February 7, 2012

You are here: Home / Archives for Dog Car

Orange County Pet Expo Recap

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It was a great and busy weekend for me starting on Friday with the Orange County Pet Expo.  The Pet Expo actually wasn’t the only event I had scheduled this weekend after volunteering for Guide Dogs of America all day Friday I hopped on a plane to Las Vegas for a friends bachelor party.  I scheduled an early Sunday morning flight back to Orange County in attempt to make our guide dog puppy training train trip to Universal City.  Unfortunately, I was too tired to make the final leg (train trip with Guide dogs) of my weekend.

Anyhow I wanted to give you guys a short recap of my experience at this years OC Pet Expo.

Orange County Pet Expo Recap

Did anyone get a chance to stop by the GDA booth over the weekend.  I was there from 10am to 2pm on Friday. Some of our other friends manned the booth the rest of the afternoon while I grabbed lunch and walked around the pet expo.

I was a little too tired this year to hang around for the demonstrations.  I did catch a few of the splash dog contestants jumping into the pool.  I caught a glimpse of the K9 demonstration, but overall I just checked out the latest pet products,  the different dog breeds, some of the other service dog organizations, and the cat and dog rescues.  We even saw one of the therapy dog groups we hope to one day join.

Overall it was a great experience my feet were barking by 4:30pm so at that time we headed home.

Interesting Dog Training Opportunities

While we were working the Guide Dogs of America booth we were visited by two of the other exhibitors at the Pet Expo that really caught my attention.  The first was Beach Animals Reading with Kids also known as BARK.  We visited an attended a BARK group meeting a few months ago. BARK is a volunteer program that encourages children to increase their reading skills by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs.  I’ve been procrastinating with Stetson, but I really want to get involved in a Therapy Dog program like BARK.

Next, a couple of young ladies stopped by to say hello and also introduced us to K9 Nose Work. From their website:

“Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt. The sport of K9 Nose Work is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise.”

COOL!  Stetson loves to sniff!  This would be an excellent sport for him to take up.  We’ll be investigating this in the near future.

Any New Pet Products At The Pet Expo?

So now I guess you’re wondering what about the latest and greatest pet products.  Well we did walk away with a few purchases that we plan to review in the coming weeks.  The pet-friendly Honda Element made it’s debut at this years OC Pet Expo.  Unfortunately, I did not come home with a new dog car.

However, I did find a new dog bowl for Stetson.  Well, it’s not exactly a dog bowl, but it’s the latest in a long line of dog bowls/products I found to help slow down Stetson’s fast eating.  It’s called the Amazing Treat Machine and I plan on getting a review on the site as soon as possible.  Also, I want to see if it’s viable solution as Stetson’s new dog bowl.

One pet product I did not buy was a new bed made out of PVC piping.  It was a little pricey at $70 and I’m going to see if it’s something my dad can custom make for Stetson and Linus.  Here’s a photo:

If you’re wondering who our dog bed model is that’s GDA Puppy In Training Winter.  We hung out most of the day greeting people at the GDA booth.

In the past I’ve also talked about Stetson and his dog skin allergies.  Well, we found something to kill the bacteria on Stetson’s skin and hopefully relieve him of his itching.  The product was recommended to us by good friends from Sudsy Dog Wash.  The stuff is called Vetericyn and is said to kill 99.999% of bacteria, single-cell organisms and fungi.  YAY!  hopefully no more dog skin allergies or itching for Stetson.

That’s about it for the 2010 Orange County Pet Expo.  Hopefully you had the chance to visit.  If not, there’s always next year.

Tell us about your experiences at the 2010 OC Pet Expo.

Filed Under: Dog Events Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

My Next Dog Car? The Dog Friendly Honda Element?

March 16, 2010 By 5 Comments

I’ve been talking about getting a new dog car for what seems like forever (over two years anyways).  A few months back I went to the Los Angeles Auto Show and came away with a few new ideas for a dog car, but didn’t actually pull the trigger on purchasing a new car.  So I guess I’m going to have to drive around in the 2K Green CRV for another few more months years.

Anyhow here are a few pictures from the show.

My Next Dog Car

Lexus LFA

It might get a little cramped in this bad boy with three two oversized dogs.  Also, the price may be a little steep at $350,000 and Lexus is hand picking the people who will be allowed to purchase one of the only 500 cars going into production.  I guess I might have to pass up on the Lexus LFA as my next dog car.

Fiskar Karma

I know what you’re saying…you need a four door car for those dogs of yours.  I hear ya, we’ve also been talking about going green and getting an eco-friendly dog car…something that gets good gas mileage and has minimal impact on the environment.  I give you the Fiskar Karma…What say you?

The Karma uses plugin technology along with solar panels to power it’s engine.  It can go up to 50 miles before burning any fuel…and it has 4 doors…perfect for dogs? no?

Okay, maybe this is a little over the top as well and I’m not even sure how much it would cost for this dog car.

Dog Friendly Honda Element

Yep, we did talk about the dog friendly Honda Element just before we visited the LA Auto Show and much to our excitement Honda impressed us with their new upgrade to the boxy SUV car minivan wagon.

