First of all, it is really annoying that, at the time of this review, Amazon has all the different sizes of the Ruff Rider Roadie broken out as separate listings rather than as one listing with different size options.A note about the sizing: be sure to consult not just Amazon, but the Ruff Rider website, as the sizing information is more detailed on the Ruff Rider site. Basically, there are two smalls, two mediums, etc. Be sure to measure carefully my dog measured for a Small 2, but at 48 lbs., I would never have expected her to be a small in anything. Also, go up a size if they are even close to the borderline. She was right in the middle of the range for this size but could probably stand to go up a size.
I ordered two of these, a Small 2 for my 48 lb. dog and a Medium 1 for my boyfriend's dog. Note that the medium had an extra adjustment strap on the chest (although we didn't find it useful) and had wider straps. Importantly, we were not able to fit my seatbelt buckles through the loops in the Small 2, but they fit just fine through the Medium 1. This means we had to use a large carabiner for the Small 2 to properly attach it to the car. *A note about carabiners*: if you are not already familiar with carabiners through rock climbing or related sports, be sure to familiarize yourself with them before using one for this purpose. You need to get a real one with a locking closure, not a novelty one, and it needs to be rated for the appropriate amount of force (usually given in kilonewtons). It takes a pretty heavy duty one to adequately attach your Ruff Rider Roadie (if needed), as 50+ lbs. of dog in an accident at 70 mph can exert a much greater amount of force than a person slipping and falling from a rock ledge.
The primary design flaw I encountered is that the dog can step on the seat belt buckle (accidentally or otherwise), thus releasing both the belt and their Roadie. A solution to this would be to use a high-quality carabiner to attach the Roadie to your vehicle's car seat attachments, circumventing the seat belt entirely.
Having said all that about sizing and attaching the product to the car, I have to say that the overall construction of this product is great. It is strong and the stitching is strong. I did a lot of research into this before making a purchase, because I was going on a cross-country roadtrip and wanted to keep my dogs safe in the event of an accident and also keep myself and my boyfriend safe 100 lbs. of dogs flying forward in an accident is not safe for anyone. I discovered that because dog seatbelts don't have to be approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or anything like that, the quality can be really inadequate. Most are probably fine for keeping your dog from jumping around the car, but are not sufficient to protect you and your dog in an accident. For example, plastic buckles are unlikely to hold up in a high-speed impact. The manufacturers of sub-par products probably know this but are hoping that their customers either don't care about this aspect or won't apply critical thinking skills to the situation.
Both of our dogs seemed to not mind this product, even when being walked in it out of the car. My dog is squirmy but had no issues putting it on via setting it over her head first then pulling her legs through. However, she was able to back out of it once when I was getting her out of the car.
Altogether, I was really impressed with the quality of this product, particularly its construction. It's worth the money to keep your dogs, yourself, and your family safe in the car.
FIT: The medium has wider straps which I prefer. I don't know how reliable this is in a crash compared to other dog seatbelts but the wide straps are great for when you need to make sudden stops. The medium has a yellow chest adjustment strap the small didn't have. It cinches the neck area maybe 1-3 inches smaller. There is a side adjustment strap. I wouldn't call these adjustment straps, because they're not really adjustment straps, they're more of a cinch.
CONSTRUCTION: This is a top notch product. The harness is built very sturdily and uses very strong (but soft) nylon webbing. It is all one piece with minimal hardware which I like. The strap that connects the harness to your car is securely attached to the actual harness. It is one piece. The straps are wide but because there are no adjusters (beside the cinches) or extra material, it ends up being very light. Also, your dog will be comfortable laying on the harness in long car rides as there is not bulky hardware to lay on. The connecting strap can be folded up into an elastic loop when not in use.
PUTTING IT ON: This is the worst thing about the harness. You have to maneuver your dog into it. If you dog doesn't appreciate being handled it it's limits or having it's feet touched you will have a pretty bad time. You either have to bend your dog's neck or legs in order to get this on. It's a lot of bending. Remember, this is a harness that doesn't adjust! It cinches tighter only. My dog hates this process and sulks. Taking it off is more difficult than putting it on!
