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Traveling with a dog and baby? Find out which crash-tested harnesses, kennels, and carriers actually keep your family safe - expert-backed picks at every price point.
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Properly restraining your dog can be the difference between life or death for the passengers and the dog in the case of a sudden stop or car crash.
Alyssa whom I met through my Instagram account, messaged me recently:
“My husband has a truck and I have an SUV. The dogs can go in my SUV trunk, although they aren’t secured to anything. And I’m realizing in my husband's truck there wouldn’t be anywhere for them to go besides right next to the car seat. My dogs have been amazing with the little one, but my anxiety just can’t help but think WHAT IF? I already feel like my trunk isn’t “secure” enough, but right next to the car sear is even worse!”
That WHAT IF question is the one that prompted me to look into it as having a 60 pound loose dog next to 6-pound babies didn’t feel safe at all.
*In the U.S., visit www.centerforpetsafety.org (CPS), a non-profit organization that conducts rigorous product evaluations on commonly available pet safety products using realistic, specially designed crash test dogs. It is an unregulated industry, and many dog restraints, harnesses, and crates marketed as "crash tested" have not passed the CPS rigorous crash tests.
Some companies test their products independently, to the same or more enhanced testing protocols CPS uses
Expert Tip: If you want to avoid having the dog and baby in the same row:
Many parents of newborns and infants choose to have the dog secured in front with the airbag turned off* while one of the parents is in the back with the baby.
*Many cars have sensors that will turn the passenger airbag off if the proper weight isn’t detected. There may also be a button to turn off the passenger airbag. Check your car manual for instructions.
Your dog is a projectile.
Before I had my kids, I knew nothing about projectiles or babies and dogs in the car. Lola used to ride in the back seat, loose. I know!
I asked Holly Choi, a CPST-I and the founder of Safe Beginnings, about the most significant risks:
“Anything that isn’t restrained in a vehicle has the potential to become a PROJECTILE in a crash, meaning the person, animal or object will move towards the point of impact in a crash, at the speed the crash occurred at.
Of course, the point of impact can be different in each crash (front, rear, side-impact), but since we don’t know, we want to, at all costs, avoid the possibility of a dog being able to fly toward a child.
There is a lot we can’t control. We can control how everyone rides in the car. Sometimes that might mean:
We have learned from our mistakes. After years of driving a small SUV, we upgraded to a minivan. Now, Lola has her seat with the Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus Harness, and there is enough room for a crash-tested kennel.
If you are in the market for a new family car, check out The Car Mom. Kelly Stumpe reviews and tours cars for moms and families and offers car buy consultations and courses.
$20-$49
This harness has been tested at an established university testing facility using the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for child restraint systems.
Tested for dogs up to 75 pounds. Available in 5 sizes.
Crash tested to 22 pounds at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute following children’s car seat safety standards.
Available in 4 sizes for dogs up to 100 lb.
Where to buy: Amazon
Crash testest at an Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) registered laboratory facility.
Tested for dogs up to 70 lb. Available in 4 sizes.
$50-$99
This harness passed the crash test at Calspan in 2020 for dogs weighing up to 108 pounds using current PPSC testing guidelines.
Available in 4 sizes for dogs from 10 lb up to 110 lb.
Testing was at at MGA Research Corporation, an independent test facility, for dogs up to 75 pounds.
Available in 5 sizes.
Where to buy: Amazon | Ruffwear
Crash-tested and TÜV SÜD certified. The step-in design means no pulling over the head - easy on, easy off. Breathable padded mesh panels, seatbelt loop to reduce forward movement in a crash, and made from 100% recycled fabric. Available in 3 sizes.
$100+
The bundle includes: Clickit Sport Car Harness, S-CLIP and Buckle Shield.
Certified for dogs from 18 to 90 pounds. Available in 3 sizes.
It’s been crash-tested at the Automotive Safety Engineering in Australia, recognized by the American, European, and Australian regulatory agencies responsible for child-restraint standards. It has been tested for dogs up to 75 pounds. Available in 3 sizes.
Where to buy: Amazon | EzyDog → Use code: dogmeetsbaby for 10% off
Watch this reel to see how we use the EzyDog Harness
Testing was done to the exact protocol CPS uses. Strength Testing was performed at Michigan State, and Sled Test was done at UMTRI.
Crash tested for dogs up to 110 pounds. Custom built for your dog.
Where to buy: Big Dog Seatbelt Company → Use code: DOGMEETSBABY for $10 off
The bundle includes: Clickit Terrain Dog Harness, S-CLIP and Buckle Shield.
Certified for dogs from 18 to 110 lb. Available in 4 sizes.
Where to buy: Chewy
It was developed and crash-tested in Germany at TÜV (Technical Inspection Association), according to published safety standards ECE R-17 and ISO27955.
It has been tested for dogs up to 75 lb. Available in 4 sizes.
Where to buy: MimSafe
Dynamic crash tested at a certified facility equivalent to child car seat testing (FMVSS213).
Available in 4 sizes.