That’s me in the front seat of the Dog Friendly Honda Element.  You can kind of see the rubber mat with bone shaped notches.  Also, the seat covers had doggy designs as well.  You can’t see it in this picture, but there were also climbing latches in the back seat to tether your dog’s leash to the floor.

Me again with baby going up the dog ramp.  I’m not sure if it’s a standard sized crate, but it fits nice an snug in the rear storage are of the Honda Element.  You can also see the dog ramp in this picture.

Here are a few other accessories included with this Dog Friendly package.  There was also a list on display of all the additional upgrades included with the dog friendly model of the Honda Element.

Dog Friendly Honda Element Accessories

  • Rear Car Kennel
  • Pet Bed
  • Stowable Ramp
  • Dog Pattern Seat Covers
  • All Season Dog Bone Floor Mats
  • Spill Resistant Water Bowl
  • Electric Fan
  • Tote Bag
  • Dog Friendly Emblems
  • A Leash, Collar, and Dog Tag
  • Dispensor Bag

All of this for an additional $995 on top of the regular price for the Honda Element EX.  It’s nice to see that Honda is thinking about us dog owners.  However, I still have two glaring issues that keep me from purchasing a Honda Element.

  1. First, the fuel economy is not good on this car.  EPA City/Highway driving: 19/24mpg.  That’s just not cutting it.
  2. Second, the clamshell doors.  As I’ve mentioned before my RX-8 had the clamshell/suicide doors and they drove me nuts trying to get people and dogs in and out of the back seat.  A car as large as the Element could very easily have regular doors.

So now I sit back and wait for Honda to redesign the Honda Element.  Hopefully they will bring the fuel economy up or possibly add a hybrid version to the lineup and remove those awful clamshell doors.

I also looked around for the dog friendly Toyota Venza, but Toyota did not bring any of the dog friendly accessories to the LA Auto Show.

What kind of dog car do you own?  I’d love to hear about it and perhaps you can convince me to trash the old CRV for a new dog friendly vehicle.

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: , , , ,

Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window

February 2, 2010 By 8 Comments

Yesterday I was driving home from work when I saw a dog stick his head out the car window.  It was a beautiful Golden Retriever wearing a gentle leader, sniffing the air, and in general just enjoying the car ride.  I pulled out my handy dandy new DROID Phone and snapped a few pictures while waiting at the stop light.

This got me to thinking why do dogs like to stick their head out the car window?  As usual I began my search on the web and also asked a few dog loving friends the question: Why do dogs stick their head out the car window?

Dogs, Cars, Windows, And Safety First

I wanted to start off by saying it can be very dangerous to let your dog hang his head out the car window.  There’s all kinds of debris scattered on the road and it often kicks up from the cars in front.  Just take a look at my windshield (several nicks) or the front of my car (chipped paint and minor dents).

Now just think about your dog hanging his head out the car window getting pelted in the eye by a tiny rock at 50 mph.  I don’t even want to think about the vet bill let alone the pain and suffering your dog would endure if he caught a pebble in the eye.  I’ve never used them before, but I’ve heard that some people have their dogs wear Doggles when they hang their head out the window of a moving car.

A friend of mine used to let his dog hang her head out the window until one day his collie mix jumped out the car window at 30 mph.  Lucky for him there was no oncoming traffic and his dog didn’t get injured on her fall to the ground.

Also, if your dog has allergies like mine then all the pollen and dust flying into your dog’s face could cause an allergic reaction.

I just wanted to let you know about some of the dangers of letting your dog stick his head out the car window.  After all you wouldn’t let your own child stick his head out the window of a moving car so why would it be appropriate for your dog to hang his head out the car window?

As a child my parents never let me stick my head out the window.  The few times I tried I seem to recall receiving a quick smack to the butt.  I’ll crack the window for my dogs and they’ll put their nose about against the window, but I never let my dogs put their entire heads out the car window.

Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window

Now that I got my safety speech out of the way we can get to our list of Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window. Lets do it David Letterman style and begin with a countdown.  Drum roll please……….

NUMBER 5 – It helps them to cool off faster inside a hot car.

NUMBER 4 - So they can pretend like they’re running at an incredible rate (see the movie Dumb and Dumber).

NUMBER 3 – To make sure you’re driving safely on the road.

NUMBER 2 – This is a sure sign that you stink!  Your dog is obviously trying to avoid your stench.

NUMBER 1 – They love to sniff the air…

Of course just like the David Letterman list the Number 1 answer is always anti-climatic although in today’s case it’s probably the closest to the truth.  It’s my understanding from what I’ve heard from friends and family, read in books and on the internet, and observed, dogs have such a keen sense of smell that being able to put their noses entire heads out the car window is like a natural high.  They get to catch many different smells passing through the air and because the car is moving so fast these smells are constantly changing.  I guess it might be similar to watching some beautiful scenery pass by.

