PetSugar

Flashback to 2005: Where Is the Honda Dog Car?

PetSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:39 -0700

Back in 2005, Honda featured a minivan that was made for you and your best friends - furry and non-furry alike. With passenger seating for up to six people, you'd think there would be plenty of room for Fido to ride along without any problems. But Honda thought that having an abundance of room wasn't enough. The "Dog Car," based on Honda's "Wonderful Open-Hearted Wagon" (or W.O.W) concept, had a spot for your pooch either right up front in the dash or in the second row seat in a popup dog crate that folds down into the floorboards when not in use.

Even better, the "Dog Car" offered wider doors and a floor-mounted seat belt to secure your larger breeds. My question is: where are you, Dog Car!? Although this was a concept in Japan four years ago, it would be amazing to check this out now. I'm sure there are plenty of dog owners that could benefit from the car's safety features and the convenience of having a builtin crate for your dog to ride easy. If the "Dog Car" were real, would you consider driving it?

Pampered Pals: Sleepypod Mini For the Little Kitty

PetSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:00:21 -0700

We talk so much about crates and carriers, and how handy they are when it comes to travel, but the design of this carrier seems to be totally unique . . . and perfect for the kitties! Sleepypod Mini ($134.50) is a plush resting place for your tiny pal (under eight pounds) that's easy to care for, and best of all - take anywhere. Since I can't stress enough about how important car safety is, this carrier is PetSugar approved, since both the sleek Sleepypod and Sleepypod Mini come equipped to be buckled in while your animal sleeps inside.
I remember trying to lure my childhood cat, Precious, into one of those standard plastic carriers - there wasn't a single appealing thing about it and, I swear when she saw it, she knew it was time for the vet! This carrier, however, could easily double up as a pet's bed – with the removable top off - and it seems easier to coax a kitty inside this cuddly creation than a hard, sterile one. To make nap time even cozier, Sleepypod has an available Warmer ($55) that slips into the bottom layer, keeping your pets comfy on chilly nights . . . and, just to get a little more geeky, it even has a car adapter to keep the toasty warmth coming on the road! Maybe this should have been a Spoiled Sweet or Rotten poll, no?

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Road Trip in a . . . ?

PetSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:15:17 -0800

Because I clearly can't say it enough, riding in a car with unsecured pets is dangerous for both of you! I've shared my love for North's carseat, but this clip takes it one step further, explaining some of the risks of tackling the open road with free-roaming pups.

I'd like to add that airbags can severely injure dogs riding shotgun, so please, please, please think twice before allowing a pup to ride in the front seat (or, worse yet, on your lap). Although I don't know the exact details, I do know that cutie pie Ruby lost her legs in a car accident (before she was rescued). Now it's time to 'fess up – when your pet goes bye-bye in the car, how does he travel?

Out and About: Washington's Ferries

PetSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:18:55 -0800

Taking a trip on a bus or streetcar in Seattle with your pooch is super easy as lap dogs ride free and large, leashed pups are welcome at your feet for a fee! Did you know that Washington State's ferry system is the largest in the nation? With boats traveling to several outlying islands (my favorites are the San Juans), this is a great adventure to take with your pets. The boat rules are fairly straightforward:

If the ferry has outside stairwells, pooches are allowed on the car deck and on the outdoor decks above the car deck.
If the ferry has indoor stairwells, dogs are only allowed on the deck where they boarded the ferry. So, if you drive on board, pup must remain on the car deck and, if you walk onto the boat, your dog is welcome on the outside deck where you boarded, not the other decks.
And, best yet, pooches ride free!

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group – and stay tuned as our week of Washington continues!

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Pets on Public Transportation?

PetSugar — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 07:19:51 -0700

Happy Birthday! New York City's first official subway system opened on October 27, 1904. Small dogs can cruise the Big Apple inside carriers on the subways, trains, and buses, while on the San Francisco MUNI buses and railways, dogs of any size are welcome as long as they are well-behaved, muzzled, and it's not during a major commute time.

Rules about pets (excluding service animals) and mass transit vary by city and state so, if you're thinking of traveling with a pet, check with your local transportation agency first. However, even by many animal lovers, pets on buses, trains, and subways can get the cold shoulder – how do you feel?

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So How Would One Transport the World's Largest Fish?

PetSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:19:36 -0700

Holy moly, look how big that Whale Shark is! In case you've forgotten, it's the same creature held in the world's biggest fish tank and is the largest living species of cartilaginous fish.
So how do you transport two (!) of these gigantic specimens? By jumbo jet, of course. The ones seen here weigh about 1,000 pounds - not fully grown - and found a new home in an aquarium in Qingdo, China earlier this month.

To see more pictures of the process, read more.

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This Gun Saves Lives

PetSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:20:13 -0700

Shoo fly. I said shooooo and I mean it. Oh well, if your willing away just won't work, grab this high-powered weapon instead.

The Fly-Goodbye Bug Vacuum Gun ($30) uses a powerful inward gust of air to suck those bugs up into a catch-and-release tube. This magnifying glass-equipped chamber allows you to examine your captures, to make sure you got your hit, then safely and humanely transport them outside for a future of freedom. Perfect for the squeamish, aspiring entomologists and the buggy lovers in all of us. Would you pack this pistol?

New Product Alert! Quadro Stroller

PetSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:00:56 -0700

Available in April '09, this sleek stroller looks like something I should be seeing on lilsugar! The Quadro's a great way to transport cats or elderly pups that don't really care for leash time. Well, it's surely super sleek to say the least, and there are several "pod" options to go along with it . . . sold separately. The frame ($140) fits the Basket iLove ($88), which doubles as bike basket, shoulder-strap carrier, or seen on the bottom of this stroller. On top, you'll find the handled Pod iLove ($110) that doubles as a strap-in car seat with peekaboo top. It's not for my furry friend, but are you "iLoving" these items?

In the Spotlight: Watch Good Dog of Watchmen's Goode

PetSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:15:45 -0700

Admittedly, I don't know much about superhero movies . . . but I know quite a bit about super cute smooshies. For those of you just as (un) comic book savvy as I am, the movie, Watchmen, is based on a series of the same name and was adapted to the big screen by acclaimed director, Zack Snyder. As far as the plot goes, my quick research revealed there are good guys and bad guys, including Matthew Goode.

OK that was my long winded way of introducing this cute Boxer puppy. The lucky twosome got a cab to transport them from somewhere in Dublin to somewhere else in Dublin – not always the easiest thing to do with a larger dog! I can't wait to see more of this pup but check out their Irish car trip in the photos below.

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Don't Just Smush Insects, Use This Instead

PetSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:30:29 -0700

I'm not the biggest fan of bugs by any means . . . but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable just squishing them either. I don't want to hope the creepy crawlers will crawl back wherever they came from so this Spider Catcher ($20) may solve all my problems. It's a two-foot long weapon that safely traps bugs so you can transport them outside to freedom – check out how it works in the video below.