DOC's Auto Pet Product Reviews

"Doc's" friend Peppers ... Listen to what she has to say.
MISS PEPPERS ROGERS SPEAKS OUT

Miss "Peppers" is a petite black lab who was born on the 4th of July. She resides in Ahwatukee near South Mountain. At four years of age, she's taken a great many rides in her "mommy's" F-150. Her so called "Mommy" is Cindy Meitle of CAR PR USA, a company that works with the classic and exotic car industry.

Peppers has enjoyed a great many road trips to and from classic car auctions,Concours d'Elegance and other events held throughout the Southwest and has thoughts about the internal temperature of vehicles during our summer months.

"I see a lot of owners put their dog in the car or truck, then close the door. They seem to take their time walking around to the driver door. They open the door, get situated and next thing you know, they are driving down the road" remarks Peppers.

"Wait a minute! I tell them. You've forgotten that the hot air that was caught in the vehicle while the windows were rolled up is still lingering in the back seat and can become suffocating in a matter of seconds to us dogs," she adds.

Peppers is quite serious as she continues, "Please take the time to roll down all the windows when you first get into your car or truck like my mom does, even if you immediately turn your air conditioning on in the front seat to cool yourself. Let the stagnant air out of the vehicle and allow fresh oxygen to replace it."

You have our attention Peppers. Please go on! "Besides, the rising hot air will actually pull the cooler air from the air conditioner through the vehicle faster, cooling it off quicker for all of us. You can then roll your windows back up to lock in the cool temperature and fresher air, not to mention for the safety of your biggest fan, your dog. Finally, even if your dog is only going from the front door to the vehicle, make sure he or she has a collar and leash. Sometimes, we get carried away. After all, there's a lot more to smell and explore outside. If we stray (Did I say that word?) for even five feet, we could step into the street and get hit by a passing car and that would really suck".

We agree, Peppers has some great advice and we should all pay closer attention through the next month and beyond, even when temperatures drop to the high 90's and we think the temperature is perfect. Remember your best friend in the back seat!

Doc's Summer Recommendations

Wear Sunglasses to protect your eyes
when going to the beach

Doc says...

Always say thank you for any rides
you get in Air Conditioned cars If it's too hot out,
don't wear a bra Stay hyrdrated
throughout the day

All my life I have patiently waited for the opportunity to experience frosty, white snow beneath my paws. Finally, my owners decided to take a drive north to Flagstaff in the 2008 Toyota Highlander LTD. After the initial excitement of a ride, which I thought would end in five minutes once we arrived at our favorite hiking spot, I nestled up between my two favorite sisters in the backseat. Once we approached the snow play area designated for tourists wanting to throw snowballs, build snowmen and make snow angels, I began slobbering on the back window because I really had to pee after being in the car for two hours. We all jumped out eagerly and scurried to the fluffy white substance. Man, was it freezing. My mom took my picture a hundred times while I tried to keep my paws on my master’s feet: out of harm’s way. I wasn’t trying to get frostbite. I entertained my family for roughly 15 minutes before I started leading them back to the Highlander. I had really worked up an appetite, so I was thrilled when I heard my masters say we were going to lunch. Little did I know that they were going to tie me to the fence opposite of their table and out of reach from any falling scraps. I did have to amuse four strangers who insisted on petting me as they walked past. Finally, after a few measly French fries, we were on our way home. I slept like a baby the entire way, but was revived when we pulled into the Petsmart parking lot. For being such a good dog all day, I was rewarded with two bags of dog food (the healthy stuff), a giant bag of fresh breath dog treats (sorry, I ran out of toothpaste), and a brand new bed (I chewed up the old one). Overall, the trip was splendid; I especially enjoyed the smooth ride of the 2008 Toyota Highlander LTD.

Top 10 Reasons the 2008 Toyota Highlander LTD made my trip to Flagstaff fantastic:

10 – The cool, beige leather seats, although a bit slippery, kept me cool after running around for an astounding 15 minutes. Plus, I heard my masters say the leather seats make it easy to clean my dazzling, white hair.

9 – Although I desperately missed my daily soap operas, the rear camera offered slight entertainment. Every time we reversed, I was able to watch the objects behind us. I saw a sexy golden retriever strut by; she definitely gave me the eye.

8 – After my sister, Melanie, thought it would be amusing to throw a snowball in my face, I raised my head through the power tilt/slide moonroof on our way to lunch. As my ears were flapping in the wind, the snow melted away and my fur was soft and dry by the time we arrived to the restaurant.