Anyhow that’s my take on why a dog sticks his head out the car window.  Just remember, if you do let your dog hang his head out the car window then please be careful and protect your dogs eyes with a product like Doggles, get him a safety restraint so he can’t jump out of the car, and maybe just try cracking the window so he can catch the scents with his nose, but not put his entire head out the window.  As I mentioned earlier, you don’t want to end up with a huge vet bill just because your dog was hanging his head out the window of your car.

How about you?  What kind of experiences have you had with dogs sticking their head out the car window?  Do you allow your dog to ride with his head out the window?  Do you take any safety precautions?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.


Filed Under: Dog Medical And Safety Tagged With: , , ,

Dog-Friendly Toyota Venza

November 17, 2009 By 5 Comments

We’re just a couple weeks away from the LA Auto Show and I’m hoping to get a glimpse of the Dog-Friendly Toyota Venza.  We are also hoping to see the dog-friendly Honda Element as well.  Unfortunately we only saw the plain old vanilla versions of the Honda Element and saw nothing of  the dog-friendly accessories for the Toyota Venza at the OC Auto Show.

Dog Friendly Toyota Venza

Dog-Friendly Toyota Venza

So what is it that we hope to see at the LA Auto show?  Well, the Toyota Venza was designed with the dog owner in mind.  Toyota is offering pet accessories for the Venza.  Here’s a list from Suite 101:

  • Waterproof hammock style seat covers
  • Pet ramps for easy access via the rear hatch
  • A booster seat pet restraint system, complete with adjustable harness
  • A zipline for the rear seat, with matching harness pet restraint system to allow for movement while keeping pets restrained during an accident
  • A dog leash tether to keep dogs from jumping out of the car or into the driver’s area
  • An adjustable pet barrier to keep pets in the back seat or rear cargo area

I’m glad that Toyota has decided to keep the dog owner in mind when designing their latest vehicles.  Even if they do not have the Venza pet accessories on display at the LA Autoshow I’ll have to take a closer look at the car to see if it meets my needs.  Who knows?  The Toyota Venza may be my next Dog Car!

As you all know I’ve had my eye out for the perfect dog car for the past 2 years.  My tastes have adjusted over that time and not only am I looking for a great dog car, but one that is eco-friendly too.  Unfortunately, larger cars such as the Venza don’t usually get great gas mileage while green cars that get good gas mileage are often on the small side for me and my two large dogs.  Is there a happy medium?  If you’ve already found the perfect eco-friendly dog car I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below.

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: , , , ,

“Dog Friendly” Dog Car – Honda Element

October 19, 2009 By 5 Comments

It’s been a while since I talked about dog cars.  I’ve been on the look out for a new car to accomadate my dogs for quite some time now.  My 2000 Honda CRV has been holding up very well, but I must admit it’s not the greatest dog car.

Earlier this year I heard about the Dog Friendly version of the Honda Element.  I heard that they had the dog friendly Honda Element on display at the Orange County Pet Expo last April.  Unfortunately, I did not see the Element at the OC pet expo.  However, I have been thinking about it from time to time.

This past weekend we visited the Orange County Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center.  I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the new Dog Friendly Honda Element.  Once again I was met by disappointment.  They had the Honda Element SC, but it did not have any dog friendly upgrades.

Dog Friendly Honda Element

Today I received an email from a friend from the Car and Driver blog titled: Honda Element Adds “Dog Friendly” Package.  I was happy to finally receive some definitive information on perhaps my future dog car!  November 16th, 2009 is the release date and it’s listed on Car and Driver as a canine convenience package.  Here are the details:

  • There is a special kennel made of seatbelt like webbing that fits conveniently in the hatch.
  • There is also a soft floor in the back to keep your pooch nice and comfortable.
  • There is a special ramp in the back to allow your dog to walk rather than jump into the vehicle.
  • Dog designs on the rubber car mats, seat fabric, and exterior of the car.

The price tacks an additional $995 on top of the regular price of the Honda Element.

The Honda Element and I

I had already heard that the Honda Element was a great dog car.  If you read the dog cars blog then you’ll know they give the Honda Element their highest marks even writing “best dog car, ever!”  The Honda Element has received all these great dog car reviews and now to add on top of that the “Dog Friendly” package?  How could I go wrong?

I actually test drove this car about two years ago and I’m sorry to say I wasn’t extremely impressed.  I loved the plastic floors and the roomy interior.  The boxy shape makes it easy to accomodate even the largest kennels.  However, that boxy shape may be part of it’s downfall (in my mind).

First of all, I’d like a car that gets good gas mileage afterall we’re trying to be eco-friendly and the Honda Element is not the greenest of vehicles (gas mileage is somewhere in the low 20′s).  this is perhaps partially due to that boxy design that gives it such a spatious interior.  Second, I’m not a big fan of the suicide doors (doors swinging the opposite direction).  The car appears to be large enough to accomadate regular doors.  In my experience it is much more difficult to load and unload dogs, people, large items with suicide doors.

We are trying to raise Stetson and Linus as green dogs or eco dogs.  Our latest goal is to work on our eco dog training.  You might be wondering what exactly is eco dog training?  Well, we like to think of eco dog training as a slight modification on regular dog training.  We’d like people to make eco-friendly choices when it comes to dog training, dog food, dog products, dog cars, or even when choosing your next dog.

