From BZ/dpa
If you get a dog, you might think that you need a bigger car. This does not have to be mandatory, but large mobiles also have advantages.
Even with a large dog, a large car or even an SUV is not absolutely necessary. Even a small car can be sufficient for the regular transport of a larger four-legged friend, if you don’t have to take too much with you. The magazine “Auto, Motor und Sport” (14/2022) reports on this.
There is no need for a station wagon if there is a limousine in the fleet. But if you want to buy one, you should make sure that the roof line doesn’t drop too much to the rear and that the opening of the tailgate is as large as possible.
A low loading sill is also good.
Because dogs that are not yet fully grown, as well as heavy and older dogs, should not have to jump out of a high vehicle. It’s not good for bones and joints. Getting into the car is also easier with a lower sill, according to the magazine.
Anyone who has or is planning a bus or SUV can also buy their four-legged companion a ramp or a type of telescopic staircase for easy entry and exit. This should be practiced with the four-legged friends.
According to the magazine, the fact that larger cars are generally more suitable does not primarily have to do with the amount of space they offer: “Above all, they offer more peace and quiet. More smooth running. They are better on the road, and in a car that is smoother on the road, the dog is smoother too.”
Only adequately secured dogs do not endanger the occupants
Important: A dog is considered cargo in Germany and must be secured at all times to prevent it from slipping.
There are stable, fixable boxes made of plastic and metal for transporting dogs in the luggage compartment, on the passenger seat or in the back seat.
If there is enough legroom in the rear, a plastic box for small and medium-sized dogs fits in the footwell behind the front passenger seat. So-called dog beds for the luggage compartment of the car can also be suitable, but they must be separated from the passenger area with a good grid.
Solutions such as harnesses, fabric boxes, seat shells and wire boxes are not a good choice. None of the systems can really cope with the stresses of exceptional automotive situations. At worst, they increase the security risk.
If the animal is unsecured, it can become a deadly projectile. In an accident, it flies through the interior at 50 km/h like a bullet and hits the car with 50 times its own weight. A dachshund becomes a horse, and a husky has the power of a bull.
