Comments on: DogCars.com: Call this Suzuki the Fur-enza http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:31:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bill Zardus http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-80585 Bill Zardus Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:03:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-80585 I have a google alert set to catch news stories involving dogs that have been killed by a deployed air bag but I have never noticed any news story that has mentioned this type of doggy fatality in 5 years. This webpage is one of the few times that alert has been triggered. Bill Z WRZ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/ I have a google alert set to catch news
stories involving dogs that have been killed by a deployed air bag but I have never noticed any news story that has mentioned this type of doggy fatality in 5 years.

This webpage is one of the few times that alert has been triggered.

Bill Z
WRZ

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/.....onal-News/

]]> By: Wrmason3 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-80148 Wrmason3 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:15:10 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-80148 I'm a little over 6 feet and this wagon is surprisingly spacious. The dead pedal allows my left foot to rest comfortably in place instead of leaning up against the door as in most compact cars. There is ample head room and overall the Forenza has a lot more interior room than much of the competition. Lastly, its a real "Wagon" with a good cargo area free of plastic protrusions, and not a hatchback like so many wagon pretenders these days. I’m a little over 6 feet and this wagon is surprisingly spacious. The dead pedal allows my left foot to rest comfortably in place instead of leaning up against the door as in most compact cars. There is ample head room and overall the Forenza has a lot more interior room than much of the competition. Lastly, its a real “Wagon” with a good cargo area free of plastic protrusions, and not a hatchback like so many wagon pretenders these days.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76539 Gina Spadafori Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:32:34 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76539 All the new cars turn the passenger air bag off automatically under a certain weight. Still, probably best to have the dog ride in the back seat, with a secured-down crate or a harness. We're trying out a bunch of the latter, and will post to DogCars.com when we have the reviewed done. That said, there's obvious no gov't safety standards for dog restraints, so ... there's no way to know what's really safest. All the new cars turn the passenger air bag off automatically under a certain weight.

Still, probably best to have the dog ride in the back seat, with a secured-down crate or a harness. We’re trying out a bunch of the latter, and will post to DogCars.com when we have the reviewed done.

That said, there’s obvious no gov’t safety standards for dog restraints, so … there’s no way to know what’s really safest.

]]> By: TC http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76526 TC Sat, 02 Jun 2007 23:45:34 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76526 I should add - we give the lap belt more slack, so she can move around a bit while we are parked and shopping (still no tangles). When in motion, I have it at the proper length for safety! I should add - we give the lap belt more slack, so she can move around a bit while we are parked and shopping (still no tangles). When in motion, I have it at the proper length for safety!

]]> By: TC http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76525 TC Sat, 02 Jun 2007 23:44:02 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76525 Thx Gina! Maybe I can fold Tall Guy up in the back with the pups:) Good points re the air bags. I don't let my dogs ride up front because we have neither a seat trigger nor a turn off switch for the airbags even in our 2005 truck. Some neighbor snot driving 60+ in a snowstorm with a Dodge crew cab as a battering ram failed to negotiate a corner & totaled our last truck. Tall Guy survived it, said the air bag sounded like a rifle, and gave him a bit of a whack in the process. Had he been with him like usual, his dog would have survived the impact cause of the Roadie, but been injured or killed due to the passenger air bag (cause Tall Guy used to sneak his pooch up front despite my wifely warnings not to. No more after that). We use Ruff Rider Roadies . Only slight problem is with my girl dog when the Roadie is attached to the shoulder seatbelt as an anchor. In which case, she turns, pulls away from it with her body, and slips out of the roadie like pulling a t-shirt over your head. When we have parked and come back, we find her curled up in the front seat. Never does this while truck is in motion. When the Roadie is attached to a lap belt slot, there is too much length and slack, and she has nothing to pull against, so she can't back out of it. We love them - started with basic model, then due to weight gain, we upgraded to the LX. Mine are german shorthairs with excess energy even at 12, so I think the belt design is a good one, because they have never gotten tangled! http://www.ruffrider.com/ Thx Gina! Maybe I can fold Tall Guy up in the back with the pups:)

Good points re the air bags. I don’t let my dogs ride up front because we have neither a seat trigger nor a turn off switch for the airbags even in our 2005 truck. Some neighbor snot driving 60+ in a snowstorm with a Dodge crew cab as a battering ram failed to negotiate a corner & totaled our last truck. Tall Guy survived it, said the air bag sounded like a rifle, and gave him a bit of a whack in the process. Had he been with him like usual, his dog would have survived the impact cause of the Roadie, but been injured or killed due to the passenger air bag (cause Tall Guy used to sneak his pooch up front despite my wifely warnings not to. No more after that).

