Review of FIE Adjustable Dog Car Harness

This is the review of the FIE (Fits Into Everyway) adjustable dog car harness, which we have tested on our little cocker spaniel cross pup (coming on to 7 months now) for use in the car and out hiking.

We were after something we could use in the car and put him on the back seat if we had our boot full and that could also be used out of the car as well, so a multi functional dog harness.

When we received the item, the first thing we would like to mention is that the product advertises a metal d-ring on the top and o-ring on the bottom. Our harness came with a plastic d-ring on top and a metal o-ring on the bottom. We weren’t too happy with this but thought we’d test it out first to see how well it does and to see if it doesn’t snap, as it would be absolutely useless without a working lead attachment.

To fix this issue though, we used a carabiner, they don’t cost much and you can use them for a number of things around the home, including replacing your dogs d-ring on their harness. Just attach the carabiner through the webbing/nylon on the top of the harness and you’ll be good to go.

As you can see above, the d-ring attached to the harness if where you can attach your dog to the seat belt clip or to your lead as you are walking it. This needs to be extra strong, no matter the size or strength of your dog so that it can protect it in case you have an accident whilst your dog is on the seats. Ours actually held up really well, even though it is plastic, it definitely holds strong and our 12kg 7 month old cocker cross hasn’t snapped it yet.

If you don’t wish to use this, you do have a back up, the hand hold grip which sits behind the d-ring can also be used on the lead or seat belt clip and is just as strong, if not stronger than the plastic d-ring. We tested both and both held up fine, we don’t know what it would be like with a bigger dog though, as ours is on the small scale.

Extra Reflective Safety

Although it doesn’t help inside the car when strapped in on a seat, the reflective tape around the seams is a nice bonus.  If we walk him out on the hills after sunset and when it’s dark, we usually have headlamps and torches on us, so this way we can see him as his harness (as well as his eyes) will reflect the light we’re using to help us see. We usually have either a glow in the dark cord or a light for his back, but if we forgot either of these then the reflective tape definitely helps. This is also a nice safety feature for when we are walking him on or next to a road and its dark too.

Feel and Sizing

The harness definitely feels very strong and durable, we are super impressed with how it looks, it probably wins on styling out of the others we have tested and also feels comfortable to touch as well. It is pretty light and has a nice spongey area on the front for the dogs chest and belly.

One thing we are worried about is how well it will hold a dog comfortably and safely whilst in the car. Although it is a solid and great fitting dog harness, I’m not sure it is the best dog car harness, why? Well, the front chest, belly area does not cover that much of the dog. It’s been made as a slimline, lightweight and durable dog harness and it does that job great, if you imagine your dog moving forward though in a car accident, you want as much material as possible holding your dog on the seat, which this harness, does not have.

Because this is a pull over the head harness, which you then strap around his chest/belly area, you may find it safer if once pulled over their head, to tighten the front loop of the harness which goes around their neck. This will stop your dog from reversing or walking backwards out of the harness if they are on their lead and you are walking forwards.

A great looking and very solidly built dog harness, not perfect for a dog car harness unless you upgrade the d-ring to a metal one, but once that is done or if you have a smaller dog, it is perfect for inside and outside a car.