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      05-11-2018, 09:53 AM   #1
unluky
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I know a lot of you would never dream of putting a dog in your car......but for those of you who do - looking for some advice.

I live about a hour from where I grew up and my family lives there. Also my GF lives there - needless to say I travel there a LOT. It is one of the reasons I "justified" the Z4 purchase - much better gas mileage than my SUV. Now that my GF loves it too - we just enjoy the car. 99% of the time I head there in good weather - I take it.

My father passed away in March and on his death bed I promised to take care of his dog so he would not worry about him. Not a problem since I love dogs and have a 3 acre yard, BUT this dog is a horse. He is a german short haired pointer and only weighs 60 pounds, but he is lean as hell - so a BIG 60 pound dog. Not a normal fat house dog. He is 12 and lived outdoors his whole life, but we are adjusting well to each other and house life - so all is better than expected.

Except now it is drop top season and with a dog at home I can't just take off on a whim like I am used to. I can't stand the thought of a summer back home without my vert - but there is no way in hell there is enough room for this horse to lay down in my passenger seat. He takes up 1/2 the cargo area in my SUV when I haul him.

Do any of you have BIG dogs and do they adjust to riding in the passenger seat? I bought a dog seat cover to keep the hair and scratches to a minimum, but I think he will have to sit up the entire ride. When he stands next to the car I think "no frickin way" but he loves to ride and is pretty gentle, so I am going to have to at least try it once.

Anyone else cross this bridge?
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      05-11-2018, 10:35 AM   #2
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make sure you get a car harness for your furbaby. I travel with mine, not huge dogs, but a husky or black lab mix. Both sit comfortably. When I had the Z3, the Husky curled up on the floor, lab was in the seat with the wife. Only short short short distance travel for that.

But we have the RX8 for taking the dogs places.
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      05-11-2018, 11:04 AM   #3
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Yeah - I have the SUV for that too - but I live alone and if I go - he goes! So if he does not go in the Z4 - neither do I! When I bought the seat over I did get a harness for him - mostly in case he sees a deer and decides to run after it while we are going 80......

Here is one of my favorites of him my GF took years ago when he was a young buck and my father and I were quail hunting with him. His head comes up to about the door handle, so not sure how this will work.......


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      05-11-2018, 11:14 AM   #4
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Coupe!

Apparently I need a coupe!!!




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      05-11-2018, 03:50 PM   #5
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I'm sorry for your loss man. I used to take my pitbull mix in the Z3 for rides. i always had a cover on the seat for him, a harness, and also a leash that was attached to my wrist in case he decided to jump out. With the top down, he would sit and also stand only to peek out the window. With the top down, he liked putting his front legs on top of the waterfall and look back as we drove away. He also did the same looking out the front windshield with his paws where the top meets the window. Now in the Z4, I take my Huskies (one at a time), but because they're always hyper and have jumped out before, I keep the window halfway up, top up or down, don't matter. When they get tired of standing, they find a way to lay down on the passenger seat even if they don't fit.
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      05-11-2018, 06:16 PM   #6
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In all honesty, just have him lay down. Thats what my dogs do.
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      05-12-2018, 01:37 AM   #7
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Sorry to hear of your loss, I went through that last year. I think nothing of dogs in cars—I had a GT3 at one point, seat protection, a harness for my buddy that I attached to the seatbelt. People's jaws would drop, I didn't care. Z4 or Z3 he's with me.

He's a McNabb Border Collie just shy of 50 lbs and super tall and lanky. He can't really curl up or lay in the seat easily so he just sits like a person most of the time. He seems ok with it.

Might be the breed, but he's created a job of looking out for dangerous drivers (he lets me know, he's amazingly accurate), staring down lane encroachers, and being an organic safety measure.

The harness attached with a carabiner to the seatbelt ensures he stays put with windows open and has an anchor in case of a collision (which honestly is less likely with him helping manage the road). I also use a yoga mat to help him get traction on the seat and not slip.

If you can get him to sit and not lie down you'd be set. He may find a way to be comfortable. Pic of my guy in the Z3 below, that's his usual serious focus.
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      05-12-2018, 05:44 AM   #8
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He rides with me in the z coupe more then my wife...I cover the seats and he sits up like a normal person. Only draw back is no wild turns and quick acceleration. But it's comical to watch people do a double when they realize it's not a person next to me.
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      05-13-2018, 02:18 AM   #9
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He rides with me in the z coupe more then my wife...I cover the seats and he sits up like a normal person. Only draw back is no wild turns and quick acceleration. But it's comical to watch people do a double when they realize it's not a person next to me.
Awesome isn't it?! The double takes are great fun! I live in a largely rural area, mainly pickups, and American muscle. Without my dog I get attitude, I'm some *** in a BMW, with the dog I get surprised looks then smiles. He's my co-pilot way more than my wife too.

