First put the harness on your dog. To do this, buckle the front strap loosely around your dog's upper chest in front of the legs, then pull your dog's paws through each side of the harness and buckle the rear strap. (The rear strap is the one has the two D-rings attached) You may also have your dog first step into both sides of the harness, like into a pair of pants, and then buckle both straps. If using for the first time, adjust the side straps to fit your dog comfortably. Adjust the Restraint Strap if necessary and attach it to your vehicle's seat belt or tie down hooks as shown in examples 1-5 below. Next, put your dog in and attach the swivel snap to both rings on the back of the harness as shown in the 2 photos. (the "Bull Snap" on sizes M- XL opens outward instead of inward like a leash hook). Now your dog is ready for the road!

works with all seat belts...

& cargo tie-down hooks!

Note that the harness is designed so that the top can slide from side to side around your dog's body. This allows the comfortable use of a shorter and safer Restraint Strap, and helps reduce the chance of a shoulder injury. The side straps should be adjusted loosely enough to allow this rotation.

Dogs are usually safer in the back seat, and airbags can be especially dangerous to smaller dogs, as with human children. They can discharge with a force strong enough to break a neck. For extra safety move or fold the seats as necessary to give your dog more room in the event of an accident or sudden stop.

Remember that both rings on the harness must be in the swivel snap for the system to work properly and provide maximum protection for your dog.

Before use read additional safety tips and warnings before use.

We wish you and your dog safe and happy traveling!

CHAMPION Restraint Strap Attachment Options

1) attached to a lap belt or lap belt section only (fig. 1)

This is often the easiest and safest way to attach the system, and usually works well with the middle seat belt in the rear seat. Many vehicles also have seat belts that allow the shoulder belt section to retract and extend freely, but have a fixed-adjustment lap belt section that stays the same length once adjusted. Attaching the system to this lap belt section provides secure restraint and works well with even the most active dog! First slip the Quick Link onto the lap belt, close the Quick Link and adjust the lap belt to the tightest possible setting that still allows it to latch. If possible it should be tight against the seat. This will keep the lap belt or lap belt section out of the way, behind your dog's back and help prevent your dog's feet from becoming entangled. Now adjust the Restraint Strap to control range of movement, and hook up your dog.

2) attached to a shoulder belt section only (fig. 2)

A good method for restraining large dogs that are well behaved. Retractable shoulder belts allow bigger dogs to move into a comfortable position, and lets them feel as though they have freedom of movement, but will lock up and protect them in an accident (just like with human passengers). Simply slip the Quick Link onto the shoulder belt and hook up your dog. When using the system this way we recommend shortening the Restraint Strap to provide maximum protection.

fig. 2

3) attached to a fully retractable type combined seat belt (fig. 3)

If both the lap and shoulder belts are retractable, and you would like to limit your dog's range of movement, try attaching the system this way. For quick attachment just pass the unfastened seat belt through the loop in the Restraint Strap and then buckle. Do not use the Quick Link or round ring for this method of attachment. When your dog pulls, both parts of the seat belt get pinched together, and this helps prevent them from extending. Adjust the Restraint Strap as necessary, usually a shorter length works best. This method also works well with middle lap belts to provide an extra short restraint.

fig. 3

4) attached to an unfastened seat belt strap (fig. 4)

This provides an easy, simple, and tangle-free way to restrain any dog without even having to fasten the seat belt! Just open the Quick Link and slide it through the loop in the seat belt fabric that holds the female seat belt buckle (for most vehicles, some do not have a fabric loop). The Quick Link can be left attached for future use, and the Restraint Strap quickly detached and removed from the vehicle.

fig. 4

5) cargo tie-down hooks & child seat tether anchors (fig. 5)

The CHAMPION Canine Seat Belt System attaches easily to hooks in the back of trucks, SUVs, vans, and wagons. These hooks will provide restraint and some protection, but are often not as strong as the seat belts. Check your vehicle owner's manual for weight ratings on the hooks. Pickup truck hooks are usually much stronger. For hooks inside a vehicle we recommend using them only for dogs up to about 50 lbs. as a general rule to provide the highest level of protection, however most hooks can be used with larger dogs also to restrain and increase safety. The system will also attach quickly to lower child seat tether anchors (found between the seat cushion and back in the rear seat of some newer vehicles). This is the easiest way to attach the Restraint Strap if your vehicle is equipped with the child seat anchors.

fig. 5