The car seat that keeps him up where he can see you, in where he's safe, and tethered when it matters. Quilted, waterproof, and built around the one truth of travelling with dogs — they settle when they can see out.
The RoadNest™ Elevated Car Dog Seat does three things at once: it raises your dog up to window height so he can see out (most travel anxiety comes from not being able to), it contains him in a soft-walled quilted nest so he's not rattling around the back seat, and it connects to a safety tether so a sudden stop doesn't throw him forward.
Semi-rigid construction — rigid support tubes slide into sleeves in the walls, and load-bearing plates clip to both your front and rear headrest bars — means the nest stays upright even when empty, and your dog isn't sinking into a floppy hammock. Waterproof quilted Oxford outer, non-slip base, breathable mesh side panel for airflow.
At a glance
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Outer: waterproof quilted Oxford fabric
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Structure: rigid support tubes + load-bearing plates (headrest anchored)
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Base: non-slip bottom
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Ventilation: breathable mesh side panel
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Storage: integrated mesh pocket for treats, poo bags, lead
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Safety: shock-absorbing seatbelt tether included (clips to YOUR dog's harness — see note below)
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Sizes: Small (56 × 56 × 55 cm) · Large (73 × 56 × 55 cm)
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Colour: Black
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Dual use: car booster or home den — folds for storage
Which size is right for my dog?
| Size |
Internal dimensions |
Best for |
| Small |
56 × 56 × 55 cm |
Toy & small breeds up to ~10kg — Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Cavaliers, Dachshunds, mini poodles, small Frenchies |
| Large |
73 × 56 × 55 cm |
Small-to-medium breeds up to ~18–20kg — Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, Westies, Bostons, medium Frenchies, Shih Tzus, smaller Cockapoos |
Honest note: not suitable for large breeds (Labradors, Goldens, GSDs, Boxers, Springers, large Cockapoos). The Large is NOT a full-size car seat for a big dog — that's a harness-and-bootliner setup, which we'll be adding to the shop separately.
Important — about the tether.
The seat comes with a shock-absorbing seatbelt tether: one end buckles into your car's seatbelt socket, the other is a swivel clip. That clip must attach to your dog's chest harness — never to a collar alone. In a sudden stop, a tether connected to a collar can cause serious neck injury. If your dog doesn't have a harness yet, pair this seat with one of ours before the first drive.
Will it fit my car?
The RoadNest clips to both a front-seat headrest bar and a rear-seat headrest bar — this is what stops it sliding forward or sideways. It fits:
- ✅ Most hatchbacks, saloons, SUVs and estates with removable or bar-style headrests
- ✅ 5-door cars with usable rear headrests
- ⚠️ Some older cars with integrated fixed headrests — the straps still work but won't be as snug
- ❌ 2-door coupes or cars without rear headrests
Quick check: can you pull your front and rear headrests up or feel separate metal bars underneath? If yes, it'll fit.
How it installs (2 minutes)
- Place the RoadNest on the back seat, nest-opening facing forward.
- Clip the larger plate over the rear-seat headrest bar.
- Clip the smaller plate over the front-seat headrest bar.
- Slide the rigid support tubes into the wall sleeves.
- Zip the sides closed, secure the Velcro tabs.
- Buckle the safety tether into your car's seatbelt socket and clip the other end to your dog's harness.
Works at home, too.
Remove the headrest straps and the RoadNest becomes a raised, semi-enclosed day bed — good for nervous dogs, good for dogs who like to see you while you work, and the waterproof base means post-muddy-walk naps don't ruin your rug.
Questions answered
Is this safe in a crash?
Honest answer: the RoadNest is a containment and restraint system, not a crash-rated safety seat. The tether (when clipped to a proper harness) will prevent your dog being thrown forward in a sudden stop — that's its job, and that's what UK Highway Code Rule 57 requires. For dogs over 20kg, or if you regularly do long motorway drives, we'd pair this with a crash-tested harness from a brand that publishes test data. We don't make that claim here because we don't have the test data to back it up.
Do I need to buy a separate harness?
Yes if your dog doesn't already have one. The seat includes the seatbelt tether, not a chest harness. The tether clips onto your dog's harness — clipping it to a collar risks neck injury in a sudden stop. Any well-fitting Y-shaped chest harness works.
My dog is 25kg — will the Large work?
Honest answer: no, probably not. 73cm wide internally is tight for a 25kg dog — they'll fit, but they won't settle, and they'll be half in, half out. Above ~20kg, we'd point you at a bootliner + harness setup instead. The Large is designed for small-to-medium breeds, despite the supplier sometimes labelling it "suitable for most dogs."
How do I clean it?
Wipe the quilted Oxford outer with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap — the waterproof coating means most spills lift off easily. For muddy-paw days, remove the rigid support tubes and spot-wash, or gentle hand-wash the fabric and air-dry. Don't machine wash with the tubes or plates inside, and don't tumble-dry.
Will it fit behind the driver's seat, or only the passenger side?
Either side. We'd recommend the passenger side so you can reach round and check on them at traffic lights, but mechanically it installs behind either front seat.
Does my dog get travel sick in it?
Most travel sickness in dogs comes from not being able to see the horizon — exactly what a floor-level hammock causes. The RoadNest raises your dog to window level, which is one of the single biggest things you can change to reduce car sickness. Pair it with short, positive introductions (treat, engine on, a 5-minute drive to somewhere good) and most dogs settle inside a fortnight.
Up where he can see out. In where he's safe. Tethered where it matters.