7 – The navigation system with voice-activation came in handy when my family would not listen to my requests. I simply barked “snow,” “lunch,” “Petsmart,” “home,” and we were there. Amazing!

6 - Even though I felt too far from my family, they set up quite a hideaway for me in the third row of seats. After they easily maneuvered the third row down, they placed towels on top of the cargo mat. It felt just like my bed at home: comfy and cozy.

5 – While everyone in the car complained about being too hot or too cold, I felt magnificent. With access to the rear air conditioning system, I was able to take control for once. Who is the master now?

4 – Like an elaborate entrance to a prestigious castle, the power tailgate lifted open upon my arrival. How did it do that? I only bumped my head twice; it moves quite slowly.

3 – Since I am not the only one in my family that does not frequent snowy places, it was great to have a 4X4 with hill start and downhill assist. To tell you the truth, it saved my life. My master is not used to driving on snow, but luckily we made it home alive.

2 – Unsuspected, a deer frolicked across a busy street in front of our car. Luckily, the anti-lock brakes stopped us in time, leaving my slobbery face smashed against the front windshield. At least I was close to my family now and the deer survived the whole dramatic scenario.

1 – My favorite feature was the center console in both the front and back row of seats. Although a bit narrow (that must explain the healthy food they bought me at Petsmart), I nuzzled myself between my family and rested my head on their laps. I love them and the 2008 Toyota Highlander LTD.

DITCH THE BUNNY PLEASE
2008 KIA Rio5
By “Doc”

Spring is here in Arizona, and I’m finally able to lie around outside on the soft green lawn. I didn’t expect a bunny on a stick to be thrown in thephoto next to me, but I have very little control over my owner and her decorating ideas. This week I was transported about town in the 2008 KIA Rio5.

I figured out the 5 meant five doors to open and close on the Rio. There are the regular driver and passenger doors and the seats behind and then the hatchback. Normally, I enter a car from the rear but with the adorable “tier” secured to the cargo area, I opted for the side door. Immediately I knew I was going to get in trouble because the beautiful cloth seats were in gray and as you might have noticed, I’m a yellow lab. Despite my recent spa treatment, I saw my hair sticking to the very cool upholstery just waiting to hear “you’re getting hair all over the place.” Despite my concern, she didn’t say a word.

The Rio5 is a great car for a newly down-sized empty nester, first time driver or even a single mom with children in car seats. I was free of my harness in order to demonstrate, so I can tell you, the seats were comfy and I had easy access to any kind of nourishment with the cup holders in close reach. The standard features besides l0-year 100,000 mile warranty are pretty nifty for a $13,000 well-made car. Take for instance the rear-window defrosters and rear wiper/w/washer. Those things are important to me when I want to look where I’m going or not going; depending on the driver shifting into “D” or the “R.” The Rio5 comes complete with AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers and auxiliary audio input jack, A/C, tilt wheel, and my owner’s favorite standard feature, low-fuel warning light. The rear seat back pocket is on the passenger side only, but I was able to see my treats sticking out. Get this! A luggage hook is secured on the front-passenger seat headrest for my leash to hang.

The other standard features of this economical (35 miles to the gallon) car, includes tinted glass, dual sun visors with covered vanity mirrors, passenger assist grips. (wish there were dog assist grips), dual front 12Vpower outlets, cargo area lamp, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, dual front advanced airbags, full–length side curtain airbags, side–impact door beams (that will help me) and front and rear crumble zones. Exceptional tethers for children’s safety seats and my harness. This is a practical car for anyone who wishes to save some gas money and fit in to any small space but with enough power and safety features for any family and dog to enjoy.
I figure with a l0-year warranty and the way a dog’s age equals seven of a human I’ll be over 70 years old when the warranty is over. By then I won’t be able to get in the Rio5 from the side or the rear so I won’t care.   Happy Spring and be safe with your animals in the car.

2008 Kia Sorento

I thought I was going to go pumpkin picking with the lady of the house when I was asked to get in the back of our test vehicle; the 2008 KIA Sorento. Instead I saw the cargo area staged with a lantern type pumpkin and some Hallmark ghost singing “How much is that goblin in the window?”

