The saying, “man’s best friend,” was invented before the age of the automobile. Owning big dogs came during the colonial era when French fur traders would use their big dogs to hunt for beavers and other animals. This created a bond which really diversified from a caveman giving a wolf a bone to some lady having a dog the size of a marshmallow in her purse.
However as more and more people started to own cars in the mid-20th century, people started to also think about their interiors as well back then, most seats were cloth seats so if you doggy did a doodoo, then you would be stuck with that stench forever.
That’s why a lot of farmers would buy pickups to just haul their dog to the county general store in the back instead of ruining the seats in the front. Subaru changed this when they started experimenting with different fabrics and marketed their Forester to couples who owned mid-sized dogs. Now every time I see a dog lady on the highway, her oversized dog is somewhere on her lap resting or just sitting there.
By the way, be sure to check out our latest article on how you can increase tow performance on your Tacoma.
Now fast forward 20 years and we have the new 2022 Toyota Tundra which if equipped has Softex seating available. Think of Softex as Toyota’s pleather. Now if I just spent almost 70k on a pickup truck, I probably wouldn’t want my dog messing around in the back and scratching my seats. Therefore, owners have taken to the forums to discuss ways they dog-proofed their Tundras.
On Facebook’s 2022+ Toyota Tundra group, Cody Wise asked, “What are you guys doing to protect your tundra from your dog?” Chances are if you own a pickup, you most likely own a dog as well. My friend who has a 2022 Toyota Tundra owns a fully grown Caucasian Shephard who towers almost 5 feet tall. He is so big that in Armenian the name of that dog translates to “gelkhekht” which means wolf strangler because of its size. If he can fit into that 1794 Tundra, then I think there are ways to dog proof it for sure.
Daniel Angell said, “We use Weather tech seat cover. It works great, because my service dog goes everywhere with me!” Weather Tech does a great job at making products to protect the interior of your car. Their floor mats did wonders in my Prius, and I think if they made anything pet related, you would be getting your money’s worth.
Jacob Wilson said, “Just get a dog hammock for the backseat. Keeps the truck mostly clean and zero scratches on the seats if you have the softex seats” I would also suggest getting some sort of regular ozone treatment in your car because any dog or pet leaves a putrid stench in the car.
What do you think? How did you pet proof your car? Let us know in the comments below.
Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun and on YouTube at Toyota Time for daily Toyota news.