To get your dog from A to B safely in the car, you need the best dog seat belt to keep them suitably secured. Whether you're heading on a short-duration trip to the vets or visiting friends and family nearby, or heading further afield on an outdoor adventure or staycation, you'll be ready to hit the road with your pooch in tow at any time with one of these must-have dog travel accessories.
You can use a crate or a car carrier for your puppy or adult dog when they're travelling in the car with you. However, some dogs may not like being in an enclosed space for the duration of your journey, especially those dogs that tend to be more anxious travellers. The best dog seat belts will allow your pooch to have a bit more freedom while still being suitably secure enough that they won't be able to try to take a leap of faith to get into the driver's seat with you. You can secure them in the back seats so they've got all of them to lay down on, or you can pop them into the front passenger seat to sit next to you, just make sure you switch the airbag off first.
Best dog seat belt at a glance:
• Best overall: Just Pet Zone Dog Seat Belt – view on Amazon UK
• Best headrest dog seat belt: PETZANA Headrest Dog Car Seat Belt – view on Amazon UK
• Best dog seat belt for small dogs: EZYDOG Dog Seat Belt Attachment – view on Amazon UK
• Best dog seat belt for large dogs: KONG Ultimate Safety Tether Dog Seat Belt – view on Jollyes
The beauty of dog seat belts is that they're a lot smaller than some of the other car travel accessories for dogs. They won't take up a lot of space like a dog travel crate does so if you're heading on your holidays with your hound, there will still be plenty of room for luggage in the back. The small and compact size also makes them more portable so you can move them from vehicle to vehicle and easily uninstall them if you need the seat for some human passengers.
Wherever you're travelling with your pooch, you can keep them safe and comfortable with a doggy seat belt. There are a couple of different styles you can get, which is why we've put together our top picks of the best dog seat belts, that have either been tested by us or come highly reviewed by real-life customers online.
Best dog seat belt
Best overall
AmazonWith over 8,000 reviews and an average rating of 4.6 stars, this Just Pet Zone Dog Seat Belt is a popular choice for one of the best dog seat belts on Amazon. It's adjustable so you can tailor the length to suit the needs of your dog and it has an elastic buffer design to protect your pooch if you need to suddenly brake or take a sharp turn as you're driving along. It's also quick and easy to attach to your dog's harness with the swivel snap clasp.
Customer review: "Our dog tends to pace up and down the back seat when in the car. He's a very anxious dog, this offers him security and keeps him from trying to get to the front of the car, keeping everyone safe."
Pros
- Elastic buffer design
- Adjustable length
Cons
- Some reviewers who had smaller breeds felt it was still a little too long for their pooch even at the shortest length
Best headrest dog seat belt
AmazonA great option if you're after a multifunctioning dog seat belt, the PETZANA Headrest Dog Car Seat Belt can be snapped into your car's seat buckle but it's primarily designed to be secured around your headrest so they're less likely to get tangled amongst the belt if your pooch has a tendency to move around in the car. It has reflective stitching for low-light use and it also doubles up as a lead to make getting from the car to outside as seamless as possible.
Customer review: "I had bought a dog restraint that uses the seat belt holder but my dog found it uncomfortable as the holder stuck up. This is 100% better, great quality and also acts as a lead when getting my dog in/out of the car. I put it on the middle headrest, which gives her room to move about and get comfy."
Pros
- Doubles as a lead
- Adjustable strap
Cons
- Some reviewers felt their dog couldn't lay down comfortably while wearing it but was fine for when they were sitting
Best dog seat belt for small dogs
AmazonLooking for a seat belt option for smaller breeds? You may want to consider this EZYDOG Dog Seat Belt Attachment. It works with seat belts already in your car. You just have to slide it over the buckle plate and then clip your seat belt in like you normally would before clipping the attachment to your dog's collar. As they're just restricted to the length of the seat belt, it'll stop them from being able to attempt to jump into the front with you.
Our review: "I've used this EZYDOG seat belt attachment for both of my small dogs, Gina and Bella. I like it because it's super easy to take with you from car to car and doesn't require having any extra things installed in your car because it just slips on and off your existing car seat belt. Gina isn't a great car traveller and would always try and find a way to get into the front seat with me but since using this seat belt attachment, she's stayed restrained in the back."
Pros
- Doesn't require additional belts to be installed in your car
- Easy to slip on and off as required
Cons
- Short in length so probably wouldn't reach a harness on a big dog
Best dog seat belt for large dogs
Pets at Homewww.jollyes.co.uk
If you've got a larger breed or one that is particularly strong, this KONG Ultimate Safety Tether Dog Seat Belt offers the ultimate control of your dog as it is secured around the entirety of one of the back seats in your car and has extra tough nylon straps to ensure the safety of your dog. It's designed to keep your dog sitting in one seat, stopping them from moving around or falling into the footwell as their weight is completely supported by your car seat.
