Being A Dog Dad Has Made Me Appreciate SUVs

Being a dog dad is fun and rewarding, and when it comes to cars, it's SUVs and estates that I now appreciate most

19 Jul 2019

Being A Dog Dad Has Made Me Appreciate SUVs

I’ve been a dog dad to Maisy, a Springer Spaniel crossed with a Whippet, for just over a year. She’s fast, inquisitive, smart and doesn’t vomit in cars, so on the whole, she’s a good dog (hopefully she’ll learn to control her urges to chase everything that moves, including squirrels, cats, foxes, sheep, deer and horses).

Having Maisy has taught me a few things, too. For example, I’ve come to the conclusion that SUVs (much like estates) are perfectly suited to life with a dog.

For starters, you wouldn’t believe how much crap you need to take with you when you go on a mini break with a dog. There’s it’s crate, food, toys, blankets, towels and bowls, not to mention the dog itself, so by the time you’ve packed these things, you’re already running low on space…

And with the boot almost always reserved for Maisy, all of these things (above) get piled onto the rear seats. That’s why I’ve appreciated the Cupra Ateca more than I expected.

If you can tell me what's wrong this picture, i'll give you a cookie

Its tall, large and airy boot means that Maisy is happy in the back, and the raised ride height has proven useful for the excursions we now go on together to the beach, hills and forests; one of the biggest benefits of dog ownership is the fact you explore your surroundings and beyond far more than being #foreveralone.

So while the Cupra may not be the last word in terms of refinement, it still a rapid, good looking and very dog friendly way of getting out and about.

Comments

Doug Demuro: Daddy Doug

Alex Kersten: Daddy Dog

Dogs+cars+you=perfect post!

On that last pic.
That boot is not closing automaticaly?

Phill video coming out? Please

THIS. As someone who has had (and still does) many MANY SUVs on the driveway i’ve come to the esteemed conclusion that SUVS are freaking awesome before people even started hating them. Having to stuff a Rottweiler, a Golden retriever, a Dachshund, 2 kids, luggage, snacks, entertainment, road trip amenities (an extra spare, extra gas can, tools) ever so often AND tow a trailer at the same time made my Suburban and Tahoe the crown jewels of my life no matter what was parked next to them, if anything i’d like to point out that a chevy Tahoe is too small for it, let that sink in. For that reason i’ve also sadly not been able to purchase a sports car in quite a while, as on the test drives things always start going downhill when i ask the salesperson if i can fit 3 dogs, 2 kids and a wife in that Corvette over there

Well, for starters, a Suburban is a PROPER Suv not a stupid FWD crossover or a hatchback that they lifted an inch, put some ugly unpainted bumpers and fenders and called it “cross” or “Active or sonething like that

Nice! When are you going to start doing more videos on Project Prelude?

I still hate SUVs

Wouldn’t a wagon be better though? Being lower, I’d have thought it would be easier to get the dog in.

My thought exactly. Our 13 year old dog can’t even get into the wagon by herself and a suv certainly won’t make that easier

Depends on how much stuff and usage to be honest. No wagon short of a full on hearse could match my Suburban’s cargo area, not to mention the Captain’s chairs, rear entertainment, towing capacity (for those of us who actually tow stuff), utility and leg/headroom. Sure it drives like an overloaded camel with too many shots of expresso once you get to a corner but it does what it’s meant to and then some

It is a little better for a wagon. But we have a British yellow lab that’s 10 years old, and she jumps in the X5 very easily. And we just got one with air suspension, so you can lower them ever further. And because it’s an SUV, it’s got no load lip, which is easier for dogs