Yahoo Autos Celebrate National Pet Day by taking your furry best friend on a road trip - here's what you'll need
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Let's be real: National Pet Day is just another one of dozens of pet-focused "holidays" (over 150, to be exact). Most of these were invented very recently to take advantage of social media buzz, Hallmark sales and warm fuzzies. This one, however, by the grace of the social media gods, seems to have caught a bit more steam than some of the others, so expect to be seeing a lot of it this year. Pet holidays are all well and good, but if you ask us, every day is National Pet Day in our hearts. Most of us here on the Autoblog crew are dog owners, so we've been thinking about the best, safest and most efficient ways to include our pups in our favorite hobby, hitting the open road.
We've actually got tons of great posts on traveling with your favorite four-legged buddy, spanning a variety of topics. If you're just simply looking for ideas on how to manage a trip with your best friend in tow, check out our 7 tips for a road trip with your dog, right here. Trying to track down some pet-friendly places to travel? We've got the 10 most pet-friendly road-trip cities in America for you as well. If you're concerned with in-car safety, we had a discussion with Lindsey Wolko, the founder of the Center for Pet Safety, and put together this article on how to keep your pets properly protected in the car. Last but not least, if you're looking to pick up some gear to make traveling with your dog as easy and fun as chasing a tennis ball through an open field, then check out some of these great products, just below.
Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus Car Seat Belt Harness - $109.24 (7% off)
The Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus is one of only a select few harnesses currently certified by the Center for Pet Safety. The CPS certification program has been around for nearly 10 years, and requirements for certification can be seen right here. The Clickit Sport passed the CPS' certification testing with 5 stars and there's even footage of the testing available for viewing right here. Aside from being CPS certified, this harness is great for walking or hiking with your dog thanks to its energy absorbing neoprene padding construction, built-in reflective strips and double "D" ring leash connection. The harness is available in all different kinds of colors and sizes right here.
Key Features
Crash test certified by the Center for Pet Safety
Makes use of reflective strips on the harness for improved night visibility
Features a double "D" ring leash connection
K&H Pet Products Buckle N' Go Dog Car Seat for Large Dogs - $59.99 (35% off)
K&H Pet Products Buckle N’ Go Dog Car Seat is a great option for owners of larger dogs. It's basically a dog hammock for your back seat. The seat is large with no weight limit so it's suitable for just about any dog of every size. It’s simple to install and folds flat when taken apart. Importantly, the front also folds/bends down for easy entry, in case your pup is a little unsure about the idea at first. This seat connects to the seatbelt buckle receiver and is compatible with most vehicles with the exception of a select few Hondas with non-standard seatbelt locks.
Key Features
Simple installation
Open top with mesh sides
No weight limit
Foldable
21 x 19 x 19
Vailge Dog Car Seat Covers - $32.35 (w/ 10% off digital coupon)
This Vailge God Car Seat Cover is a similar idea to the car seat above, but with a different design. It measures 56 x 60 inches and is made from 600D Oxford polyester fabric, meaning it's waterproof and scratch-proof. It has a non-slip bottom that stays in place, in case your dog doesn't like to stay still on car rides and the side flaps make it easy to enter and exit. For convenience, it's also machine washable.
Key Features
56 x 60 inches
Waterproof and scratchproof
Non-slip backing
Machine washable
Giomoc Dog Car Seat Cover For Back Seat - $27.99 (30% off)
For one last seat cover option, this Giomoc seat cover fits in the rear row of most cars, SUVs, trucks and even limousines, if you're riding in style. Not only is it suitable for your pets, but for your cargo as well. It comes with an added storage pocket, quick-release buckles, two seat anchors and velcro seatbelt openings.
Key Features
50.6 x 69.9 inches
4 layers of protection
Waterproof
Scratch-resistant