That’s okay; I got to take a long drive through my neighborhood including a stop at the local nursery for flowers and some gourds. My keen sense of smell noticed that madam also stopped for bags of candy for the trick-or-treaters, but I didn’t see any orange or black doggie biscuits for me. It’s the least I could have gotten considering I have to answer the door in a silly cape and hat looking like some wonder dog from a comic strip every Halloween. Well, enough about me, here are some of the great things I liked about the KIA Sportage for pets or anyone considering a midsize SUV with petzazz.

The 2008 KIA Sorento is new and improved and considered one of the best and safest mid-size SUV’s on the market today. The Sorento has style and comfort as well as the ability to fit any lifestyle. There are two models to choose from, the LX and the EX. We tested the EX which is the top of the line or luxury edition. The two tone cladding gave the Sorento a sporty yet sophisticated look, much like a SUV costing $10,000 more.

There is more passenger space than most midsize SUVs and more ability to arrange the existing space any way you like. This was a big factor in taking DOC on the road knowing I could either set up the safety gate separator behind the front seats or tether his harness in the rear cargo area or second row of seats.   There is an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, tilt adjustable headrest and 60/40 split-folding rear seats... The sound system was awesome with AM/FM/CD/MP3 capabilities as well as l0 speakers and amplifier. That got DOC’s attention, especially when the song” Who let the dogs out” came on.

Some other goodies are storage for sunglasses, under-seat storage bins, front and rear cup holders, 12-volt power outlets, rear cargo cover and rear under-cargo-floor storage compartments. All the cubbies and storage allowed me to put some dog toys, water and treats for unexpected stops at the dog park. Let’s not forget the child/pet safety door locks that are so important.

The KIA Sorento has 262-horsepower, 3.5 liter standard V6 engine and available Torque-On-Demand four-wheel drive. There is a 3,500 lb towing capacity if you want to tow a dog house and accessories on a trip. (DOC suggested that). To change modes for 4-wheeling in the desert or the streets of your neighborhood, it’s as easy as turning a knob.

New for 2008 are front and rear side curtain airbags, energy absorbing steering column, improved child seat anchoring system and available 4-wheel ABS brakes.

The KIA Sorento has a 5/year/24-hour roadside assistance and of course the unbeatable 10-yr, 100,000 mile limited warranty. The EV model we tested starts at MSRP of $24,295. The LX model starts at about $19,995. The estimated miles per gallon are 17/city and 23/hwy.

Well there you go with the new Sorento. DOC was disappointed in one thing and that was that the KIA match.com site didn’t have a vehicle to match with a pet lover…

Well, I’m sure that match is just around the corner. In the meantime, we think the Sorento is a great SUV for the money…. Just Ask “Doc”.

DOC's Friends

Pets need safety kits in the car too!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from "Doc".
Just add a few dog biscuits....

ROAD TRIP
Traveling with your Pet
By DOC

If you are going to take one of us along on vacation, and believe me we want to go, you need to do some extra planning. We love to travel in your automobiles.

Check ahead for any pet restrictions at your hotel, campsite, other destinations or modes of transportation you will be using during your vacation.

Before you take us anywhere please have us visit our favorite vet for a check-up and obtain a health certificate and proof of vaccinations.

Please find the names veterinarians and/or animal hospitals in the vicinity of the areas we will be visiting. Just like you, we don’t like to be surprised and spend half the day driving around looking for a vet or animal clinic in a place we’ve never been.

Please make sure we have our ID tags on and that they are up to date. My family has their cell phone number on my tags rather than home number just in case I’m roaming around during the day. If you don’t have ID tags on your dog or cat and they’re lost, they may be picked up by the wrong people. I have a microchip inserted under my coat which also helps my family locate me.

While driving to your destinations please don’t let me or my buddies stick their heads out of the fully open window or ride in the bed of a truck. Keep us secured in some type of carrier or harness in case of an accident or even a bump in the road. Let us become accustomed to the carrier prior to the road trip. Maybe a few trips to your local pet store and back for practice. This would enable you to determine if we are prone to motion sickness, find a remedy or maybe even leave us at home. (I hope not.)

Last but not least, please pack us some water, treats and wet ones for the road. I like carrot sticks for treats (I’m always watching my weight) and bags for my you know what is helpful for when we pull over to an appropriate place to relieve myself.

Have a great trip,
Doc
Doc is a four year old male yellow lab that tests pet accessories and travels with the Two for the Road USA team when possible. DOC will be testing automotive pet products and reviewing them along with some of his canine celebrity friends.