Car adivce for large dog use.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 09:19
Car adivce for large dog use. - barney100

Friend has a huge Malmute, lovely fella and needs a car that he can easily sit up in when he is in the boot. Any suggestions?

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 09:25
Car adivce for large dog use. - Xileno

I think a van-derived vehicle would be best to give sufficient height. Possibly a Berlingo or similar?

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 09:50
Car adivce for large dog use. - FP

Next door have a male leonberger, which is bigger than a malamute. They use a Volvo SUV (with foldable ramp so the beast can get in). No idea if he can sit up though.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 13:24
Car adivce for large dog use. - SLO76
What’s the budget, £1500 or £50,000?
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Tue 27 Jul 2021 13:47
Car adivce for large dog use. - barney100

This I don't know, would be surprised if it were over 5k.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 14:34
Car adivce for large dog use. - badbusdriver

Small van based MPV is probably going to be the best bet for a smaller budget. Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo, Ford Tourneo Connect, that sort of thing. However finding one which hasn't been converted for wheelchair access could be tricky!.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 22:03
Car adivce for large dog use. - alan1302

Small van based MPV is probably going to be the best bet for a smaller budget. Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo, Ford Tourneo Connect, that sort of thing. However finding one which hasn't been converted for wheelchair access could be tricky!.

Will be very easy to find one that's not been converted.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 17:15
Car adivce for large dog use. - SLO76
We have an elderly Alsatian and he has plenty of room in the back of my Avensis estate but it’s a bit too high for him to get into these days. A van based car like a Berlingo would be ideal but they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. A large MPV like a Ford Galaxy would be another good bet depending on budget.
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Tue 27 Jul 2021 15:09
Car adivce for large dog use. - JonestHon

We own a very large dog (Anatolian Shepard cross).

He is fine in our 2010 Avensis estate since we adopted him in 2016, can stand, sit and turn around.

Due to the dog size he is blocking the back mirror as the floor is fairly high in this model but this is not an issue for me and the Mrs's as we both drove vans and lorries.

In our previous estate (2003 Passat) there was a bit more standing up room.

IMHO the nicest car for a large dog covering both height and overall compartment size is the Volvo V70 or X70, I'll have one tomorrow but don't want diesels and I don't think the reliability will exceed the Avensis.

Most medium size SUV's we looked at have a boot too short for a large dog to turn around comfortably. A large money pit SUV's like the Range Rover or Disco will do well to carry a large beast.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 15:50
Car adivce for large dog use. - barney100

We have a Samoyed, medium sized I guess and we use a V70 which is just the job.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 16:02
Car adivce for large dog use. - Mr D Og

We have a 55Kg German Shepherd who travels with us on holidays all over the UK. We have a Skoda Superb Estate which comfortably accommodates him. There are few if any estates with a bigger boot.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 17:48
Car adivce for large dog use. - sammy1

You can buy a waterproof hammock which fits around the front and rear headrests and occupies the whole of the back seat of a large car. One end of the hammock is zipped so the dog can jump in and out of the back. The two ends of the hammock are then held by straps supported by the rear grab handles at the top of doors.You still have to secure your dog in the back I bought mine on ebay for about a tenner, the hammock not the dog!

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 18:41
Car adivce for large dog use. - Will deBeast

An offbeat suggestion: A Honda Jazz, with its 'magic seats' worked really well for our elderly german shepherd. A very tiny step up into the car through the side doors.

A Kia Sorento has aircon in the boot area - our dog loved travelling there, especially on a hot day. (the aircon is designed for the rear 2 seats when running in 7 seat mode).

Edited by Will deBeast on 27/07/2021 at 18:43

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 19:42
Car adivce for large dog use. - badbusdriver

An offbeat suggestion: A Honda Jazz, with its 'magic seats' worked really well for our elderly german shepherd. A very tiny step up into the car through the side doors.

Unless the OP's friend only needs the two seats, and can therefore fold the seats flat on the Jazz, I doubt there wouldn't be enough space for a Malamute.

My own offbeat suggestion would also be a Honda though, a Stepwagon. This is a JDM MPV, so import only, also auto only, either a 2.0 or 2.4 4 cyl. Classed as an 8 seater, the rear 'row' is split in two and each half folds up to the side leaving a huge area with a very low load height. Another few, very similar JDM imports, Toyota Noah and Voxy, and the Nissan Serena.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 20:10
Car adivce for large dog use. - Will deBeast

Unless the OP's friend only needs the two seats,....

He/she has given us little information to go on.

My dog and I are quite happy in my mx-5, but we have to leave the wife at home!

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 20:14
Car adivce for large dog use. - badbusdriver

Unless the OP's friend only needs the two seats,....

He/she has given us little information to go on.

My dog and I are quite happy in my mx-5, but we have to leave the wife at home!

We do know that the Dog is a Malamute though, might squeeze one of them in the front beside you if you had a huge American 'land yacht' with a bench seat, but an MX5?, not a hope!.

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Tue 27 Jul 2021 22:20
Car adivce for large dog use. - Metropolis.

Whoops posted this on another thread by accident! or a big fluffy dog like that I would be adding rear air conditioning vents to the criteria, if you havenâ??t already. Estate cars can be better for dogs that are a bit older snd no longer appreciate a high entry point, but something like a Discovery can offer more headroom as they appear to have been designed for a small giraffe, the earlier models anyway. Ideal would probably be what people are mentioning, an MPV with low step in height and lots of headroom, just watch for the seat layout, many MPVs have quite shallow (front to back) boots.

[removed from the other thread - mod]

Edited by Xileno on 28/07/2021 at 07:56

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Wed 28 Jul 2021 07:46
Car adivce for large dog use. - badbusdriver
Whoops posted this on another thread by accident! or a big fluffy dog like that I would be adding rear air conditioning vents to the criteria, if you havenâ??t already. Estate cars can be better for dogs that are a bit older snd no longer appreciate a high entry point, but something like a Discovery can offer more headroom as they appear to have been designed for a small giraffe, the earlier models anyway. Ideal would probably be what people are mentioning, an MPV with low step in height and lots of headroom, just watch for the seat layout, many MPVs have quite shallow (front to back) boots.

That is a good point re having rear vents, and as it happens, most JDM MPV's have this!

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Wed 28 Jul 2021 08:33
Car adivce for large dog use. - barney100

I'll pass on the info, there are two adults and the big fella so the Jazz may be a good shout. They have a Honda now but it's got several problems so that's why they are looking round.

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Wed 28 Jul 2021 17:52
Car adivce for large dog use. - Metropolis.

That is a good point re having rear vents, and as it happens, most JDM MPV's have this!

Yes they do, as does my JDM Discovery! Super useful feature which having had it I don’t think I could face not having it on a hot day, such a difference for rear passengers in the old greenhouse.
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Wed 28 Jul 2021 18:32
Car adivce for large dog use. - brum

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-20614593

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