The Dog Friendly Honda Element’s poor gas mileage is the main reason why we will not choose it as our next dog car.  Our goal’s have changed over the years and as EcoDogs we hope to find a dog car that also does less harm to the environment.

How about you?  Have you found the perfect dog car yet?  Is it an eco-friendly dog car?

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: , ,

Nissan Xterra 2008 – A Dog Car For Outdoor Recreation

February 1, 2008 By 6 Comments

When I first sat in the Nissan Xterra 2008 I felt like I was getting into a more civilized SUV in comparison to the Toyota FJ Cruiser or the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I think this SUV was designed for someone who enjoys using their vehicle for outdoor recreation or for those who want to just give off that impression.

While I was not thrilled with any one part of the Nissan Xterra there weren’t too many negatives either. I enjoyed the on pavement driving as it was probably the smoothest ride out of the three cars I have test drove to date. Other than that it was a very average vehicle to me.

Nissan Xterra 2008

One thing I have noticed just from general observation is that all of the Xterra’s come with the luggage rack on top. This is an option on many other vehicles. The rack also includes a small storage spot above the driver and passenger seats that includes a lock. I took a look at this little storage area and must say you won’t be getting a whole lot in there (I think it was recommended that you could store your wetsuit in the tiny compartment).

As far as the looks and design…again just average to me. When my buddy and I went to test drive this car he mentioned he didn’t want to influence my decision, but he thinks this is one of the ugliest SUV’s on the market and also thought the inside was very cheap. He called it just simply “A low end SUV!”

So lets get to the numbers and what the dogs thought:

Nissan Xterra 2008 Specifications

VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
type 4 Door mid-SUV
msrp $21,240
transmission automatic/manual
gas mileage 16mpg/20mpg
horsepower 261hp @5600RPM
standard engine 4.0L V6
seating 5 passengers

Does It Stack Up? Dog And Human Criteria Lists

Criteria for the dogs:

  • Seats that fold flat or easily removable – hopefully fits a crate or two - From what I recall the rear seats did fold flat – YAY! but the rear seat bottom had to be folded up in order for you to get the seat flat.
  • Plenty of usable cargo space relative to the size of the vehicle with wide, square backs, and little rear slope to make most of cargo area. - The cargo space is nice as it is in all of these mid-size SUV’s. Again, I did not bring the crates and nor will I until I’m making my final choices on these vehicles.
  • Xterra Trunk SpaceDog friendly interior – Even the best dog can have accidents in the car. - The Xterra I was driving was a four wheel drive. Our salesperson said they rarely got the 4X4′s and said they usually were sold immediately (probably just a sales tactic). Anyways, I noticed the interior of this vehicle was not quite as dog friendly as the Wrangler or FJ. The seats seemed durable and the rear of the car was plastic and I noticed rubber floor mats, but I could see the carpeted floors being a bit of a hassle to clean.
  • Door & window locks – Dogs are smart and some can open a car door. - Doors and window locks are standard on this baby.
  • All-wheel or four-wheel drive and high ground clearance – for camping or going to the mountains with your best friend (I’m talking about your dog of course). - As I mentioned earlier our salesperson told us that the 4X4 are more difficult to come by, but the Xterra does come in 2 or 4 wheel drive.

Criteria for the humans:

  • Xterra InteriorPrice Range: Under 30K - Once again the base model comes in pretty low at just under 22K. That fits well under my price range.
  • Curb Appeal – Hopefully the car is not hard on the eyes. - I think this is just an average looking car and wouldn’t give it high or low ratings. My friend thinks it’s hideous.
  • Fuel Economy -Unfortunately SUV’s get worse gas mileage. - 16/20mpg’s! Better than the FJ, but still nothing to write home about.
  • Reliability – If you’re car is not working what good is it? - I looked up a couple reviews on past Xterra reliability ratings and found that the vehicle for the most part had minimal problems when it came to maintenance
  • Retains Value – Cars are terrible investments, but we want it to retain some of it’s value. - The KBB projected resale value of the 07 model is below average. Here’s a link to the page I was looking at: Nissan Xterra.
  • Extras – Any miscellaneous extra goodies the car may have. - The luggage rack with the extra storage space is an added bonus.
  • Car in the City – Smooth ride? Does it have power? Handle Well? - While many reviews mentioned that the Xterra had “…a truck like ride and handling” I thought it was a smoother ride than some of the other SUV’s I test drove. I think I’d be completely comfortable with this car in the city. The power of the vehicle was just fine as I floored it several times off the line to see what it could do and it didn’t disappoint.

Yahoo! Autos

Advantages – The Things I Like

The things I like about this vehicle are:

  • I thought – nice handling.
  • Price – it’s at the lower end for price.
  • Rear seats fold flat .
  • Luggage rack and extra storage spaces.

Disadvantages – The Things I Don’t Like

Some things I didn’t like in test drive and read on the internet:

  • Average to ugly (my friend would say) looks.
  • Carpeted floors aren’t durable a la FJ Cruiser and Jeep Wrangler.
  • Fuel Economy – It’s and SUV for god’s sakes!
  • Just seems like an average all around car to me. Nothing is jumping out at me telling me. As Donkey from Shrek would say it’s not saying “Pick Me! Pick Me!”

