Hi, thinking about getting a new DOGMOBILE, maybe an older HHR (2007?), but one question. My dog Willie is smallish, 40lbs and knee-high. He's about 9 yrs now and starting to have a problem jumping from the ground up onto any seat bottom. I have to assume the rear wagon bed is pretty high for him, higher than the foot-wells. I've never been able to coax him into jumping up to a foot-well space, usually pretty cramped. But maybe if I pushed the front passenger seat ALL the way forward? Then how much foot-well space is there behind it?

Alternately, if the foot-well would still be too narrow, since I never have any humans in the second row, I'm wondering about removing the driver side of the split rear seat so Willie can just jump up to that foot-well and then proceed up to the passenger side seat. I don't need the seating for people. Is this do-able?

 

Not to sound rude, but why not just pick him up and place him where you want him to be?

 

i have a boxer and if he will be sitting in the back hes going to need a running start to get in lol. if your dog is small and has hip problems, the drop from inside the car to outside is pretty big.
unless you dont mind your dog sitting on the seats, then its not too bad.
You could always invest in a fold-able ramp or just pick him up

 

Are you not physically fit to do this?

 

About just picking him up, I guess for most that's a natural question. The answer is that yes, right now I could, but I'm 68, fractured my spine three years ago, and I'm only getting worse year by year. Not whining, just looking for a solution. About a ramp, yes, that would be good, certainly in my own driveway, if he gets to the point of not being able to jump to a foot-well. Of course it would also be good in the meantime. I guess it's my own laziness that accounts for not wanting to fiddle with a ramp a couple of times a day, for now. I'm thinking too a ramp could be awkward in many parking situations.

 

A foldable ramp for the rear hatch is pretty much your only option. Moving the pass seat forward gives a little extra room in the rear footwell, but still requires the dog to jump up.

I've been thinking about the same issue as well. Our dog is getting on in age as well, and is 100lbs - so a ramp will be our only option when the time comes.

 

I have been thinking along the same lines as my dog ages. A google search leads to many options and prices. clicky here

 

Thanks gents and ladies. I had guessed a ramp was in our future, maybe one for me too.

But was just hoping to get a couple more years of jumps in by minimizing the distance.

 

Am I the only one wondering about taking over weight dogs on frequent road trips? Maybe a walk would be in order?

My Chihuaha mix weighs in at 23 LB. and my Shih Tzu is 22 lb.; so don't go saying.

They only go for rides to the vet and grooming.

Momma don't do walks and Daddy only rolls! Did you get it OB?

 

I walk him on a leash usually once a day, then the other couple of outings require drives out to off-leash dog parks. Then we do errands together. If that's not good enough...