It's a guaranteed bet that you're either a 'dog' person or a 'cat' person; if you're a dog person and you own a dog, then you love to take it everywhere you go. However did you know if you're travelling in a car with your pet pooch, then they are at just as much risk in an accident as you are? If you aren’t too worried about that, then think about this: A dog wandering around at liberty in a car can cause an accident if the driver is distracted, or if their driving is impeded. If Bingo wants a pat and you're negotiating a tricky intersection, or you decide a tummy rub is required at the next set of lights, then you may well cause an accident, or fail to get out of one. Fido, like a youngster, ought to be strapped safely in a seat.

A dog harness is crucial if you want to avert an accident, and injury to either yourself or your dog. Think of it as a dog safety belt, which could (in the disastrous event of an accident) prevent your beloved canine from being thrown around the vehicle and becoming hurt – or hurting you. Any loose item in a car can turn into a projectile and again, if you don't care too much if Bingo is hurt, then consider the fact that you may well be.

A dog travel harness is available in different sizes, and it is important that you pick the right one in order for it to fit correctly. If it's too loose, the dog may well slip through in an crash – too close-fitting and it may perhaps cause injury and defeat the object for which it was intended. Furthermore, you don't want a harness that will rub when the car is in motion. This could cause friction burns and blisters. Padding in the right places, and the right kind of padding, is essential. It's worth spending a little extra on a harness that will fit properly and be close-fitting (but not too much so) and offer protection even while simply driving from point A to point B.

The final point worth noting is that the harness ought to have a swivel fitting so that the dog can either sit up or lie down in the car. A good harness will allow the dog to turn around and not become tangled, or cause the belt to shorten. Positioned properly, a harness will also mean your windows stay clean – no more doggy drool coating the insides of your car!

Dog travel safety ought to be one of the things you consider as soon as you acquire a puppy. For many reasons, a dog harness, obtainable from all respectable pet supplies stores, is a very important item of equipment in the car of every dog owner.