pet connection

Ever since DogCars.com started reviewing vehicles from a dog-lover’s point of view, we’ve been using a rating system that is both obvious and somewhat disturbing. By replacing the ubiquitous star rating system with puppy paws, the DogCars.com reviewers have been able to provide, at quick glance, an idea of how dog-worthy the vehicle may be.

But the idea of a achieving a rating of five paws is a little bit off. After all, isn’t five paws on a dog considered a bit of an odd occurrence? Inquiring minds wanted to know how this was a good thing in a vehicle rating. Plus, some automakers shied away from wanting to achieve high DogCar status, especially if their pride and joy model had the opportunity of being nominated for “DogCar of the Year.”

DogCar of the year, is that a good thing? They quietly asked.

Well, as it turned out, it is a VERY good thing, as proven by the success of the Honda Element, the very first (and subsequent repeat) winner of the DogCars.com Best In Show award.

However, just as five paws on a dog is a rarity, a five-paw review is as well. It means that the vehicle meets or exceeds the main features that we consider when reviewing a potential DogCar:

• Plenty of interior space for multiple crates;
• Tiedowns or hooks to secure restraints, crates or barriers;
• Good ventilation or outlets for fans in the tailgate area;
• Easy in/out access for all dogs, including miniatures and elderly canines;
• Ability to do at least a minimal amount of driving in less-than-ideal circumstances, such  as to get to canine-centered activities that are off the beaten path.

So it deserves some sort of recognition when we find a vehicle that rates a full five paws. When DogCars.com reviewer Kim Campbell Thornton completed her test in the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander, she came away with many more pup-friendly pluses than minuses so, after some consideration, she gave a big High Five to the Outlander.

Read about her Outlander experience and a wide variety of other makes and models at DogCars.com.

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Our DogCars.com review team has been busy  testing and reviewing some of the newest vehicles with an eye on their capabilities for carrying canines on their appointed rounds.

Our DogCars checklist includes such must-haves as easy access for smaller or older dogs, fold-flat seats, enough room for crates, and rear climate controls for keeping canines cool. We recently drove a host of potential DogCars that represented a sampling of the style and substance available in today’s vehicles.

Kim Campbell Thornton took her pups Twyla, Bella and Harper on many trips across Southern California in the 2010 Hyundai Tucson GLS, putting the small sport utility vehicle to the test. Her findings revealed that the Tucson is fun to drive, gets good gas mileage and is priced well, but some may find the interior space truly less than big-dog worthy.

Another newcomer that we’ve been excited to test is the 2010 Ford Transit Connect (pictured), a boxy cargo van with a low-to-the-ground clearance and versatile interior that makes it highly attractive to those who routinely travel with lots of dog and lots of gear.

The Jeep Commander was a pleasant surprise because while it looks like a bulldog in armor, it rides as smooth as a silk and carries many of the features necessary to make the grade as a decent DogCar.

And we also put our four-legged friends to work running with the Toyota 4Runner, the fifth generation of this stalwart SUV that is bigger, yet more fuel efficient that the previous model.

To get the details and discover how all these and many other vehicles stack up in our DogCars.com paw ratings, click here.

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Another “Two paws up” review for the new Dog Friendly Honda Element has come across the desk of our DogCars.com editor, and like any other proud, puppy-loving parent, we are happy to share this information with the world.

You see, as PetConnection’s sibling site, DogCars.com takes great pride in the fact that if not for us, the 2010 Dog Friendly Honda Element would most likely not exist. That’s because back in 2007, the doggedly dedicated auto reviewers at DogCars.com came out with our first-ever DogCar of the Year awards for vehicles that are popular among folks who routinely travel with their pups.

Topping off that debut DogCars awards list was the Honda Element, which we honored as Best In Show for 2007. The Element’s versatile cargo area offers many features that dog owners can appreciate, such as an easy-to-clean interior; squared-off rear hatchback that easily fits crates and side doors that open opposite each other to provide extra access for dogs to jump in and out.

The Best In Show award was immediately embraced by Honda, which proceeded to create an advertising campaign that featured our four-legged friends enjoying the dog-friendly attributes of the Element. But Honda didn’t stop there. In 2009, the automaker announced that a special Dog Friendly edition of the Element would soon be available. This special package, which is priced at just under $1,000, offers dog lovers a host of items that are designed to make the ride safer and more comfortable for all involved.

Dog Friendly features include:

– A stowaway rear ramp

– Built-in nylon crate on comfy bed

– Rear fan

– Bone print rubber floor mats

– Built in doggie bowls

– Special dog print emblems

And much more.

The new Dog Friendly Element is so impressive that it warranted a repeat honor as Best In Show for 2010, tied with the versatile Toyota Venza.

The new Element has also been getting plenty of attention and accolades from dog lovers and automotive writers alike. And when you combine the two – an auto writer who loves to travel with dogs – you get a first-hand account of how well Honda had hit the mark with dog owners.