Conclusions

As I’ve mentioned over and over in this article , this vehicle is just not blowing me away. The only added bonuses I see are the included luggage rack and the additional storage spaces included with said luggage rack. Other than that I liked the car, but did not love it. As a dog car it falls short on being the first of the three SUV’s without durable floors. I envision the carpets getting dirty and having difficulty cleaning compared to the plastic floors in the FJ and the pull out carpet in the Wrangler.Xterra Storage Space

I am just a regular consumer just like everyone else and don’t get to thoroughly test drive these vehicles. I review information already on the internet and couple that with my own test drive and opinions. Hopefully this review helps you make your decision, but I’d highly recommend you do additional research on some of the other great auto review websites like Edmunds, Yahoo Autos, or DogCars.com.

I still have my eye out for the perfect dog car. Three reviews down and many more to go. If you’re interested take a look at my reviews of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and the Toyota FJ Cruiser.

If you liked this article check out my first article on the Perfect Dog Car.

Let me know what you think about this car. Do you own a Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: , ,

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 – Dog Car For The Off-Roading Outdoorsmen

January 28, 2008 By 28 Comments

I was filled with excitement as we strolled on over to the Chrysler Jeep dealership. I targeted the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 as one of the front runners for my perfect dog car. Many of you may not know, but beginning with the 2007 models Jeep added the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited which is a 4 door version of the venerable Jeep Wrangler. I’ve always loved the classic styling of the Jeep Wrangler, but the 2 door off-roading vehicle just seemed a tad bit too small for my liking. However, the four door just might be the perfect dog car.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008I must say our salesperson at Chrysler Jeep was excellent and new every aspect of this car. There’s an optional hardtop (yep with the top down this baby is a convertible). All four doors are removable and the front windshield folds down (take a look at the picture at the bottom of the page for windshield down look). The interior carpet is removable with drainage holes on the bottom floors allow you to hose out the inside of the vehicle.

I happen to think that this one of the best looking SUV’s on the market. Of course that’s just personal opinion. A couple great things I did notice about this vehicle are:

  • The style of the Wrangler almost never changes. If you compare this car to the same car made 20 years ago the style is very similar. I’m not sure you can say that about any other car/SUV.
  • It’s the only convertible SUV (maybe on the market) on my test list.
  • The rugged interior and drainage holes really suit an outdoor lifestyle and in my situation dog friendly lifestyle.
  • Historically the Jeep Wrangler has a great resale value.

So, let’s get down to the nitty gritt details on this SUV!

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 Specifications

VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
type 4 Door mid-SUV
msrp $20,580
transmission automatic/manual
gas mileage 16mpg/21mpg
horsepower 202hp @5000RPM
standard engine 3.8L V6
seating 5 passengers

Does It Stack Up? Dog And Human Criteria Lists

Criteria for the dogs:

  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 Cargo SpaceSeats that fold flat or easily removable – hopefully fits a crate or two - Once again I did not bring a tape measure or crate to test the backseat of the car. I did notice that the seats did not fold totally flat, but cargo space with the seats down appeared to be adequate (before purchasing I will re-evaluate and bring my crates for a full test of the back seat on this vehicle).
  • Plenty of usable cargo space relative to the size of the vehicle with wide, square backs, and little rear slope to make most of cargo area. - If you take a look at the picture of this vehicle with the hardtop it almost defines the meaning of a square back. Needless to say there is a lot of cargo space in this vehicle for a mid-size SUV.
  • Dog friendly interior – Even the best dog can have accidents in the car. - I already knew this car was built for the outdoors, but before I took it for a test drive I noticed cloth carpets in all the pictures (I preferred the plastic floors you see in the Honda Element and Toyota FJ Cruiser). Fortunately the carpet interior is very easy to remove and there are drainage holes in the floor for hosing out the interior if needed. Our salesperson also mentioned that the Sahara model came with water resistant seats. We test drove the Unlimited X 4X4 with base model seats which also appeared to be very durable.
  • Door & window locks – Dogs are smart and some can open a car door. - Door and window locks are an option on the Wrangler. I believe the hardcore Wrangler followers prefer the non-mechanical workings of manual windows and manual door locks.
  • All-wheel or four-wheel drive and high ground clearance – for camping or going to the mountains with your best friend (I’m talking about your dog of course). - You can opt for either the 4X2 or the 4X4

Criteria for the humans:Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 With HardTop

