Dog Kennel Guide

We all know that dogs make fantastic pets.  They are faithful, devoted and loving companions who give years of pleasure to millions of owners throughout the world.  However, one thing they aren’t is particularly clean.  Unless they have very short fur then they tend to shed wherever they go and they carry bits of mud and dirt into your house or car or anywhere else they go.  There are all different dog accessories that can be bought to help deal with this problem and one solution, for your car at least, is to buy a dog hammock car seat cover.

A dog car hammock is a clever invention that prevents dirt and hair from getting onto your car floor and seats.  Basically it is a large piece of heavy duty, puncture proof fabric which has loops to hook over both the front and rear headrests, forming a hammock in between over the rear seats.  The fabric is water resistant so it won’t matter if your dog is a little damp after jumping into a puddle or stream.  It is also machine washable and so once there is a build up of dirt you can simply pop it in to wash.

A better quality dog car seat hammock will also have holes for seat belts to fit through so that you can still attach your dog to a seat belt to keep him safe in case of an accident.  If you are someone who likes to ensure their dog’s safety by putting him into a dog car cage in the boot then you can fit a dog hammock within the cage quite easily so that your boot space is protected from build ups of dirt.

The fabric of these covers is breathable so you can be sure that your dog won’t end up sweating away on the back seat, smelling your car out!

Though most hammocks advertised are for cars, you can also get dog bed hammocks which can be used in the house, a dog pen or even a dog kennel.  These are made from a low metal frame, which can be taken apart for ease of transportation, with a strong nylon top.  These are ideal when visiting as they take up very little space when taken apart and yet give your dog a far more comfortable place to sleep than simply lying on the floor.  They also keep him up out of the way of floor level drafts and stop the cold from the floor making him feel chilled.

Nearly all dog owners will at some time or another want to transport their dog in their car.  Though it may be tempting to just place him on the back seat this is not a practical or safe solution and you would be much better off buying a dog car cage or a specially designed dog kennel.  You won’t even need to apply your brakes very hard to throw the poor animal across the vehicle and a large number of dogs are killed or injured this way every year.  An extra danger would also be if this application of the brakes threw the dog into the back of the driver causing an accident.  Also, a loose dog may just take it into his mind to climb into the front of the car distracting the driver and again potentially causing an accident.

Of course it is not just unsafe.  Dogs are not always the cleanest of animals and are likely to bring mud and dirt into your car, along with piles of shed hair, which would make your seats most undesirable for the next human occupant.  All these factors make it vital to buy some sort of dog carrier in which to transport your pet.

If you are someone who doesn’t use their car very often to transport their dog then a dog car crate is probably not necessary and you would be better off buying one of the many plastic dog kennels available on the market today.  These can be secured to the back seat by a seatbelt and will keep your dog safely in place for your journey.

If, however, your dog travels with you more than once a week then you should consider purchasing a dog car cage.  These cages are specially designed to fit into the back of the car and the newer designs have a sloping side to solve the problem of dog car cages which can’t fit into hatchback cars.  The cages have plastic trays on the bottom to catch any dirt and hair, reducing the need to vacuum out the vehicle, and often come with dividers which can be inserted if you want to transport more than one dog.

All types of dog car cage have a door opening on one side but some also have extra doors to allow access from the vehicle by lowering the back seats.  This may be useful if you need to reach your dog whilst still in transit or in emergency situations.