I've found a good yoga mat is great way to provide more paw-pad grip. I can drive at a really good pace around corners without giving my buddy any problems with that in place. YYMD
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      05-13-2018, 03:15 AM   #10
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I used to put my 125# Alaskan Malamute in my MR2.
Took the passenger seat out, put a U bolt through the floor, and hooked him down with his dog sled harness and a carabiner.
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      05-13-2018, 12:51 PM   #11
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LMAO - well don't think I will be taking the seat out - but thanks for the tips! He is over 12, so he is pretty mild mannered - always was really unless a coon or cat showed up. Likes to fight a little bit with things like that, but is a total baby to people.

I put the seat cover I bought (it has "grippy" stuff on the seat part too and anchors to the seat so he can get traction) in the SUV yesterday and took him to town to get gas for the mower with me - you all called it - he sat up the entire way. Only a 20 minute round trip, so not sure how he will handle the hour to back home - we will just have to see. He seemed fine with it.

I bought the cover to keep his bear claws and hair off my seat, but I was mostly glad it kept his junk off my seat.......lol Might take his for a short test run this week in the Z and see how he does.


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      05-13-2018, 03:07 PM   #12
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LMAO - well don't think I will be taking the seat out - but thanks for the tips! He is over 12, so he is pretty mild mannered - always was really unless a coon or cat showed up. Likes to fight a little bit with things like that, but is a total baby to people.

I put the seat cover I bought (it has "grippy" stuff on the seat part too and anchors to the seat so he can get traction) in the SUV yesterday and took him to town to get gas for the mower with me - you all called it - he sat up the entire way. Only a 20 minute round trip, so not sure how he will handle the hour to back home - we will just have to see. He seemed fine with it.

I bought the cover to keep his bear claws and hair off my seat, but I was mostly glad it kept his junk off my seat.......lol Might take his for a short test run this week in the Z and see how he does.


Great!!!

"Junk off the seat" lol
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      05-15-2018, 08:36 AM   #13
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I also have a fairly big dog - he weighs about 65lbs and is 25" at the shoulder. Mostly he sits in the passenger seat - I have a sheepskin car seat cover to protect the leather.

He loves going for a drive but can't drive stick...

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      05-16-2018, 06:29 PM   #14
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Love the poodle photo.

I have a 15 pound mini-poodle (well my wife does). She shakes in all our other cars like small poodles are known to do - but she loves the Z4 Roadster, she sits on my wife's lap and smiles the whole time. I think she loves the car more than I do.
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      05-22-2018, 07:30 AM   #15
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this was how Natalya used to take her trips to the vet in the Z3
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      05-24-2018, 09:43 PM   #16
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I have thought about building a removable "shelf" that goes right across the seat and straight out into the footwell area and sits on legs. 5/8 plywood covered in padded non slip material on two 2X4 legs.

I don't know if that's a good description but when you're done, pop it out. I have an 80 pound German Shepherd
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      05-24-2018, 11:35 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WNGD View Post
I have thought about building a removable "shelf" that goes right across the seat and straight out into the footwell area and sits on legs. 5/8 plywood covered in padded non slip material on two 2X4 legs.

I don't know if that's a good description but when you're done, pop it out. I have an 80 pound German Shepherd
I get it. I also get we like our friends with us on adventures!
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      05-30-2018, 04:51 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WNGD View Post
I have thought about building a removable "shelf" that goes right across the seat and straight out into the footwell area and sits on legs. 5/8 plywood covered in padded non slip material on two 2X4 legs.

I don't know if that's a good description but when you're done, pop it out. I have an 80 pound German Shepherd
Funny my brain went to this same thing! I was wondering if a folded up thick quilt would level it enough with the seat that I could toss his dog bed in sideways and he would lay down on it - great minds think alike.

I have been watching and even in the back of the SUV on his bed he does still sit up a lot and watch out the window, so the front seat might work for him.

Going to find out......
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      07-08-2018, 03:52 PM   #19
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