Dogs/baby and car?

lovelyX · May 2013

We are planning on selling our vehicles and getting some new (to us anyways) ones. Currently we have a Nissian Xterra and a Chrysler 300. I drive the SUV and the husband the car. We want to sell the SUV for sure and buy a truck. We want to get some toys and need something we can load them in and still tow our trailer. So the idea would be I would get the 300 and the husband a small car to ttake to work and the truck would be used for camping. Does anyone have a car and dogs? We have a German Sheppard and a Corgie, I am wondering if we'll fit in the car for day trips, with baby and the dogs in the back seat. Or if we should sell everything we have and get the truck, small car for DH and a hatchback for me.

Do any of you have dogs and drive a car? Do you find it squishy? Do you have a sedan or hatchback? Do your dogs fit in the hatchback?

Thanks

TiffanyBerry · May 2013

I have an Outback. It fits me, my husband, our daughter and our standard poodle (~42lbs, iirc). I used to be able to put the dog in the back seat, next to my daughter (her carseat is still rear-facing and can't be in the middle without tand front seats having to be too far forward), but then my daughter got tired of the dog trying to lick her toys when he got in, so now he goes in the way back (hatchback opening). I love that car.

aeh72 · May 2013

We have a lab who is about 65 pounds. Right now, I drive a Volvo XC60 (smallish SUV/crossover) and my husband drives an Acura MDX (mid size SUV). For short day trips that also require us to take DS' stroller, my car would be fine but we have to put half the back seat down for our dog to have enough space to lay down. When we go the beach for the week and take the dog, we take DH's car and we do the same thing - lay half the back seat down for the dog and the rear end is filled with all of our stuff (and we pack pretty light). DH and I were just talking about this issue recently because he'll probably be buying a new car in the next year or so and we decided that one of us at least still needs to have a mid size SUV to fit DS, the dog, and all our stuff for long trips. When DS is done with his stoller, it will make life much easier packing-wise. It lays pretty flat but still takes up a fairly big chunk of the back end. Of course, by then, we may have a second dog, so there goes that extra space!

Generally, I think any car is probably do-able for daytrips as long as the dogs don't get into a LO's space, but for longer trips, I would definitely want more space for packing and so DS and our dog can both have their own space.

Xtine22 · May 2013

We have an Accord and several times a year visit the inlaws 6.5 hours a way with DD and our dog. We have a 60ish pound mutt pretty much. They are both fine in the back. I will even sometimes go back there during the trip if DD gets cranky and we all fit back there fine.

brownmouse · May 2013

I drive a Honda Element, and we have one child and one dog, a 60lb Australian Shepherd. We all fit great, and the dog sits in the backseat with the kiddo. The floor space between the front seats and back seats is AMAZING, and we put her dog bed down there for long trips. We tried having her in the back but she won't sit back there all by herself. Big spoiled baby.

One downside to my car though, is that the back seat is literally TWO seats, and you can't sit someone in the middle like with most cars. So it's a strictly four person car. But the major upside, is that it doesnt have carpet, and has waterproof vinyl floors instead so if it gets muddy from the dog (I live in Portland where it rains constantly) you can just wipe them down. I've even been known to drive my car up onto ramps and hose it out when it was really bad. Haha!

My husband drives a being-restored 1969 VW Beetle. Let me tell you, THAT thing is TIGHT with even just us and the kiddo, not to mention the dog. Hahahahaha!

meo34 · May 2013

We have an suv and a car, and a dog. For every road trip we inevitably take the suv because the car never seems to have enough room for our stuff and the dog.

jessilynnwilliams · June 2013

TarHeelMomToBe:
Is there a reason you are only interested in a car? We decided to get a Jeep Patriot a year ago after I found out I was pregnant. We wanted something more comfortable to go places with our 2 dogs (65lb and 75lb mixes) and a baby, without getting a huge vehicle.
It has almost identical dimensions (length and width) as my Audi A4, 4 door sedan. It was relatively inexpensive, is easy to drive and park, and gets good gas mileage. The dogs love the extra space in the back that they wouldn't have in a car.

I adore my Jeep Patriot!!

arbutusbride · June 2013

I have a Ford Escape it is perfect for us, our Corgi and hopefully our future adopted child. It still has towing ability without being huge and bulky.

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