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Ramp4Paws: Pet-friendly DogCar accessory gets a Golden review

By Ericka Basile

December 18, 2010

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For the past six years I must have lifted my two Shar Pei into a car at least 100 times.  For every trip to the park, the animal clinic or a play-date, I have picked up their 45-pound furry bodies because they can’t jump very well. They completely embrace their *non-sporting breed dog* features. Each time I finally heaved them into the car I have cursed to myself, “Get a dog ramp!”

Well, I found one. And gave it away. Figures.

The Ramp4Paws is so nice and functional I couldn’t keep it myself. I had to donate it to someone who really needs it. Like a big dog rescue.

I asked Dennis Guyitt, with Golden Retriever Rescue of Southwest Florida, to bring a few dogs to my house so we could test out the ramp on larger and senior dogs. My 9-pound Chihuahua, Roxi, was miffed, but she is recovering from the hit to her small-dog ego.

The photo above right is from the Ramp4Dogs website. I liked it, but on second glance, I think they photo shopped in the black dog. What do you think?

Anyway …

You’ll see in the video below how well-designed the ramp is. It comes in a carrying case, weighs about 15 pounds, and rolls out to make a ramp almost anywhere. We tested the large version.

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Amber, 8, and Wiley, 2, were our canine testers. In the video you will see I chose to leave in the first attempts the dogs made at using the ramp (even the FAIL), because I want to show real-world trial and error of using a ramp for the first time. It only took two tries and six liver treats to teach these  beauties how to use the Ramp4Paws.

The Ramp4Paws retails for $160-$220 depending on which size you want. There is a smaller version, for sedans. Both sizes work for dogs who weigh 160  pounds or less. There is a side-entry strap for sedan’s back seat access.

Here is a photo from the Ramp4Paws website showing a dog named Daisy Lou post-surgery:

Following her surgery, Daisy Lou also used the ramp to climb up the front steps to her house. She is trained to wait at the foot of the ramp for a command.

I have to add this adorable photo Dennis took of a Golden and a child. Dennis is a professional photographer who used to work for Kodak and basically rode the wave of digital photography as it happened. We two are Apple-geek buddies from way back.

Now, he donates his time photographing dogs and rescuing Golden Retrievers.

The Ramp4Paws ramp will certainly help his rescue as they save and transport dogs from shelters to veterinarian clinics then to foster homes.

We all need a little boost now and then.

Or a ramp.


Filed under: Dog Cars,Pet Products — Ericka Basile @ 7:23 pm

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2010 Jeep Commander

By Gina Spadafori

March 30, 2010

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Jeep’s big brute Commands DogCar attention

VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
type 5 door, suv – full, 4wd
msrp $38,100
trans automatic
gas mi. 14mpg/19mpg
rating

Typically, when I pick up the spec sheet of a new vehicle, there are two things that I look for: The total price of the vehicle and the EPA fuel economy estimate. Those two pieces of information clearly influence the way that I look at the rest of the car.

In the case of the 2010 Jeep Commander, that was not a good way to start. The price of my tester – a 2010 Jeep Commander Sport 4X4 – was $38,100 as equipped, which included approximately $5,000 of options.

I would have much rather seen a price in the low $30k or even high $28k range for this sport utility vehicle. Price: Strike one.

The EPA mileage was the opposite – low; as in 14 city mpg and 19 highway mpg. Those numbers put the combined fuel economy for the Jeep Commander at 16 mpg, +which means daily driving of any sort of will find you filling up on a more than regular basis. Fuel economy: Strike two.

However, once I climbed into the Jeep Commander, my impressions began to change. The Commander sits high above the road, giving a “commanding” view of the road ahead. It’s well designed for dog owners because not only is it extra long in the tail, but also because the seats fold totally flat to provide a level landing place for crates.

And the commander of the Chrysler Commander design team didn’t stop there. The rear portion also features a plethora of hooks to secure those crates as well as a 12 volt plug to power fans to keep your pups cool. But Jeep even thought of that, offering separate climate controls in the back so you can rest easy that your canines are comfortable.

