Sleepypod targets deep-chested dogs with new crash-tested harness: full analysis
Sleepypod is pushing further into the niche, but clinically relevant, world of pet travel restraint with Clickit Range, a crash-tested car safety harness developed for dogs with narrow and deep chests. The Pasadena company unveiled the product on January 2, 2025, saying it was built to better fit sighthound-type body shapes and that it earned a 5-star certification from the Center for Pet Safety for dogs weighing up to 110 pounds. (businesswire.com)
The launch builds on more than a decade of Sleepypod positioning itself around crash-tested travel products. Its media archive shows a long line of safety-related announcements, including earlier Clickit harness launches and prior Center for Pet Safety ratings. That history matters because the company is entering a category where claims around “crash-tested” gear have often outpaced meaningful standards, and where fit can be just as important as materials or hardware. (sleepypod.com)
In its announcement, Sleepypod said Clickit Range was created to address the restraint challenges posed by dogs with a deep chest, slim waist, and different center of gravity from more typical canine body shapes. The company said it crash-tested the harness using FMVSS 213, the U.S. child restraint benchmark, and used a proprietary sighthound-shaped crash-test dog dubbed DASH 1.0. The Center for Pet Safety’s certification page separately lists the product as a passed, 5-star-rated harness under protocol CPS-001-014.01, with testing noted in November 2022. Sleepypod’s current product page shows the harness in multiple sizes and positions it as part of a certified line of canine car restraints. (businesswire.com)
The broader industry backdrop is important here. The Center for Pet Safety has repeatedly warned that pet travel restraint marketing can be misleading, and its earlier harness testing helped establish that many products sold for in-car use were not equivalent to validated crash protection. Its consumer guidance still emphasizes selecting certified products and avoiding add-on extension tethers that can undermine crashworthiness. In that context, independent certification is likely to carry more weight with veterinary teams than manufacturer testing claims alone. (centerforpetsafety.org)
Expert reaction specific to Clickit Range was limited in publicly available reporting, but the available commentary around canine vehicle safety is directionally consistent: restraint systems should be purpose-built, transparently tested, and fitted correctly to the dog. That’s especially relevant for deep-chested dogs, where poor fit could increase lift, rotation, or escape risk in a crash, based on Sleepypod’s own framing and the Center for Pet Safety’s longstanding emphasis on proper product selection. This is partly an inference from the available sources rather than a direct expert quote on the new model. (businesswire.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about one premium accessory launch and more about a maturing safety category. Practices are often asked for travel guidance after adoption, before referral trips, or when discussing emergency preparedness. A body-shape-specific, independently certified restraint gives clinicians a more concrete option for pet parents with breeds that don’t fit conventional harnesses well. It also reinforces a broader counseling point: unrestrained animals are both injury risks and passenger hazards during sudden stops or collisions. (businesswire.com)
There are still caveats. Certification does not eliminate injury risk, and the market remains fragmented, with different products, protocols, and use cases for harnesses versus carriers or crates. For some patients, especially small dogs or animals with anxiety, orthopedic disease, or special handling needs, the best travel recommendation may still depend on the pet, the vehicle, and the trip. But Clickit Range adds a more tailored option in a part of the market that has historically offered limited validated choices for atypical canine conformations. (centerforpetsafety.org)
What to watch: The next signal will be whether Clickit Range gains traction beyond consumer retail, through veterinary recommendations, specialty pet channels, and future Center for Pet Safety-backed education around fit, use, and breed-specific restraint needs. (sleepypod.com)