By: Sue Nielsen, MD
I have to admit, I was one of those pet parents who didn’t always secure my Chihuahua in his carrier to go for a car ride. He hated it, barked and whined, and gave me those puppy eyes, “I want to see where we are going!” I allowed him to sit in my lap and I would hold him up to see the view. Not really smart, and NOT SAFE! I needed to review the many reasons to get a car seat for Rico.
After my online research, I found the perfect option for my small dog which also fit nicely in my vehicle. Several helpful Internet sites include Amazon, SnoozerPetProducts, and GWLittle. I found Amazon useful to look at all the options, and Snoozer provided additional information on WHICH size or type of seat to buy based on the size of the dog. They also had a large variety of seats. I ordered it online, it arrived within a week, and to my surprise, it was perfect!
Snoozer Luxury Console Pet Seat and Dog Lookout is a great choice. Rico jumped into the seat the minute I took it out of the box. An unexpected yet awesome reaction. He is very happy to be in his car seat and jumps right in with the command, “Get in the Snoozer!” 
Rico enjoys the ride too. The seat doesn’t interfere with my comfort or my passenger’s. We get a lot of smiles, laughs, and pointing when waiting for a light signal, “Hey, look at that dog!”
Center console seats are functional. These seats allow your dog to be next to you while driving, but not a distraction. Rico can finally see out the window! He can sit, lie down, or even sleep, all in comfort.
Very easy to install. It only took about 10 minutes. It secures easily on top the center console with two adjustable straps below it and two additional straps to tighten down to each front seat.
Perfect size for small dogs. Small seat for up to 4 pounds, large seat for up to 8 pounds. The safety tether is long enough to let him move around, but short enough to keep him safe. Larger dogs should be in a seat made for their size, and consider back seats to avoid air bag injuries.
Material is comfortable and machine washable. I bought the microsuede covering and it’s very soft. The removable pad at the bottom has a suede side and a plush side, and the covering of the entire seat can be zipped off and laundered when that time comes.
Dos and Don’ts …
• Do measure your dog and your vehicle’s space to identify the properly sized seat and restraint.
• Do use restraints that offer a little range of motion for your pu
• Do have an ID tag on your dog at all times when you are on the road
• Don’t crate your dog in the car – unless the crate itself is belted down securely
• Don’t let your dog hang his or her head out the window – without protection for their eyes
• Don’t let them ride in the back of a pickup truck – even for a short ride
• Don’t ever leave your dog in a hot care – it can be deadly
DO TAKE THEM EVERYWHERE WITH YOU!
Are you living in the Sarasota-Bradenton area with your small dog? We’d love to meet you! The Sarasota Dog Meetup group has a special meetup for dogs that are 12 lbs and under. We meet once a month for activities to enrich our pup’s lives in a safe environment and have a little fun for ourselves too. You can find us here – Petite Pups PlayGroup