his leash in an emergency as well (I would not do this with dogs over ten pounds or so). The harness has proven to be a dual-purpose harness. Often car harnesses can be uncomfortable to walk in for long distances but this is not the case with this one.
This post was sponsored by Pupsaver. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own.
Comments
comments
Then I found the Air PupSaver and it ticked the vast majority of the boxes. The car seat looks like a bolster bed which is Mr. N’s favorite type (he likes using the edges as a pillow). I can use it in the front seat. It has been through crash testing at the MGA Research Corporation and passed the canine variation of the FMVSS 213 crash test since 2012. 
August 12, 2016 10:30 pm
That looks like a pretty spiffy car seat!
August 12, 2016 11:19 pm
OMD, that looks so comfy! Does it come in XXXL??? 🙂
August 15, 2016 7:06 am
Haha.. not yet at least! How much does Spencer weigh?
August 12, 2016 11:22 pm
Oh Roxy needs this, I think she'd like it too.
August 15, 2016 7:07 am
I really like it as an option for small dogs.
August 12, 2016 11:24 pm
What an interesting car seat! We use hard sided kennels but this intrigues me!
August 13, 2016 12:20 am
That looks so comfy, Mr. N! I'm very thankful that Henry is generally very quiet during car rides. He's happy to be in a car harness or in his carrier, which belts to the seat.
August 15, 2016 7:08 am
That's great! Mr. N has separation anxiety which in the car is defined as more than two feet lol.
August 13, 2016 1:13 am
I'm wanting to get something like this for my Chi. I wonder if it would be suitable for 6 pounds of cuteness?
August 15, 2016 7:08 am
I think she'd like it!
August 13, 2016 10:38 am
Oh I love this! Ruby also has crate anxiety. This looks so comfy that I think she might really like it.
August 15, 2016 7:09 am
It's pretty much a giant bed with airbags lol. Mr. N likes to sprawl and sleep after he's done complaining.
August 13, 2016 12:47 pm
It definitely looks cozy! I'm glad you've found something that's working better for Mr. N. It is no fun having a whiny dog in the car, so I completely understand that!
Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets
August 15, 2016 7:10 am
He very very seldom whines otherwise. He hates being confined so this works great for him.
August 13, 2016 2:14 pm
Oh I love the look of this. I attach Kilo's travel harness to the back seat belt but he always tries to stick his head between the seats next to me and balances there. He hates going in a crate in the car. This could be a good solution.
August 15, 2016 7:11 am
Yeah, I think it's a great option for dogs who do not tolerate crating well.
August 13, 2016 8:13 pm
This is darling. I can't see my dogs ever sitting in one but Mr N looks like he loves it!
August 15, 2016 7:12 am
Lol! I don't think they make them in Rosa's size…
August 13, 2016 10:15 pm
This car seat looks great and I need to get one for our dog! Our dog hates riding in the car and this looks like it would help him.
August 15, 2016 7:15 am
Does he get car sick or does he just not like the car?
August 13, 2016 10:57 pm
That's a really cool car seat! You look great in it, Mr. N.
August 14, 2016 3:16 am
WHat a great idea and Mr. N you look so handsome in it 🙂
August 14, 2016 11:15 am
That's awesome!! And so comfortable :D!! Mr. N is a lucky man!! My dogs stay in the back, since they are too big for the front seats!!
August 15, 2016 7:15 am
Mr. N is pretty spoiled lol!
August 14, 2016 4:21 pm
This is fantastic!!! I wish my pups were small enough for this!
August 15, 2016 7:16 am
How big are they?
August 14, 2016 4:42 pm
I love the look of this! Too bad out guys are too big for it.
August 15, 2016 12:49 am
Wow it looks great and sounds super safe! I'm glad you found something that Mr N likes better for his car rides.
August 15, 2016 7:16 am
Me too! The whining was pretty terrible.
August 15, 2016 1:44 am
What a fabulous product! I haven't seen anything like this anywhere. It's really cute looking too, pretty design. Thanks for sharing.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
August 15, 2016 7:16 am
I think it's pretty new to the market. I like the clamshell design too.
August 15, 2016 4:32 am
The pupsaver looks great and even though our guys ride in crates I do take Bruiser on errands and I hate to admit that we ride in the front sometimes which I know isn't safe so I should look at this product for short rides!
August 15, 2016 7:14 am
I would always feel terribly guilty about letting him ride with me… so I'm glad this is an option now!
August 15, 2016 5:11 am
This is really cool! I love how much less restrictive it is than traditional carriers. I wonder how it tests with kitties. My cats would much prefer to roam around in the car on rides, but that is not very safe. I wonder if this would be a good option for them in the future when small enough harnesses become available.
-Purrs from your friends at http://www.PlayfulKitty.net
August 15, 2016 7:12 am
I am not sure, I will ask. Pupsaver is working on a double seater too.
August 15, 2016 7:24 am
Mr N is much better lookeed afterthan some kid seats! This looks a really cool idea for a dogs and less restrictive than a lot of restraints.
August 19, 2016 12:03 am
Haha. My friend tells me Mr. N has more dog gear than a lot of people have stuff for their kids!
August 15, 2016 2:25 pm
That looks adorable, and comfortable and I love that it protects Mr. N. Glad you found something that works for him.
August 19, 2016 12:03 am
Me too. He goes on car rides a lot so it's necessary.
August 15, 2016 5:54 pm
This really does look like a good alternative to having a dog crated or riding loose in the car! I'll bet the whining will decrease as you continue to use it! Great idea to get him used to it as a place to hoard things prior to putting it in the car!! High five for that approach!! 😀
August 19, 2016 12:02 am
Thank you. He likes sleeping in it, he is just outraged that he has to be restrained in it.
August 15, 2016 8:02 pm
My mom's dog prefers riding beside her in the car. I'm trying to get her to restrain him and this looks like a good alternative.
August 19, 2016 12:02 am
Yes. Mr. N is the same way.
August 16, 2016 3:15 am
That is great that you found a model that passed the crash safety tests. This one reminds me a lot of an infant car seat. I need to get a safer alternative for my dogs.
August 19, 2016 12:02 am
How are they riding now?
August 16, 2016 3:52 am
We are all about safety in travel and advocate for that. I never heard of this and I am so glad you are getting the word out. Protecting pets en route is so important.
August 19, 2016 12:02 am
It's important especially if the dogs travel as much as Dex or Mr. N does.
August 17, 2016 8:00 pm
My Bailey totally needs this!! It looks so amazing, I didn't even know it exists! Thank you so much for sharing this! (It also looks super cute because it reminds me of a baby car seat, haha).
August 19, 2016 12:01 am
That's what my friend who has kids said lol!
August 18, 2016 2:29 am
This looks really cool and I can understand why harnesses aren't a good option for smaller dogs. I confess, mom used to let me sit in the front seat in the beginning, but now I'm in the back seat, for long trips I have a harness. Love Dolly
August 19, 2016 12:01 am
I think he'd get banged around a bit with a harness.
August 18, 2016 5:27 am
This is neat! I haven't seen this before, or other dog car seats designed like this. It is a clever design.
And, I'm glad to hear that Mr. N (mostly) likes it.
August 19, 2016 12:04 am
I like it and Mr. N seems pretty comfortable in it. I think begrudging acceptance is as good as it is going to get for right now lol.
August 19, 2016 12:42 am
That looks just like a baby seat! Scooby might ride whine free if he had one like that.