Seat belts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 64 percent of people killed in car accidents were not wearing a seat belt. For this reason and the enforcement of seat belt laws, most people wear seat belts while driving and riding in the cars of others. However, many people neglect to follow the same precaution with their dogs, allowing their pets to roam freely inside their vehicles and endangering their lives.
Think about it: the average Labrador Retriever weighs approximately 60 to 75 lbs, which is the average weight of an 8-year-old child. An unrestrained Labrador would receive the same trauma an 8-year-old child not wearing a seat belt would in an accident. We wouldn’t let our children ride without seat belts so we should make sure we buckle up our dogs as well. Owners can do this with the help of a specialized canine restraint system.
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Seat belts haven’t always existed for dogs, but this has changed in recent past with the invention of canine vehicle safety systems. One excellent canine restraint system is the Ruff Rider “Roadie,” which is manufactured by Ruff Rider Products, LLC. Dog training sessions can help your pet get accustomed to using the system. The Roadie’s tensile strength exceeds the Society of American Engineers’ tensile strength standards for human seat belts of 5,000 pounds.
In addition, when creating the “Roadie,” consideration was given to the forces that occur in all directions while traveling in cars in both normal and emergency situations. Thus, this system was manufactured with great attention to all things that could go wrong and protect your dog from harm.
The “Roadie” comes in five models and various systems to fit dogs ranging in weight from seven to 160 lbs. Make sure to choose the right size for your dog, as proper fit is essential in maximizing the efficacy of the system.
Also, read the manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting and applying the harness to your canine. Be patient during the first few tries, as your dog may resist being strapped down. Some patience and training will be necessary to get your dog used to being belted in. However, while applying the dog harness may prove tedious at first, it can make a world of difference in the event of an accident.
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