Hooniverse Asks: What’s a good “dog car”?

Jeff Glucker

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My dog Frank is halfway between 14 and 15 years old. He’s clearly entering the end of his life. I wish that over the course of his decade and a half of living, that I spent some more of it on road trips. He doesn’t really love cars though, because he knows that it often means a trip to the vet if he’s in one. Also, as Frank is a dachshund, his view out the window is… limited. He could stand and see out the side windows when he was younger, but now he just sits and relaxes if we go for a ride.

Were Frank a larger dog, or one that enjoyed a tongue wagging, windows down road adventure, what would be the proper vehicle?

What’s a good dog car or truck? Sure, wagons and SUVs are an easier answer. I’m sure some of you have managed great dog adventures in coupes though too.

Sound off with dog stories, dog pics, and dog suggestions. This is a dog question and I can’t wait to read the answers.

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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15 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What’s a good “dog car”?”

  1. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    This is Hooniverse, so 4RIATA.

    We have a still young and quite spry Labrador ourselves, she makes the flying run and jump into the back of my 4Runner whenever given the opportunity. She then proceeds to embed half of her coat into the carpet. The height of the rear seat is just high enough for her to rest her head on while the kiddos play with her.

    The F150 worked for a time, but she outgrew it.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/94c6ba835ce59082a72901c9879483383cdcae2148ea9fa4cfae3f58bb7033c2.png

    Reply
    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      The F-150 quad cab worked, but was tight with 4 big dogs in the back. The Kia Soul, PT Cruiser and Volvo V90 all work great giving low floor (easy for the older ones to be lifted in and out, and for the younger ones to jump) yet low enough windows for great views (and the nose prints to prove it).

      Reply
  2. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    My grandparents had an early Plymouth Voyager, and a little Heinz 57 that just loved going for car rides, as he’d sit on my grandma’s lap (pre-airbags, so while probably not a good idea, at least less terrible). So generally, I’m pro-minivan for dogs. Big windows, low floors, and high seats are all good for our canine friends. Although, newer ones with opening windows in the sliding doors might be preferable, so they can get a little more wind.

    Reply
  3. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    I can’t be of much help here, as I’m more of a cat person. When presented with a range of options, they seem to prefer FSAE cars.

    https://live.staticflickr.com/4602/25005385657_3d043eb953.jpg

    Reply
    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      Odd. I would have expected the cat to want the ‘bird.
      https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/looneytunes/images/7/70/Room_and_Bird_%2811%29.jpg

      Reply
  4. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    Depends on the dog. We used to have one that got car sick on every trip longer than about 5 minutes, Seats with pleated upholstery might be comfortable to sit in, but definitely not to clean dog puke out of…

    A dog from earlier in my life was a huge car fanatic. We had an A100–actually two of them; one with windows in the cargo doors, and one with glass all the way around, with flip-open ventilation. The dog loved standing on the engine cover, like Snoopy on top of the doghouse, to survey the surroundings in 360 degrees. Then he would hop down and run to the back doors and stand on his hind legs to see if he missed anything important. Even in the winter, when the van’s meager heater had not yet warmed up the interior volume, the dog was so excited, he would pant the whole time. With his back-and-forth patrolling inside the van, there was dog slobber everywhere. No worries, the van had a hose-out interior.

    We didn’t have a high top, but the inside of our window van was something like this one:

    http://www.dodgea100.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1967_oahu-hi_inside.jpg

    Reply
  5. wunno sev Avatar
    wunno sev

    Mercedes station wagon with an LS would probably work decently for that application if you have one for example hypothetically of course

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Good point

      Reply
    2. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      I totally agree, but a project like that will certainly take longer than one dog-lifespan.

      Reply
  6. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Doggie Trailers Have More Fun

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4de24a207d5316c4e10b8593103bfff6294b4267b36b08b5013bdd2736dc9f95.jpg

    Reply
  7. KentMB1 Avatar
    KentMB1

    You would think that a Jeep Wrangler would be awesome, but my Sydney wasn’t all that impressed. Ditto a Lincoln Navigator. She didn’t care for anything that was high up off the ground, even though she has a propensity to hurdle 4 foot fences in the hunt for small prey. She much preferred a ride where she could stretch out in the back seat of a Cadillac DTS or Benz E Class. She was a debutante with mud in her hair. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/451cd663b4b77291f936b90d13d02854c17ce3ab16414f9fb7e5c71040f95810.jpg

    Reply
  8. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    My Rottweiler Zora (named after Zora Arkus Duntov), LOVED to ride in cars. He favorite was probably my old beater 1967 Imperial convertible. It was to the point if you opened a car door and she got in, she wouldn’t get out until she at least got to go around the block. I miss that dog. One odd thing, if she was in an open vehicle (the Imperial or my K5 Blazer without the top), she would go nuts anytime we passed under a bridge or overpass.

    Reply
  9. Smaglik Avatar
    Smaglik

    Howard loves a road trip… He’s probably done 50k miles in his 4.5 dog years of life.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ebc9371e71dd25d1150d0ff61765bdf8a8cfc021dd2d2bf0de256d5a8ae9fff6.jpg

    That was in the x3, but he’s good with all.

    Reply
  10. Chad Geidel Avatar
    Chad Geidel

    The jury is still out on Bulldogs and Minis. One of mine seems to love it, the other isn’t a fan. 😀

    Reply
  11. peugeotdude505 Avatar
    peugeotdude505

    My Japanese Spitz loves sticking his head out the window in my Acura CSX ( Fancy canadian civic )
    I put an old bedsheet on the backseat to protect it.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ec6e7160c67da18831d76e344466b25d022b37f06f081f5f5ffb8cb1d2d4f157.jpg

    Reply