Aside from sizing and putting in on, I think this is the best dog seatbelt harness out there. It is very well made and was actually made to keep your dog safe rather than just out of the driver's way.
Buy Ruff Riders Roadie Canine Vehicle Safety and Training Harness - Size Medium1 Now
You know how you see something and you really hope it will work for you? I really had high hopes for this product.I ordered the Medium#1 for my older dog and the Small#2 for my young dog.
According to the sizing charts, I should have bought the Small#1 (her neck is 18", chest 21") for my young dog but wanted to give her room to grow as she is only 1 year old. It is a good thing I ordered the Small#2 because while it fits once I get it on her, it is a struggle to get it on. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to put the Small#1 on her. I watched the video on the manufacturer's website and I tried both methods to put it on and they are both difficult for me. (Maybe the dog in the video is used to having it put on and therefore doesn't offer any resistance). I'm hoping it will get easier as I use it. I did try the Medium#1 on her to see if it was any better and it was easier to get on her but it was way too big even after adjustment.
My older dog has arthritis and I could not get the Medium#1 on him without causing him pain. I thought perhaps a Medium#2 would be better but given the struggle I had with the young dog even with the next size larger, I have decided to return the Medium#1 and go back to using the old harness which has a large buckle across the shoulders and does not require me to push or pull on his sore joints.
I do give them kudos on construction. It seems very sturdy and I'm sure the lack of plastic buckles makes it much more likely to stay on the dog in the event of an accident. And I really like the tether that can be used as a short leash. And their suggestion of using a carabiner to attach the dogs to an anchor point or tie down is much appreciated and is something that I will use no matter what brand of harness I use.
I'm not saying don't buy the product, I'm suggesting that you consider how flexible your dog is. It just wasn't right for me and my arthritic dog.I wanted to love this product, and if it had properly fit my dog, I am sure I would have at least liked it. I measured my dog and she fell between the 2 sizes. The first one was too small, and the next larger one was too small as well! The product gets excellent safety reviews from safety professionals, but ultimately I went with another product (also safety tested) that has a lightly padded chest piece which should better distribute the shock of any car crash as well as be more gentle/comfortable for the dog.
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I really like this harness. I feel that it is made really well, and I love how the short little leash on the back has two different places to run the seatbelt through (to keep your dog more firmly seated, or give him slightly freer reign). The lease is also perfect length for my dog's height and my arm length (I'm 5'4") that I can walk him easily at rest stops, between the car and the vets, etc. without having to get out his normal leash. All of the connecting pieces are firmly sewn together. The buckles are just for adjustment and aren't at any stress points. I honestly think I need to worry about my car's seatbelt giving out before this thing, since this seems more solidly constructed! =PMy only complaint is that it is a bit difficult to get my dog into the harness, but I suppose that is a result of being a safe car harness design. My Sam is a 50 lb. golden retriever mix, approaching birthday #8, but my mom calls him Hot Dog because he's reddish and longer in the body than is typical of dogs his size; consequently he is on the short side and doesn't have as much leg to pull through as a "normal" 50 lb. dog.
I've found that the best way to get him in the harness is to have him lay down with his paws out in front of him. I slide the harness halfway up his front legs, duck his head down to the floor (he lies like this a lot anyway, so it's not awkward for him), slip it over his head, then continue to pull his legs through, one at a time. It is a bit awkward and takes a little more time than other harnesses, probably, but there is no way I'd be able to get him in it standing up without painfully contorting him.
I feel confident that my best buddy is safe in the middle back seat of my car when I need to transport him. I recently used it on a 6 hour drive when I moved out of state, and he seemed comfortable the whole time. I had his kitty in her carrier next to him, and he curled up facing her with his head resting on a garbage bag of dirty clothes I put on the floor on the hump in front of him, and drifted off to sleep. He's agoraphobic and usually is a complete slobbery mess in cars (when he was younger he threw up every time I had to get him in a car, and once he even lost bowel control -_-;), so I think this harness makes /him/ feel safer, too!
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