The main flaw of this pet seat is that the strap is sewn to the box at a 90 degree angle. Unless you're somehow hanging it from the ceiling, no installation will call for a 90 degree angle to that strap. While it may be impossible for the manufacturer to sew it at an angle that is perfect for every installation, it would make a lot more sense to sew it at somewhere in the 45 degree to 60 degree range. It might not be perfect for anyone, but it would be an improvement for everyone. I'm honestly confused about why the manufacturer made the choice they did, because the product is otherwise well made. You can even see in their own photos that the strap bears weight only on the very front edge, because the back edge buckles to accommodate the angle it has to be at to go around the head rest. This is even more visible in my photos.

However, I was able to add an additional support to the back of the box using a couple of clamps and some 550 paracord. With the seat back set to its most upright position, the box now sits almost horizontally. The additional supports also increase the stability from side to side; if my dog puts his weight on the side, it no longer slips to that side so much. (The way the seatbelt goes through the straps on the back of the seat means it hardly tilts at all toward the window-facing side because the shoulder belt stabilizes it in that direction, but it can still tilt a bit toward the center of the car.) The photo with my dog in it is from before I added the extra support; he is much happier with the seat now that it is more stable and doesn't leave him stuck in the bottom corner.

I am planning to replace the seat cover with one that covers the bench only, not the seat backs. That will likely allow me to use the strap that goes around the seat back, and that should also increase stability side to side. [EDIT--I have done that, and the strap around the seat back does help, but the paracord is still a huge improvement.]

I will keep this product while it lasts, but I expect that the head rest strap will fail eventually due to the uneven stress at the point where it is sewn to the box. One of the reasons I chose it is that it has two leash attachments, and we intend for it to be shared by two small dogs some of the time. When I eventually replace it, I will not worry so much about that, and just get a short leash splitter. That will open up more options for car seats that have more thoughtful construction.

Please note that there is a crate mat inside the box in my photos. It does not come with the mat.

I purchased the smaller size for my 7lb dog about 1.5 years ago. Its very sturdy, super easy to set up, and my dog stays put. The features I like most about that seat and the large one of the same brand and model:
* Easy to set up
* Sturdy frame and deep seat with side walls that go up above their chest. I don't feel comfortable with seats where there is nothing to keep my dogs from launching forward if I had to stop abruptly.
* Secure (car seat belt secures through the back side, strap on dog seat goes around back of car seat to keep it from swinging forward, and another strap goes around the head rest and is adjustable). The large size comes with 2 "seat belts" to hook to their harness (NEVER the collar!).
* Collapsible. Unlike the foam walled and seated beds that cost double and triple the amount of this car seat, I can collapse this for storage. I have limited space to store stuff.
* Washable. The interior plaid piece comes off and is washable. I don't know about the outer shell. The fabric is pretty durable. I put a soft baby blanket on the inside as extra protection for the dog seat liner and cushioning.
* Great size. I can fit my 7.5 lb dog and my 10 lb dog in it (she is a shitzu mix so she is long) and they can both lay down in it and its still roomy. Not cramped.
* My dogs LOVE it! They can see out the window, lay down and chew on a bully stick, nap comfortably...its really an awesome car seat for my dogs and my peace of mind!

Things that could be better:
* I don't think the interior liner is waterproof. That would be a great upgrade if not.
* The seat cushion is not all that cushy. Not a big negative as I put in a baby blanket and its fine. Would be nice if this was waterproof fabric too.
* Would be nice if the top of the frame had some bumper cushion in it so if dogs rested their chin on it, it would be softer.

That's about it! I purchased a car seat that was $95 and had a cushy back and seat but I promptly returned it. Even though it had thousands of great reviews, I didn't like it because I don't have space to store it if not in use, the fabric on the back and seat was cheap and thin and I saw it getting torn over the years. Even though it was an extra large, the seat area would not have fit my dogs on it comfortably, and because of the low wall, one could roll off it either when sleeping, they shifted around or I had to put on the brakes. Plus I thought overall for the price it could have been better constructed.

For $45, I think I have a practical yet very comfortable, sturdy and safe solution to tow my furbabies around in with the PetSafe Happy Ride car seat!

We travel quite a lot and for many miles. I was looking for something that my little yorkies would like better than the crate in the back on the floor of the truck, all three together, and can't see anything. These booster seats were the answer. No more whining and crying to get out. They loved being able to be high enough to see out the window and see me and dad both, while also having enough room to lay down and relax and sleep for a while. There's not too much cushion with the mat on the bottom so I add one of their blankets in for comfort. There is a hook attachment to hook onto their harness while in the booster so they can't jump out and hurt themselves. This works really well once they realized they had to stay in the seat, they didn't even try to get out knowing they were attached. I used their harnesses too so it wouldn't be pulling on their little necks. We drove over 1500 miles and not a peep out of them unless one of them had to potty. Which was really only twice, since every time we stopped for fuel we took them for a little walk to a patch of grass/rocks, wherever we could find safe to do a little pit stop. We love these seats and so do our babies. Our yorkies are 5-8 lbs each, and I think this seat would be ok for up to 10, maybe 12 lb small dogs. Not made for any larger than that. My babies just have enough room to sleep, so I can't see a larger one being able to sleep in there unless they're hanging their head over the side, which one of mine likes to do. But if its for short term rides, 10-12 lbs would be fine. But like I said, I needed comfort for the long rides, and this fit the bill on both sides for being awake, watching out the window, to being able to curl up and sleep a while. We also use these in the car for short jaunts to go hiking with the dogs. Keeps them connected and safe in the car. Be mindful that this is not going to keep them safe in a crash, there's not much that will, even in a crate. But it is minimal safety, where the seats are secured to the truck/car's seats, and a short leash latch inside the seat, they won't go flying thru a window in a minor fender bender. And keeps you from holding a small dog on your lap (as thats really what they want), but they love these seats, and are happy.

The Seat Basically will do the job , with one simple modification. I do believe that this is a manufactures shortfall. I added (2) Clamps to the back of the seat , and used Gear Ties to secure to the Headrest. The seat collapsed when my 15 Pound dog walked around the seat.
All the products I bought were from Home Depot. Tried it out today , and we are all happily now.

I believe (Z) had the same issue & fix.

My senior Chi, LD (little dog/larry david) loves car rides, and now she has a cozy place to snooze. The bed simply hangs over the headrest; it has a metal frame so it's nice and sturdy. There are also slots for the seatbelt, and a little blanket inside. There's lots of room; I could fit four of my dogs inside. She jumped in on her own, off of the console. A good purchase, yay me!