“Its really important that your car is right for the whole family, including your four-legged passenger, whose needs and safety requirements are slightly different to ours,” said Jenna Kiddie, Head of Canine Behaviour at Dogs Trust. “Its wonderful to see Mini, such an iconic automotive brand, considering the needs of dog owners, so they can make sure their beloved canine family members are safe and comfortable when on the road.”
“With more dogs in families now than ever before, we want to help make sure they travel safely and enjoy the ride,” said David George, Director of Mini UK. “Its just as important to us that our four-legged customers love being in a Mini as much as the drivers do and we have had a lot of fun letting dogs of all shapes and sizes put our cars through the ultimate tail-wagging tests. As our partnership continues we are really looking forward to working with Dogs Trust to help us support our Mini and dog-loving customers across the car buying and ownership journey, as we strive to become the UKs first officially dog-friendly car retailer.”
To become the “first officially dog-friendly car retailer” by 2022, Mini has partnered with Dogs Trust, the UKs largest dog welfare charity. In the UK, all Mini retailers will welcome dogs with bowls of water and mats, while behavior experts from Dog Trust will advise owners on how to keep dogs happy and safe during car journeys.
Car owners who love their dogs want to take them wherever they go, but traveling with pets in a car can be a nightmare and potentially dangerous if the animal becomes unsettled. Thankfully, Mini is making life easier for pet owners in the UK with its new range of dog-friendly accessories. With its generous trunk space for dogs to roam around or sit and lie down comfortably, the Mini Countryman is already ideal for pup parents. The Mini Clubmans split rear doors also allow for easy access, but these new accessories will make dogs even more comfortable while traveling in a car.
To keep dogs safe in the trunk, Mini sells a range of dog guards, preventing the animal from wandering into the cabin and distracting the driver. Non-slip coverings can also be fitted to the trunk floor, preventing dogs with muddy paws from sliding around while also keeping the trunk compartment clean.
As a pet parent, there are some very specific things that I look for in a vehicle. Because of this, I’ve had a tendency to rule out vehicle models (and even makes) where I feel my dog transportation needs won’t be met. When you think of the MINI brand you most likely picture fairly small vehicles. It’s certainly what I thought, but my opinion changed dramatically when I was recently up close and personal with the MINI Countryman. The MINI Countryman bucks that small car offering the biggest vehicle in the MINI range. It’s classed as a subcompact luxury crossover SUV, so how well can it work as a dog friendly car?
Buying a car is an important decision and one that tends to be based on the answers to a multitude of questions. How well does the car handle while driving off road? What type of city and highway mileage can I expect? What is the size and performance capabilities of the engine?
The answers to these questions can be found in a million and one car reviews today. They are the standard questions that car buyers are asking and therefore the ones you read about. These questions and answers pertain to the average car buyer who may be buying just for themselves or for part of the family. But what about your pets? Are they not also members of the family? Shouldnt their well-being play a part when composing your car buying matrix?
Thats where we can help. Paws on Wheels is a new car review platform from the pet owner perspective. The partnership was formed between Bumper2Bumpertv, an established car review blog and TV channel with over twenty years of experience, and Petopia, an online web platform and resource guide for pet owners. As pet owners and pet enthusiasts, the founders of Paws on Wheels understand the challenges of buying a car suitable for you, your family, other passengers, pets, and luggage. We have established five categories that will help ease your decision and the information provided will answer those questions that you may not have initially considered. What size dog can fit into the back seat or cargo space? Will I be able to fit both my cat carrier and dog in the car together without being seated next to each other? Will I be able to tow my horse trailer? Advertisement
4. HANDLING & SAFETY FEATURES: Even with front wheel drive this Mini handled and maneuvered extremely well, especially when driving on wet pavement. Its remarkably suited for urban areas, especially when it comes to parking, and is a sporty ride on the open road.
2. PET CABIN CAPACITY: Due to the design, the back seat only has enough space for up to two small size dogs to rest comfortably. However, there is not enough space to put a carrier on the floor, or for people and luggage to also fit alongside both dogs in the back seats. The cargo space is completely enclosed and ranges from 5.7 cubic feet with the roof down to 7.6 cubic feet with the roof up. Advertisement