Customer review: "So safe for my dog but also safe for me as I drive as he can't jump up on the seat and distract me, he's settled and safe. Easy to fit, over seat or headrest, 3 clicks and it's done. Can still use the seat, no need to remove"
Pros
- Extra strong and tough
- Adjustable for different-sized dogs
Cons
- Some dogs may not like to be restricted this much
Best car seat for two dogs
AmazonWhat could be better than one dog seat belt? Two, of course! This duo-pack of Just Pet Zone Dog Seat Belts is ideal if you have two dogs, two cars, or simply want to have a backup option in case you misplace the first one. Available in five different colours, black, blue, grey, pink and red, they're made of a high-quality nylon fabric and are adjustable to lengths between 53-74cm to ensure your dog is safe and comfortable.
Customer review: "These seat belts are great, they give the dogs freedom and safety in the car, they don’t get tangled like leads do, not as restrictive as harness, so my dogs both prefer these to any other product I have tried, plus they are a really good price for the quality of them"
Pros
- Adjustable
- Two in a pack
Cons
- Shortest length might still be a little too long for small dogs
Best budget dog car seat belt
Pets at Homewww.petsathome.com
If you're on a budget, this Pets at Home Universal Car Seat Belt Dog Restraint is a great value option, coming in way under £10. It comes with three different style attachments that are designed to fit into a wide variety of seatbelt buckles so this should fit the majority of car models. It's simple to install, too, just clip the relevant plate attachment into your seat buckle and then clip the trigger onto the D-ring of your dog's harness and you're good to go.
Customer review: "Bought this as my puppy didn't like being in a cage for car journeys. With this he was able to sit up front with me and get a fuss along the way. A happier and safer pup. I liked the fact that it has 3 different belt fittings."
Pros
- Value for money
- Choice of plate attachments
Cons
- Not completely indestructible so if your dog is a chewer, they may easily get through this
Best dog seat belt for chewers
AmazonIf your pooch doesn't take well to being restrained and would attempt to chew their way out of a seat belt, this VIVAGLORY Dog Car Seat Belt may be a great solution for chewers. Instead of being made using nylon like most doggy seat belts, this one is made of a heavy-duty stainless steel rope to make it more durable and sturdier, designed to withstand tension up to 90kg so it'll be able to stand the weight of even extremely heavy dogs on the end of it.
Customer review: "Dogs kept chewing through the lead that keeps them safe in the car, but this has solved that issue easily"
Pros
- Available in a choice of lengths and colours
- Heavy-duty and chew-proof
Cons
- Dogs may be able to easily undo it if they stand on the seatbelt clip but there is a latch bar hook that offers a stronger attachment you can use instead
Best ISOFIX dog seat belt
AmazonAs strong as a dog seat belt might be, your pooch may still accidentally stand on the seatbelt buckle and release themselves, which is why you may want to look at an alternative option to keep them secure. The IOKHEIRA Dog Seat Belt for Car has a latch attachment so it can be applied to an ISOFIX socket, just like a child's car seat, for extra strength. It has an ultra-high energy absorption design, which will help to reduce the impact on your dog in case of an emergency situation.
Customer review: "Arrived quickly and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality, I had expected something cheap to be honest, given the excellent price. Instead, its well made, durable and tough! I like that theres a little slip lock cover bit on the clasp too, dogs going nowhere once buckled in! Good reach in max length, yeah really pleased."
Pros
- Strong and secure locking system
- Shock absorbing design
Cons
- May be more fiddly to install compared to others
Tips for travelling in the car with your dog:
Thanks to the Animal Trust, we've got some dos and don'ts for travelling in the car with your dog to make it a happy experience for both hound and human.
Do
• Secure your dog using either a belt, harness, crate or car carrier.
• Bring plenty of water to help your pet stay cool. The temperature of a car can quickly heat up in the summer.
• It’s fine to have the air conditioning on as long as it’s not blowing directly in your dog's face, or to open a window slightly, ensuring it’s not wide enough for them to jump out.
• Take regular stops on long car trips so your pooch can stretch their legs, rehydrate and go to the toilet.
• Ensure your canine companion has familiar surroundings with them, whether it’s their favourite toy or a blanket, this will help keep them relaxed throughout the journey.
• If your dog suffers from motion sickness, speak to your vet who may prescribe travel medication.
Don't
• Do not allow your dog to travel with their head out of an open window.
• Don’t leave the passenger airbag on if they’re travelling in the front seat.
• It's best not to feed your pet before your travel, ideally, you'll want to leave at least two hours after food before you get on the road.
• You should never leave your dog in a hot car – it doesn’t take long for a vehicle to warm up causing your pooch to overheat, which can be fatal.
Do dogs have to wear seat belts in a car in the UK?
As stated in the Highway Code, dogs and other animals need to be suitably restrained so they can't distract you while driving or injure you or themselves if you have to stop quickly. While it doesn't have to be a dog seat belt, you will need to opt for another option like a car seat, a car carrier, a cage or a dog guard to keep them safe and secure.
Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things dogs. She grew up always having at least one dog as part of the family and has experience in owning a variety of breeds, including Labradors, Cockapoos and Yorkshire Terriers.