Backing up the brutish Commander is fairly easy and worry-free with the optional built-in camera and center dash monitor, and the four-wheel drive turns rough roads into silky side streets. After all, it is a Jeep.

If not for the lofty price and lowly gas mileage, the Commander would be a worthy contender for five paw accolades. So let’s drop a paw and say the Commander is clearly a capable DogCar.

– Keith Turner

Carguy Comments: The seven-passenger Jeep Commander features a large, 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine (357 horsepower) that is standard on the Limited model and optional on the Sport, which otherwise comes with a 3.7-liter V-6. Fuel mileage is mitigated somewhat by a special multi-displacement system that alternates between eight and four cylinders when appropriate. A power lift gate is also standard on the Limited. The cargo area measures 68.5 inches deep from the back of the front seats, 44-inches wide and 29 inches tall.

Barking Lot Banter: Put aside the Commander’s low fuel mileage and high price tag and you’ve got one dandy DogCar.


Filed under: Dog Cars — Gina Spadafori @ 10:19 pm

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2010 Honda Insight

By Gina Spadafori

May 30, 2009

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Honda Insight: A city car for eco-barkoisie with smallish dogs only

VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
type 5 door, hatchback, 2wd
msrp $23,100
trans automatic
gas mi. 40mpg/43mpg
rating

“Are you driving that pod this week?” my neighbors asked.

The Honda Insight does bear a resemblance to a Star Trek shuttle craft. It could be called space age, with its digital displays and fuel economy, but dog-friendly it’s not.

I wanted to like this gasoline-electric hybrid. Good mileage is important to me, and the Insight pays off in that respect. I returned it with more than a quarter tank of gas, while the other cars I’ve reviewed have been closer to empty.

The hatchback opens to a small cargo area with no tiedowns, power supply or storage space.

My two crates—one medium-size, one small—barely fit into it, and with the hatch closed the crate doors were smack up against it. If the car were hit from behind, my dogs would surely be injured. If you have only a front-seat passenger, the rear passenger seats fold down easily, although not entirely flat, allowing the crates to be moved farther back. But there’s still no good way to secure them. The large rear window extends up to the roof line, which is attractive, but crates would heat up quickly with all that sunlight shining on them.

Car seats or a small crate or two can be placed in the backseat if you don’t need space for more than one passenger. This option also allows crates to be secured through the handle with a seat belt for greater safety. Medium-size dogs could also ride in the backseat if restrained by a dog seat belt. These options free up the cargo area for any dog gear, pet supplies or other items you might be carrying.

From a driving point of view, the Insight made me feel as if I were caught in a tractor beam. It wagged and wiggled all over the road, and not in a good way. Acceleration seemed sluggish, although my husband noted that I passed him easily when we were both getting onto the freeway. That’s because I was flooring it. That said, one doesn’t expect a hybrid to drive like a sports car. Keep that in mind and you won’t be disappointed.

I loved the digital displays with one exception. It took me forever to find the speedometer, which was hiding behind the top of the steering wheel. That placement is supposed to put it in the driver’s line of sight, but some of us are height-challenged. I tried to fix the problem by raising the seat — the ability to do that was one of the features I liked — but that didn’t help. Lowering the steering wheel did, but I preferred its original positioning.

The Insight can be purchased with GPS, but even that won’t provide enough guidance to make this a true DogCar.

– Kim Campbell Thornton

Carguy Comments: The new Honda Insight comes in two trim lines, the LX and the EX. Both have identical engines featuring a continuously Variable Transmission that produces 98 horsepower. Cargo volume is 31.5 cubic feet with the second row seats folded down. The MSRP of the base LX is $19,800 while the EX with navigation is $23,100.

– Keith Turner Green Family Car

Barking Lot Banter: A city car for eco-barkoisie with smallish dogs only.


Filed under: Dog Cars — Gina Spadafori @ 4:46 pm

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