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Car rides can be a fun adventure for your dog, but it's crucial to prioritise safety. Just like humans, dogs need to be properly restrained to prevent accidents.
A loose dog can be a major distraction while driving, and in case of an accident, a restrained dog is less likely to be injured.
There are lots of different solutions on the market including dog guards, crates and headrest tethers but if you’re looking for a plain and simple solution to restraining your dog in the car, then one of the Kong range of tethers will certainly fit the bill.
KONG offer two great value safety tethers to ensure your dog is safe and secure in your car -
🚗 Ultimate Safety Tether - for securing your dog on the back seat
🚗 Cargo Swivel Tether - for securing your dog in your car boot or on your car seat
Both of these tethers attach to your dog's harness and then to the ISOfix system in your car.
Kong's credentials need no introduction, the brand behind the iconic dog toy, and makers of the best-in-class car boot liner, it's little wonder that their car safety tethers impressed us so much.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
KONG In-Car Dog Tethers Review
1. Kong Ultimate Safety Tether
First we take a closer look at the Ultimate Safety Tether which works in the back seat of your car.
For me (and for most people, I suspect), the key to restraining your dog in the car, is to keep them safe whilst allowing them room to lie or sit comfortably without getting tangled whilst you drive.
As the Kong Tether works with your ISOfix system (just like a baby seat) it ticks all the safety boxes.
The photo above shows how it fits in your car using the ISOfix points. If you're unsure if you have ISOfix points in your car go take a look.
ISOfix has been standard on all new cars since the mid-2000s so there is a high chance, your car will have it fitted.
It's fully adjustable to the size and type of car seats and we found it incredibly simple to install, adjust and remove.
The carabiner then attaches to your dog's harness. You can adjust the carabiner strap slightly to take account of the size of your dog and we love that it swivels freely so your dog won't become entangled if they move around on the seat.
Once in place, your dog will be unable to move from seat to seat. We found in testing, that compared to some tethers that attach to your car seatbelts or headrests, your dog's movement is more restricted to the centre of the seat. So you can drive, safe in the knowledge that they won't end up in the footwell or on another seat.
Whilst it definitely ticks all the safety boxes, there are a few points to bear in mind before you buy one.
Firstly, you will need to double check that your car has a top tether point on the back of your rear seat. And secondly, because it uses this tether point, it's only suitable for use in the rear of a car, you can't use it in the front seat.
Always bear in mind that both solutions are designed to attach to your dog's harness never their collar.
Overall, we prefer the Ultimate Safety tether to other tethers on the market because it's well designed, super easy to adjust to your dog and your car and comes at a great price.
Designed right here in the UK, available from Dog Gear
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2. Kong Cargo Swivel Tether
Does your dog launch out of the boot like an exocet missile when you open it ?
What you need my friend is a Kong Cargo Swivel Tether to prevent your dog from jumping out of the car until you're ready.
The tether attaches to your ISOfix system on the rear of your back seats.
The swivel carabiner and double webbing ensure that although your dog is secure, they can move around and get comfortable without getting tangled up. This is really important because you can't see your dog in the boot so you need to know they will be comfortable and won't come to harm, however long your journey.
It attaches via a high-quality metal carabiner to the D ring on your dog's harness.
The tether itself features an inertia shock absorber. Simply put, when your dog pulls or jerks on the tether, the inertia shock absorber stretches or compresses, absorbing the force and preventing sudden jolts. This could be invaluable in the event of a crash.
Multiple dogs ? There are two or three ISOfix points in the boot, so you could secure multiple dogs.
Alternatively, you can use this tether in the back seats of your car. Attaching to the ISOfix baby seat fixings at the base of the seat.
Exceptionally quick to install and easy to remove, the strap is adjustable so you can shorten or lengthen it to suit your dog and space. However be aware that your dog will have considerably more room to move around than with the Ultimate Safety Tether featured earlier.
One of the key benefits of using the Cargo Swivel tether as opposed to tethers which attach to your car seat belt, is that your dog can't stand on the seat belt button and accidently release the tether ( Yes it has happened!)
During testing, we found that the Ultimate Safety harness kept our dog on one rear seat whilst the Cargo Swivel Tether allowed our dog to sprawl across all three rear seats. There's no right or wrong, it's just down to your preference and how much freedom you want to give your dog on journeys.
Available from Dog Gear
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Our Verdict
The truth is that both the Kong tethers we tested are well designed and great value. They are probably the safest tethers on the market and gives you a greater degree of control than using a standard seatbelt.
We preferred the Ultimate Safety Tether in the back seat as we felt it kept our dog more confined. The Cargo Swivel Tether was best suited to the boot.
Our dog doesn't tend to leap out of the boot when we open it, but we certainly feel more confident opening the boot knowing he couldn't leap out - especially at motorway services and car parks.
Other Options
Looking for another option to keep your dog secure in the car ?
We tested the Allax dog crate from Thule and recommend it as a super safe alternative to a dog guard.
Ultimately their dog crate range has been designed with SUVs in mind and as you'd expect from Thule, the Allax dog crate has been rigorously crash tested in their Thule Test Center where they recreated rear-end collisions, front collisions and even roll-over scenarios.
Packed with nifty features, it's the crème de la crème of car dog crates, uniquely designed and well built, but you'll need deep pockets !
If you're interested , why not read our in-depth review - Crash Tested Confidence: Thule Dog Crate Review
If you're interested, the Car Safe harness featured in the photos is fully certified crash tested.
We recommend it because it's incredibly easy to fit with two side release clips. The straps, breathable mesh and the stitching are all top quality.
The chest plate is extra padded for comfort and the straps are wide so don't dig in or rub. The harness also has a D ring on the front and back, so you can connect your lead and head off for a walk when you reach your destination.
Available in four sizes with a handy sizing guide available online, it takes into account the chest, neck and the weight of your dog to help you select the best fit.
Thanks for stopping by and reading our review of Kong safety tethers, we hope you found a solution to keeping your dog safe on the road.