  • Price Range: Under 30K - One of the better values out of the cars on my list. The base model 4X2 comes in just under 21K, but you can go all out and get the Rubicon which will run you over 30K. Again, like the FJ Cruiser I’d probably find middle ground opting for some, but not all the options.
  • Curb Appeal – Hopefully the car is not hard on the eyes. - Okay, so out of all the vehicles on my list I think this one has the most curb appeal. Not everyone will like it’s look, but I give it a 10!
  • Fuel Economy -Unfortunately SUV’s get worse gas mileage. - 16/21 mpg’s for the 4X2 and probably slightly worse for the 4X4. This is a couple mpg’s better than the FJ Cruiser, but still when looking at SUV’s unless it’s a hybrid gas mileage is going to suffer.
  • Reliability – If you’re car is not working what good is it? - This is the sore spot for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. While I’ve heard glowing reviews from friends who own jeep wranglers I’ve also come across several comments on the internet to the opposite. Unfortunately, Jeep does not have the best reputation for reliability. To make things worse I took a look at the consumer reports review of the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and it got below average reviews for reliability.
  • Retains Value – Cars are terrible investments, but we want it to retain some of it’s value. - I was pleasantly surprised in this category. The Jeep Wrangler ranks relatively high when it comes to resale often times appearing inside the top 10 of some lists. Check out the Vehix.com website.
  • Extras – Any miscellaneous extra goodies the car may have. - Removable doors, fold down front windshield, removable carpets, drainage holes in the floors, and a convertible.
  • Car in the City – Smooth ride? Does it have power? Handle Well? - This SUV is renowned for it’s off-road talents, but also has a reputation as a rough ride in the city. I came in with these expectations, but was again surprised by the way this vehicle handled in the city. I drove the automatic version of the car which felt a little under-powered, but I thought it was adequate. There was very little noise with the soft top up. While it didn’t feel as nice and smooth as some of the other SUV’s I felt like it was just smooth enough and just rugged enough for my liking. The soccer mom may not enjoy this car because of it’s less than luxurious ride and the outdoor enthusiast may think that Chrysler Jeep refined the car to much for their liking. However, as my dog car I thought it was just right.

Yahoo! Autos

Advantages – The Things I Like

The things I like about this vehicle are:

  • Great looks.
  • Low Price – Just under 21K.
  • Durable Interior.
  • Removable Carpets with drainage holes.
  • Removable doors and fold down front windshield.

Disadvantages – The Things I Don’t Like

Some things I didn’t like in test drive and read on the internet:

  • Jeep’s reputation of less than stellar reliability with their cars.
  • Fuel Economy at 16/21 MPG’s not as bad as the FJ Cruiser, but not good either.
  • Seats don’t fold totally flat.
  • Ho-Hum control panel.
  • City driving is a little rough.

Conclusions

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008 Windshield DownThis is a great vehicle and only two things stop me from immediately declaring it the winner. First, is the awful gas mileage. At 16/21 Miles Per Gallon I’ll be gassing this baby up on a regular basis. And second, the below average reliability rating Jeep and specifically the 2007 Wrangler received from Consumer Reports.

I am just a regular consumer just like everyone else and don’t get to thoroughly test drive these vehicles. I review information already on the internet and couple that with my own test drive and opinions. Hopefully this review helps you make your decision, but I’d highly recommend you do additional research on some of the other great auto review websites like Edmunds, Yahoo Autos, or DogCars.com and take this car for a test drive of your own.

Two cars down and many more to go. I have the review of the Toyota FJ Cruiser 2008 already posted. I hope you enjoyed this article and please feel free to post any comments about this vehicle in the comment section below.

If you liked this article check out my first article on the Perfect Dog Car.

What do you think about the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2008? Do you own this vehicle?

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: ,

Toyota FJ Cruiser 2008 – Sylish, Rugged SUV For You And Your Dog

January 21, 2008 By 6 Comments

I finally got off my butt and test drove a few cars on my perfect dog car list. The first car I took out for a spin was the Toyota FJ Cruiser 2008. The salesperson did not give me much help on the vehicle (she seemed to know less about the car than I did), but I did get the chance to take it for a short ride and thoroughly check out the interior and exterior of the vehicle.

The FJ Cruiser is a fairly new vehicle going on sale in 2006 as a 2007 model. This is a compact SUV with retro-styling reminiscent of the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruisers of the 1960′s. The one thing our salesperson did mention were the color upgrades for 2008.

  • BRICK – A deep red color.
  • SANDSTORM- Beige…looks like the color of poop, but reminds me of the old school Land Cruisers. My college buddy had an old Land Cruiser that was poop color.
  • ICEBERG – Off White or kind of a milky white color.

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser ExteriorCars that were mentioned as competitors to the FJ Cruiser were the Nissan Xterra, Hummer H3, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Suzuki Grand Vitara, and the Dodge Nitro. I will at the very least take a glance if not test drive all of these vehicles.

As far as looks go on this vehicle…I happen to like the way the FJ Cruiser looks. Although this is personal preference and I have heard the complete opposite from others. I guess it’s somewhat of a love hate look.

