10 best cars for dog owners in the Philippines

Owning a dog in the Philippines is like adding another member to the family. It’s like a kid that requires your utmost attention, and a responsibility that should be put on top of your priorities. Usually, these pooches are often referred to as a man’s best friend, but their role in the lives of people goes beyond that as they are now considered as the cutest member of the family, regardless of size.

As such, dog owners tend to put our furry friends into consideration when buying a brand new car. But what are the features that cars should have to make it a pet-friendly vehicle? Take a look at the list below.

There’s nothing more fun than going for a great adventure with huge dogs that can match your stamina. However, setting off with big dogs also needs lots of cargo space, so rear car seats that can be folded flat is a huge advantage. With a huge cargo space, medium-sized crates can be fitted at the back. In this case, buying a compact crossover such as Nissan X-Trail or an SUV like Ford Everest is a pretty good choice.

You know how annoying it is when our four-legged friends shed furs, right? That’s why a car with leather seats is far more convenient than vehicles with cloth seats. With that, the MINI Countryman and Mazda BT-50 would purr-fectly fit the criteria. On the other note, if your car comes with cloth seats, it would be better to dress it up with seat covers so that you can clean and wipe the dirt off easier.  

Another tip: If you’re going to travel with dogs, it’s best to change the carpet floors to rubber or plastic mats, so you won’t have a hard time cleaning the cabin.

Bunch of gears and accessories are usually needed when going for a trip with your loyal four-legged friend; that’s when you will appreciate the power of rear lift gate as it can make hauling an easier task. The Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-5 comes with this cool feature.

To make it easier for your beloved canines to get in and out the vehicle, choose a vehicle that’s built in low ride height. With this, you won’t have to carry them out of the car, so it would be less hassle on your part. The Honda CR-V and Suzuki Vitara can do this job for you as it offers low floor that allows our best buddy to jump off the car with ease.

Dogs are warmer than humans so having a rear climate control should also be on top of your checklist when choosing a perfect car for dogs. A cool cabin will keep pooches more comfortable and less stressed while they’re inside the crate at the boot or lounging in their pet booster seat that can be installed on the car seat. The last thing you want is a barking dog inside the car, right? Cars with both spacious interior and rear air conditioning system are the Mitsubishi Montero and Toyota Fortuner.

Reminder: Never place your dog on your lap as it spells distraction. Also, when an accident happen while you’re cradling pet on your lap, airbags may injure your dogs since that safety feature is specifically designed for people.