The Evolution of the Dogmobile
When asked what type of car she drove in her pre-dog years, Lawanna Smith gets an almost dreamy look in her eyes as she laughs and says, “A Corvette.
It was a beautiful white Corvette.” And her husband, Jeff? A sporty little Mercedes.
And then along came the dogs. Priorities, shall we say, changed. Oh how they changed.
It seems this is a common migration that occurs when ordinary humans earn the label “dog people.” In fact, that term actually deserves a bit more reverence: Dog People.
You see, when you become a Dog Person, life as you’ve known it makes a radical shift and your mode of transportation is at the top of the list of changes. No longer do you select a car for what it says about you—for the image it projects. Instead you wonder if your 400 size crate will fit easily in the back and still allow room for a couple of bags of dog food.
My own journey through the car lot of dog life spanned about two decades and involved a bit of trial and error to say the least. My early roots were firmly embedded in small, sporty sedans. But with the addition of dogs to my world and an addiction to training and dog showing for which no 12-step program exists, I had to rethink my vehicle of choice.
Baby steps, people, baby steps. Sometimes you just can’t take the plunge straight into cargo vandom. Especially if you don’t have a passel of children as closet justification.
My first concession to the need for a dogmobile came in the form of a cherry red, four-wheel drive Chevrolet S-10 Blazer complete with custom pin-striping. Space for a couple of dogs—transportation ego still intact. Perfect, right?
Not so much.
More space, yes. But only a driver’s door, a passenger door and a rear hatch. As any true Dog Person knows, that’s about two doors too few. So back to the car lot I went.
If you’ve never shopped for a dogmobile, let me give you a few tips. You’re not really there to consider optional amenities and luxury packages. You’re there to have the sales guy show you that the rear seats truly are easy to remove (and yes, you do make him prove it!) and that the interior measurements from wheel well to wheel well in the cargo area will allow for side-by-side crates.
How about the upholstery? Will dog hair clean off easily? Is it stain resistant? Are there rear air vents so the dogs will have adequate climate control? Can I actually take my dogs for a test drive to see what they think?
Having considered all of the dog-friendly options, step two of my transportation odyssey was complete: Goodbye sporty Blazer, hello white minivan. Minivan? Oh dear. We’ve definitely crossed a line here, but historically, full size vans and minivans have been quite popular with Dog People and face it, are incredibly functional.
On the plus side, the van offered plenty of room, a third row bench that stayed in pristine condition from the moment I stored it in the garage never again to see the light of day, and oh-so-many access points including that fabulous sliding side door.
The downside? Well…a white minivan. I’m sorry, but to me, it looked like a giant Kleenex box on wheels. Add to that the fact that every time I passed through a school zone, dozens of hopeful youngsters craned their necks to see if I was their carpool du jour. Not exactly the image a childless-by-choice, still hoping to appear somewhat hip young adult wants to project. Oh the sacrifices we make for our dear dogs.
Three’s the charm, right? After a practical run with the van, back to the car lot I ventured. This time I was determined to find the ultimate dog limo. The one vehicle that had it all—space, space and more space; a carpet color that would conceal dog hair; and tie-down points for securing crates and dog harnesses—while also hopefully maintaining my dignity to some degree. The perfect car for me? Let me give you three little letters:
S U V!
My “it” vehicle is the Chevrolet Tahoe. Granted, it’s a bit of a behemoth and not the one for everyone, but for me, it is the mecca of the parking lot.
For other Dog People, the criteria differ. For the Smiths paradise on wheels comes in the form of a Toyota FJ Cruiser. Why the FJ Cruiser? Well, it extends well beyond the SUV’s sporty exterior.
“You can easily fit crates in the back and it has built-in tie-down points where I can attach the dogs’ safety harnesses,” said Lawanna. “There’s no carpeting so it’s really easy to clean if a dog throws up or something. Plus, you can just blow the dog hair out with a leaf blower.”
A leaf blower? Genius! Could it be that the Smiths have truly found the perfect dogmobile? For the modern day Dog Person, it does appear the SUV category is definitely the leader of the pack. Sit in the parking lot of any dog-focused business and you’ll see quite a parade including offerings from Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, Lexus, Ford, Chevrolet, and the brute of the bunch, the Hummer.
To add to the excitement, there are any number of ways you can customize your vehicle to maximize the safety and comfort of your beloved pooches. There are barriers you can insert to divide the dog space from the driver’s seat. There are fancy hair- containing seat covers. You can find an amazing array of doggy seatbelts and yes, even car seats for small dogs.
Open the back of the Smith’s vehicle and you’ll find no human seating available. You will find a plush dog bed, several toys, a water bowl and sturdy safety harnesses. For any discerning canine, this is true luxury on the go.
We, as sworn members of the clan of Dog People, have come a long way from our human-centric beginnings when corvettes and other sporty coupes were “image builders.” Now extra cup holders are yet another great place to store leashes and lint rollers. Extra rear cargo space means we have enough room to adopt one more dog. And people who exit pristine cars without a cloud of dog hair swirling out the door behind them? Well, we pity them.
We’ve all made our personal journeys to identify the ultimate dog vehicle. It can only be rivaled by the concessions and modifications we make for our beloved dogs inside our homes…but that’s a whole other story!
Story by LaWanna Smith