Toyota FJ Cruiser 2008 Specifications

VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
type 4 Door mid-SUV
msrp $22,545
transmission automatic/manual
gas mileage 15mpg/18mpg
horsepower 239hp @5200RPM
standard engine 4.0L V6
seating 5 passengers

Does It Stack Up? Dog And Human Criteria Lists

Criteria for the dogs:

  • 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser InteriorSeats that fold flat or easily removable – hopefully fits a crate or two - Unfortunately I did not bring a crate or tape measure. The seats did not fold totally flat and I’ve read other reviews that said that because they did not fold flat there was not enough space to fit a crate on top of the seats.
  • Plenty of usable cargo space relative to the size of the vehicle with wide, square backs, and little rear slope to make most of cargo area. - The rear of the car is square with decent cargo space, but again it appears that two large crates would not fit in the rear of this vehicle.
  • Dog friendly interior – Even the best dog can have accidents in the car. - I knew this was meant to be a rugged, outdoorsy type vehicle, but I was pleasantly surprised by the interior. Some have mentioned that the materials feel cheap compared to other Toyota vehicles (I think people are used to more of a luxury interior). The seat material feels very durable and as our salesperson pointed out also waterproof. The rubber floors and plastic side panels felt equally durable and seemed perfect for me and my dogs.
  • Door & window locks – Dogs are smart and some can open a car door. - This is fairly standard on most cars and was so on the FJ Cruiser (actually I’m not sure the suicide door windows on the back of the FJ open at all – I read a comment saying that they do not roll down)
  • All-wheel or four-wheel drive and high ground clearance – for camping or going to the mountains with your best friend (I’m talking about your dog of course). - You can purchase the Toyota FJ Cruiser with 4WD. The car I test drove was a 4WD.

Criteria for the humans:

  • 2008 Toyota FJ CruiserPrice Range: Under 30K - The base model comes in under $23,000 (not including the destination charge) and of course you can get the super high end FJ Cruiser for over $30,000. I would probably find middle ground and get some, but not all of the upgrades.
  • Curb Appeal – Hopefully the car is not hard on the eyes. - I happen to like the way this vehicle looks and even though I’ve heard the spectrum of answers on this vehicles looks I do hear more positives then negatives on the curb appeal category.
  • Fuel Economy -Unfortunately SUV’s get worse gas mileage. - 15/18mpg’s might be the worst of all the SUV’s I plan on test driving. The other major negative is the FJ Cruiser requires premium gas…UGGHH!!!
  • Reliability – If you’re car is not working what good is it? - It’s only been on the market for a couple years, but Toyota in general is know for their reliability.
  • Retains Value – Cars are terrible investments, but we want it to retain some of it’s value. - Again I’m going with the it’s a toyota and historically Toyota’s are pretty good at retaining value on average.
  • Extras – Any miscellaneous extra goodies the car may have. - This car has suicide doors. Basically the rear doors are smaller and swing the opposite direction of regular car doors.
  • Car in the City – Smooth ride? Does it have power? Handle Well? - the city drive was fairly smooth, but the steering felt a little squirrelly. The car had decent power and would be able to adequately pass and merge onto the freeway. The City driving handling was just okay, but I’m sure offroading is where this vehicle excels. It’s also difficult to see out the back with blind spots in the rear.

Yahoo! Autos

Advantages – The Things I Like

The things I like about this vehicle are:

  • Handles decently in the city for an SUV.
  • Price – at under 23K base is well under my 30K limit.
  • Rugged, stylish, retro looks.
  • Nice power and acceleration.
  • Durable rubber floors, plastic panels, and waterproof seats .

Disadvantages – The Things I Don’t Like

Some things I didn’t like in test drive and read on the internet:

  • Car alarm sets itself after 45 seconds. If you’re dogs are left in the car alone they will most likely set the alarm off.
  • Suicide Doors – My RX-8 had suicides and they are difficult to get in and out of. – the main problem I had with the suicides is when you’re parked in a compact spot with a car next to you it is very difficult to open the suicide because you also have to have the front door open nice and wide.
  • Fuel Economy – 15/18MPG’s is awful and to make matters worse you have to use premium gas!
  • Seats don’t fold flat – this makes it difficult to have two crates in the vehicle.
  • Difficult to see with blind spots.

Conclusions

Overall I really enjoyed driving this SUV. It comes with some really nice pluses, but some huge minuses. As I said before I really, really like the interior of this vehicle which would be very easy to clean. The major downsides for me are the awful fuel economy/premium gas and the suicide doors.

I am just a regular consumer just like everyone else and don’t get to thoroughly test drive these vehicles. I review information already on the internet and couple that with my own test drive and opinions. Hopefully this review helps you make your decision, but I’d highly recommend you do additional research on some of the other great auto review websites like Edmunds, Yahoo Autos, or DogCars.com.

There are many more cars to review and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Hopefully at the end of all my reviews I will eventually find the perfect dog car.

If you liked this article check out my first article on the Perfect Dog Car.

Let me know what you think about this car. Do you own a Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With:

Secure Your Dog In The Car With A Safety Harness

January 13, 2008 By 3 Comments

Safety HarnessDuring my search to find a car suitable for my two dogs I began to think about some of the products I own that help keep my dogs safe in the car. Several years ago I purchased the Four Paws Safety Seat Vest Harness for my dog Linus. Linus is a very calm dog and for the most part just sits in the back or front seat of the car while I drive. This makes it very easy for me to drive even if he doesn’t have any sort of safety device on. However there are plenty of reasons you should consider a safety harness or some other device that keeps your dog in his seat.