Where to buy: Optimus Gear
Dog Meets Baby follower: “Our +80lb fur baby is always buckled in with his crash-tested harness! He sits in the same row as our 9mo son and behaves very well. I had to slam on the breaks, and I quickly learned how important it is to have him buckled in!”
The difference in price between crash-tested kennels certified by the Center for Pet Safety is less significant than harnesses.
$250-$499
Made in the US, they feature a one-piece roto-molded construction made from UV-stabilized polyethylene.
Comes in 6 sizes in single and double-door options.
Where to buy: Ruffland | Cabela’s
Certified for dogs up to 75 lb (intermediate) and 90 lb (large) with Locking Pin and Strength Rated Anchor Straps. Safety-tested single-body construction with side ventilation slots and a stainless steel door. Made in the US.
Where to buy: Cabela’s
Made and assembled in the USA with large ventilation holes and more size options than almost anyone else. Dakota 283 kennels are not CPS-certified, but they're a well-built, popular choice especially for larger dogs where options get limited. They come in two main lines:
CRaTE Series - the budget-friendly option, and G3 Series - the flagship line.
Where to buy: Dakota
$500-$999
Comes in 4 sizes: small, medium, intermediate, and large. The website has a sizing guide with useful kennel and vehicle fit finders. The large Gunner Kennel is not certified by CPS.
The small - intermediate Gunner Kennels are certified by CPS, double-wall rotomolded, and made in the US. All kennels have a lifetime warranty. 5-star safety is ensured when paired with Gunner Strength Rated Anchor Straps.
Where to buy: Chewy | Gunner → Use code: DOGMEETSBABY for free shipping
Dog Meets Baby follower: “We have the baby in the second-row middle seat and our mini Aussie in a Gunner kennel in the third row/trunk. It was a hefty investment but absolutely worth knowing they are both safe. We had to upgrade to a three-row SUV from a sedan, but I have zero worries we are all safe.”
Comes in three sizes: medium, intermediate, and large.
They are certified by CPS when paired with the Lucky Ratchet Strap Kit. They are patented one-piece rotomolded kennels, made in the US, and have a lifetime warranty.
The Large size is the only kennel certified by CPS for dogs up to 110 lb.
Where to buy: Cabela’s | Lucky Duck
Comes in 3 sizes. Take the sizing quiz on their website to find the best kennel for your dog.
Ultra-durable yet lightweight inflatable kennel. Military-grade, puncture-resistant materials. Packs flat when not in use.
The small size of the Enventur dog kennel has passed bench seat crash safety tests by a 3rd party lab with ongoing testing for medium and large sizes. To ensure crash-tested safety, you must use the Diggs Tie-Down accessory.
Where to buy: Amazon
Watch this reel to see how we use the Diggs Enventur Kennel
$1000+
Comes in 4 sizes: Medium - XXL. Check out the sizing guide to choose the best crate for your dog.
The medium kennel (for dogs up to 50 lb) with Anchor Straps is the only size that is Certified by CPS. Crates are made with aircraft-grade aluminum, are made in the US and have a 10-year warranty. You can personalize your crate color.
Where to buy: Rock Creek
$80-179
1. PawsinCar Airline Pet Carrier (Certified by CPS)
2. PawsinCar Car Seat (Certified by CPS)
3. Sleepypod Atom (Certified by CPS)
4. Sleepypod Mini (Certified by CPS)
5.Sherpa Forma Frame Airline Pet Carrier
$180-$300
5. Sleepypod Air (Certified by CPS)
6. Tavo Dupree Airline Carry-On and Car Seat - Tested at dynamic testing facilities, benchmarked against the latest United Nations ECE child restraint standard R129.
7. Away Pet Carrier (Certified by CPS) - Use this link for $20 off your first purchase. (Tip: type in 'pet carrier' in their search bar to find it easily)
8. Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed with PPRS Handilock (Certified by CPS)
$301-600
9. PawsInCar Vegan Leather Pet Carrier (Certified by CPS)
10. Tavo Crispin Travel Crate - Tested at dynamic testing facilities with cutting-edge equipment and technology benchmarked against the latest United Nations ECE child restraint standard R129.
11. Tavo Maeve Car Seat - Tested at dynamic testing facilities with cutting-edge equipment and technology benchmarked against the latest United Nations ECE child restraint standard R129.
Dog Meets Baby follower: “We love our Sleepypod Carrier! Our Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) that helped us install our car seat was so happy our dog was properly buckled in our car.”
As one Dog Meets Baby follower said: ” Never thought we would need a 3-row vehicle for 2 adults, 1 baby, and a large dog.”
I never thought I would be driving a minivan. The main reason for upgrading the car was the lack of space for Lola if we wanted her buckled in or crated.
If you are like I was not so long ago, with your dog loose in the car, now you know what to do and that there are options. It is an adjustment, often pricey, but knowing I did everything I could to keep my family safe is priceless.
Online resources to help your baby and dog get along—right from the start and as they grow up together.
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