Bark If You Like SUVs

In helping customers find the right vehicle, good car salespeople try to learn something about who will use the car and for what primary purposes. Think minivans for soccer moms, sports cars for speed demons.

But with so many people bringing their dogs along for the ride, the canine crowd factors into car shopping, including test drives, according to an Autotrader survey of pet owners.

Sixty-six percent of dog owners think about their pet’s needs at least a little when shopping for a car. Twenty-five percent of them have changed their choice of vehicle model because they got a dog. More than half take their dogs on car rides at least once a week.

Dog owners say either large SUVs or crossovers are best for traveling with their dogs, apparently meaning Rover prefers the likes of Land Rovers. Autotrader’s pick of the top five vehicles for dog owners: Chrysler Pacifica, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC90.

Easy-clean fabric, all-weather floor mats and pet safety restraints are features dog owners say they want in their next car. Dealership F&I managers selling upholstery protection might consider that when discussing add-on purchases with vehicle buyers.

“Dogs have their own unique needs on the road, just like humans do,” says Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader, an online automotive marketplace.

“Some dealerships allow dogs on test drives,” he says. While most survey participants haven’t taken Fido on demo drives, 45% say they would consider it.

Four out of five dog owners say they would more likely do business with a dealership if it offered pet-friendly amenities or supported animal causes.

Some auto brands do that. For instance, Subaru of America financially supports animal causes and many of its dealers hold dog-adoption events at their stores. Subaru also has financed vehicle-restraint testing for pets.

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