Restraining your dog in the car is essential for his safety and yours. There are many different types of dog seat belts, but the Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness may be the safest of them all. This harness has been crash tested using the same assessments that child safety seats are put through.
If you have a large or extra-large dog breed, you may decide it is best to restrain him in the cargo hold of your vehicle. There are barriers that you can purchase to keep your pup contained safely in the back of the vehicle. If you'd rather have your pup ride in the passenger seat or the back seat of your car, you need to restrain him with a seat belt like this one from Sleepypod.
When your dog is able to roam freely around your vehicle he can become a distraction to the driver. His body would also turn into a very dangerous projectile in the event of a car crash. Using a restraint, like the Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness, is the best way to protect your pet, yourself and your passengers.
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Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Car Harness/Seat Belt Review
There are a lot of dog harnesses on the market that can be used to restrain your pet in the car. They are convenient, because they can be used as an everyday walking harness and a doggy seat belt. The Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness does not fall into this category.
Although you lose the convenience of being able to go for a walk and then load your dog directly into the vehicle, you gain a whole lot of specifically designed safety features.
This harness from Sleepypod was not designed to be versatile. It has one purpose – to keep your Fido as safe as possible while riding in the car. It features a three-point design, similar to safety seats for young children.
The unique patent-pending design is equipped with a padded vest and wide webbed harness structure to distribute the force evenly across the dog’s chest in the event of a car crash. This greatly reduces your dog's chance of injury.
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The most unique feature of the Sleepypod ClickIt Utility Dog Harness is the anchor system that attaches to the baby latch system in your vehicle. These anchors reduce any lateral movement by holding your pet’s hind end in place.
This means that your vehicle has to have a baby seat latch system. All vehicles manufactured after 2003 are required to have one of these systems, but if your car was made before then you'll need to check to see if it has one. If it doesn't, this harness will be of no use to you.
When I say that this harness from Sleepypod is quite possibly the safest dog seat belt on the market, I mean it! The Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness has been through static tensile testing and dynamic crash testing for all of its critical safety components including the stitching, hardware and webbing.
It has also been tested using the FMVSS-213 30 mph crash test and earned the title of Top Performer in the Center for Pet Safety’s 2013 Safety Harness Study. In this study eleven harness brands that made claims of “crash testing,” “crash protection” or “testing” were identified and evaluated.
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All of these safety features of great, but the Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness is not without its flaws. As I show you in my video review above, this harness is more difficult to install than many other dog car seat belt harnesses. It also seems to be much less comfortable for the dog.
Although the anchor system adds a level of safety that no other product can compete with, it also drastically limits your pet’s ability to move around comfortably. Our little Beagle had a hard time lying down or standing up when attached to this harness. She seemed very uncomfortable.
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I've tried the Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness with her more than 10 times. She did seem to get used to it after a few trips in the car, but she has never been very happy to wear it. She doesn't mind other car seat belt harnesses at all.
The other drawback to this product is the price. While I know that the unmatched safety features are definitely worth the cost, this harness won't fit into everyone's budget. It is available on Amazon in multiple sizes and colors. The sizes range from small to extra-large and range in price from $68-$84.
How to put on a dog harness?
If you’re new to fitting your pet with a harness, you need to be very careful. Most harnesses, including this one from Sleepypod, will likely have specific measuring instructions when you order. You don't want the harness to be so tight that it causes pain and chaffing, but you also don't want it to be so loose that your dog can slip out of it. Below, you can watch the video tutorial that I've created to demonstrate the proper way to fit your pet with a harness.
FULL GUIDE: How To Put On A Dog Harness 101 – A Step-by-Step Process
Summary of the Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Car Harness Review
PROS:
- Specifically designed for canine safety in the car
- Utilizes a three-point harness system similar to the one used for child safety seats
- Unique anchor system reduces lateral movement by holding your dog's back end in place
- Has passed static tensile testing and dynamic crash testing for all of its critical safety components including the stitching, hardware and webbing
- Tested using the FMVSS-213 30 mph crash test
- Earned the title of Top Performer in the Center for Pet Safety’s 2013 Safety Harness Study
- Available in multiple colors and seizes ranging from small to extra-large
CONS:
- Cannot be used as a walking harness
- More difficult to install in your car than similar products
- More expensive than many other dog seat belt harnesses
ULTIMATE LIST: The 50 Best Dog Harnesses for Walking Your Dogs
Now it’s your turn to review Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Car Harness
Have you ever used a Sleepypod Clickit Utility Dog Harness? Was your dog comfortable? Have you ever been in a car accident while your dog was restrained with this harness? I want to hear about your hands on experience with this product. Share your opinion in the comments below or post your own photo and video reviews on our Facebook page.
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