Here’s a sample of what Alex Nunez, of AutoBlog.com, has to say about how his pups rated the Element:

Our Honda Element pooch-pack tester was a loaded, all-wheel-drive EX with navigation ($27,270 MSRP including the dog package). The centerpiece of the kit is a crate secured to the Element’s cargo bay via straps that loop right into the standard floor-mounted tie-downs. Once it’s in there, know that you have zero storage behind the second row seats; the crate eats up all the usable space. Installation is rock-solid, though, and the top and sides of the crate are a breathable mesh material that the dogs can see through. Not that they’ll be seeing too much – the clamshell-style tailgate obstructs their view backwards and the side windows are too high for them to really see out of. Since the roof of the crate is mesh, light still gets in and they can see the sky.

Frankly, I was okay with all this, because my dogs’ general reaction to seeing any living thing out the windows is to bark loudly and incessantly, as if they have just spotted flying saucers unloading giant cat warriors in a mass invasion. That gets old in a hurry. In the Element, Millie and Pepper basically sat quietly once zipped into the crate. However, if your dogs get motion sickness or really like to look out at the passing world, this is likely a less-than-ideal setup

Read the rest of Alex’s review here. And for more dog-focused reviews, check out our comprehensive list at DogCars.com.

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When Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori first launched DogCars.com as an offspring to PetConnection.com, they set out to inform, educate and enlighten dog lovers about the dog-friendly differences in vehicles on the market today. Then, at the end of the first year, DogCars.com sorted through all its research to come up with a DogCar of the Year Best in Show award for the vehicle that best fit the safety and comfort attributes craved by serious canine carrying travelers.

What vehicle was the distinguished recipient of that first-ever DogCars.com Best In Show award? And the winner is . . . the Honda Element! The Element’s versatile cargo area and easy-to-clean interior were just some of the key points that made the Element the best among many other vehicles ranked high on the DogCar of the Year list.

The Element’s popularity among dog owners was so impressive that the marketing folks at Honda jumped at the opportunity to capitalize oncater to the dog-loving public by creating a cute little ad campaign featuring pups and the DogCars.com Best in Show logo.

It also set into motion the design of a new dog-friendly version of the Honda Element for 2010 that features a built in dog bed, flexible crate, stow-away ramp and many other accessories that make it appealing to those of us who like to travel with our dogs.

And the praise keeps rolling in for the Element. This year, the Dog Friendly Honda Element was back in the Best In Show winner’s circle when it tied with the Toyota Venza for top honors by DogCars.com.

Last month, Bark BuckleUp named the 2010 Dog Friendly Honda Element as of the Top 10 PetSafe vehicles. And DogSmith.com gave high praise for the Honda Element by endorsing it as the vehicle of choice for dog training professionals.

“The Honda Element reflects our DogSmith standards of superior quality and professionalism in pet care at an affordable price,” says  Niki Tudge  of DogSmith,

Now just because the Element is right for some dog-loving families, doesn’t mean that it’s right for everyone. That’s why DogCars.com provides in-depth reviews of a variety of vehicle makes and models, providing pluses and minus each one tested. Check them out here.

(Photo: Twyla, Harper and Bella pose in the dog friendly Honda Element during DogCars.com reviewer Kim Campbell Thornton’s test drive.)

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We love to drive with our dogs. And when we do, it’s important to keep them as safe and as comfortable as possible.

That’s one of the reasons that PetConnection sister site DogCars.com was developed: To give dog owners a sneak peek at what a vehicle has to offer in the way of protection for our pups and convenience for pup lovers.

DogCars.com reviewer Kim Campbell Thornton puts today’s vehicles to the test as she transports her girls – Twyla, Bella and Harper – on their daily rounds.

In fact, her recently posted reviews of the Nissan Versa and the Mazda CX-9 provide some surprisingly opposite ratings from Kim and crew.

Speaking of DogCar safety, Bark Buckle UP did an extensive study of the safety factors in today’s vehicles and came away with a list of the Top 10 pet safe vehicles. Michael Coates of mightycomm reports from Chicago:

Last week at the Chicago Auto Show, Bark Buckle UP founder and Pet Safety Expert, Christina Selter, announced the winners of the third annual Pet Safe Vehicles[ ... ]at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show.

The Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles are (in alphabetical order):
Chrysler Town and Country (Similar to the Dodge Grand Caravan)
Dodge Journey
Ford Edge
Ford Flex
Ford Transit Connect
Honda Element (2010 DogCar Best In Show)
Kia Soul
Smart Car
Subaru Outback
Volvo XC60

The safety features that qualify these vehicles are rear climate control, side curtain airbags and d-rings to harness pets.

A whole pack of dogs and their owners appeared Wednesday evening to model proper safety precautions. Selter demonstrated how a full-sized crate can comfortably fit in the back of a Smart Car.

In case of an accident, pets should be secured in vehicles so 1) they don’t get hurt, 2) run out of the car and cause another accident, or 3) attack safety personnel. According to Selter, a 65-pound dog riding in a vehicle going 35 m.p.h. becomes a 2,700-pound projectile if not securely fastened. Traveling with pets in their crates is the most cost-effective safety measure because most people already own a crate.

For these and many other dog friendly vehicle and product reviews, visit DogCars.com.

(Photo:Debbie Freidstat and Bentley show off the pup-carrying capabilities of the Smart car, which took home one of Bark Buckle UP’s Pet Safe Vehicle awards. The Smart has side curtain airbags and D-rings to harness pets, and it also features a fold-flat passenger seat that can hold pet transport carriers.)

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