We use Ruff Rider Roadies . Only slight problem is with my girl dog when the Roadie is attached to the shoulder seatbelt as an anchor. In which case, she turns, pulls away from it with her body, and slips out of the roadie like pulling a t-shirt over your head. When we have parked and come back, we find her curled up in the front seat. Never does this while truck is in motion. When the Roadie is attached to a lap belt slot, there is too much length and slack, and she has nothing to pull against, so she can’t back out of it.

We love them - started with basic model, then due to weight gain, we upgraded to the LX. Mine are german shorthairs with excess energy even at 12, so I think the belt design is a good one, because they have never gotten tangled!

http://www.ruffrider.com/

]]> By: The OTHER Pat http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76516 The OTHER Pat Sat, 02 Jun 2007 23:05:34 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76516 My car has a weight trigger in the front passenger seat - less than 40 lbs. and the air bag is not supposed to deploy. So with my 5 lb. dog (harness/seatbelt setup) we're okay. If your dog is over 40 lb, of course, that would then still be a concern. My car has a weight trigger in the front passenger seat - less than 40 lbs. and the air bag is not supposed to deploy. So with my 5 lb. dog (harness/seatbelt setup) we’re okay.

If your dog is over 40 lb, of course, that would then still be a concern.

]]> By: Nancy Nielsen http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76511 Nancy Nielsen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 22:48:25 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76511 Gina, not being in the market for a new car right now I don't check out the dog-car reviews often - but I do have a question that you may have covered. Ever since they started having air bags in all the cars I haven't let dogs ride in the front seat. Am I too fretful or is it really dangerous? It seems like my dogs are as vulnerable as a small child. And do you use dog harness/safety belt systems and if you do, can you describe what works best? I've had mixed results with them, dogs can get unbelievably tanged and wrapped in some of them that I've used. I hate to tell dogs no more rides, they do all love to go. Gina, not being in the market for a new car right now I don’t check out the dog-car reviews often - but I do have a question that you may have covered. Ever since they started having air bags in all the cars I haven’t let dogs ride in the front seat. Am I too fretful or is it really dangerous? It seems like my dogs are as vulnerable as a small child. And do you use dog harness/safety belt systems and if you do, can you describe what works best? I’ve had mixed results with them, dogs can get unbelievably tanged and wrapped in some of them that I’ve used. I hate to tell dogs no more rides, they do all love to go.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76497 Gina Spadafori Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:31:30 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76497 Tall guy might not be that comfortable in any of these small wagons! Everything else you could fit. Doesn't come in AWD/4WD, but the front-wheel drive feels pretty good. I don't live in snow country, though! Tall guy might not be that comfortable in any of these small wagons! Everything else you could fit.

Doesn’t come in AWD/4WD, but the front-wheel drive feels pretty good. I don’t live in snow country, though!

]]> By: TC http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76495 TC Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:25:56 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76495 Oops, I changed a sentence, but only part of it! Sorry. Oops, I changed a sentence, but only part of it! Sorry.

]]> By: TC http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/comment-page-1/#comment-76493 TC Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:23:14 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/06/02/dogcarscom-just-call-this-suzuki-the-fur-enza/#comment-76493 Could this hold a couple of a 45 lb and 80 lb dog, with any room left for groceries? How about a 6'2" husband? Does it have 4 wheel drive for the winter? Will be fun to watch the reviews. Mine ride in our F350 crew cab with fold down seat in the back so it lays down like a cargo space, with 4wd, with lots of space in the bed for farm animal stuff. But I would like a second vehicle someday, with more inside than outside space (to keep food more dry than garbage bags in a pickup bed:) and that can handle snowy winters as well. Plus the furkids & that tall guy in comfort, of course. Could this hold a couple of a 45 lb and 80 lb dog, with any room left for groceries? How about a 6’2” husband? Does it have 4 wheel drive for the winter?

Will be fun to watch the reviews. Mine ride in our F350 crew cab with fold down seat in the back so it lays down like a cargo space, with 4wd, with lots of space in the bed for farm animal stuff.

But I would like a second vehicle someday, with more inside than outside space (to keep food more dry than garbage bags in a pickup bed:) and that can handle snowy winters as well. Plus the furkids & that tall guy in comfort, of course.

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