The Dangers Of Driving With Your Dog

This information comes from a UK Pet Club website:

…RAC Foundation showed nearly 90% of all pet-owning motorists had been distracted by their animal when driving, and a further 11% had almost crashed into the car in front because they were too busy attending to their furry friends to look at the road… …Even pets that are normally well behaved could be frightened by something unusual and dive for the driver’s feet or lap… So what’s the best way to keep you and your pet safe in the car?

  1. All pets should be safely secured in the back, either with a harness, cage, pet carrier or behind a dog guard in the boot.
  2. Should you be unlucky enough to have a crash, make sure you don’t let a dog out of its carrier until it has calmed down, or it could pose a risk to other road users.
  3. To prevent your pet distracting you as you drive, get it used to the car by taking it on a series of short drives, gradually lengthening the time spent in the car to get them used to it.
  4. There’s nothing more distracting than an animal that’s being sick all over your upholstery. Feed it a light meal four hours before departure and avoid giving it large amounts of food just before you leave.
  5. Don’t let your pet sit in the front if you have a passenger airbag or it could be injured in an accident.

As I said earlier Linus is a very calm dog, but he is easily startled and would jump up to the front seat or my lap when he’s scared. Before I considered securing Linus in a harness he would usually stay in place riding in the front passenger seat. However, as a puppy he vomited on several occasions on my upholstery. Also, as mentioned you shouldn’t let your dog ride in the front seat if you have passenger side airbags. Just like with children a dog can be seriously injured by the airbag.

Guide Dog Car Rides

Guide Dog Puppies in Training need to get very accustomed to riding in the car. Stetson alway rides on the passenger side floorboards when we are driving (if he’s with a passenger he stays on the floorboards between the passengers legs). As a puppy I had to secure Stetson to the floorboards by trapping his leash inside the closed car door. I would do this by putting a knot in his leash then closing the passenger door on the knot. After about a month he became accustomed to the floorboards and would just stay down on his own during all of our car rides. The other option I have with Stetson is to let him ride in a crate while driving. I’ve only done this one time since I’ve had Stetson and that was because I had several dogs riding in my car.

Safety Devices

There are plenty of safety devices out there to secure your dog during car rides. Some I’ve used and some I have not.

  • Midwest 1636DD Life-Stages Folding Double-Door Metal Dog Crate – I bought this crate before I picked up Linus from the shelter. I continue to use the same crate with Stetson. It’s been very durable and much easier to travel with than the plastic shell crates (you can collapse the crate making it easy for travel). It also has a divider allowing your puppy to grow into the crate (if a crate is too large for a puppy then he will often piddle on one side and sleep on the other). Be sure to get the correct size crate for your dog. Also make sure your crate is secure in your car.
  • Linus with harness in carFour Paws Safety Seat Vest Harness – This is the safety harness I use with Linus. The picture to the right is Linus in the back seat of the CRV. It’s a little difficult to see the harness because the straps are the same color as Linus’s fur. Hopefully you can see how the seatbelt runs through the back of the harness keeping Linus safe in the car.
  • LARGE – RED – Dog Car/Truck Safety Harness – Adjustable Nylon Web with Quick Release Buckles – I came across this harness, but have not purchased or used it. I thought it was interesting that it connected directly to the seatbelt.

Barriers - Barriers will keep your dog from coming to the front seat of your car, but still may not protect them from an accident or keep them secure and under control.

The Four Paws Safety Vest An Harness

I highly recommend the Four Paws Safety Seat Vest Harness. Linus wears his harness in the backseat of my car. Just put on the harness, loop the seatbelt through the back of the harness, and snap the seatbelt into place. That’s it! Now you have the peace of mind that your dog will not try to sit on your lap while your driving, jump out the window, or bounce of the windshield in an accident.

I’ve had three problems with my Four Paws Safety Seat Vest Harness.Safety Hook

  1. When I first purchased it from PetSmart the size was not quite right for Linus. I’ve read that other people have had trouble with the size of this product (I guess the sizing chart is not quite accurate). Linus is a medium sized dog and weighs about 55 pounds. His harness is a medium.
  2. When Linus was younger he ate through the plastic snaps on the harness. Luckily he didn’t chew through the straps. I was able to take a Climbers Safety Spring Hook and use that instead of the plastic snaps.
  3. Recently after I snap on Linus’s harness and seatbelt he tries to get comfortable. You’ve probably all seen your dog circle two or three times before they lay down. This is a problem when the harness and seatbelt are on because your dog will get tangled in the seatbelt. I haven’t found a good solution for this issue yet

Linus in the Four Paws Safety Vest An HarnessThe picture on the left is Linus wearing the Four Paws Safety Seat Vest Harness. You can’t see the harness very well because of Linus’s black fur. You can see the red replacement Climbers Safety Spring Hooks I used in place of the regular clips.

Overall I think this is a great product and something you should consider using if you take your dog on car rides. It’s very important to keep yourself and your dog safe whenever you go out for a drive.

Let me know what you think. What do you do with your dog? Do you secure him during car rides?

Filed Under: Dog Products Tagged With: , , , , ,