large dog, what to buy to keep cargo area clean

A Weathertech or other high quality custom fit rubber floor cover. I think the Weathertech is soft enough and non-slippery enough that you dog will be stable on it.

For the seat back, get a washable blanket or bed type rubber sheet, double part of it back and sew a pattern that matches the rear seat headrests so you can hook it over the head rests.

Also a cover for the sitting area of the back seat to catch the dog drool. You could start with a bed type rubber sheet or blanket and modify it to fit the sitting area of the back seat as well as the cargo side.

 

My big dog says: Hah! U think U can stop me from shedding! I'd like to see U try.

Seriously, I like xs650s ideas. However, a dog is a dog, and any place that is not completely covered will get dogified. What you seem to want/need is essentially the equivalent of a pickup truck bedliner for the back of your Prius. As far as I know, no such product exists--but hey, there may be a market for it if you build it!

One thing we found to our dismay in another car was that our earlier big dog jumped over the rear of the back seat and tore things up on the front of the back seat. So careful of that too.

And welcome to Priuschat!

 

I have two big dogs, and have found that if I put them in the cargo area I can't see out the back window. This is true whether or not the back seat is down (and it needs to be, to allow enough space). So have them ride on the back seat, and use harnesses with the seat belts.

This is sort of related--I often carry two road bikes in the cargo area with the seat down, and use a heavyweight tarp from Home Depot. My understanding was that any of the commercial covers are only as large as the cargo area itself, with the seat up. Is that right?

 

Hi Comet- I have a 60 lb. dog. I put the two back seats down. I have a weathertech mat in the back. I put my dog on a leash which I tie to the back cargo ring. I make it long enough so she can stick her head out the rear window. This is also short enough so she can't reach the back of the front seats. This works fine. Of course I always have to vacuum the car after the dog is in it. I make sure I vacuum the the intake vent for the hybrid battery fan. Best wishes.

 

We purchased a back seat "Sling" for our 70 pound dog. It attaches to the front and rear headrests of my wife's VW and tucks in the rear seat. Let's the dog peer out the window and is easy to clean. We will see how it works in the Prius. My wife ordered it on line. We are also getting a Husky cargo liner.

 

New member doing some research on this topic and discovered your post.

What about something like this? Easy installation, easy removal, fully integrated system, box design, rear flap, compact, guaranteed I saw a member with one in his Prius that he was using to haul firewood.

I'm trying to picture my 80lb Lab in the hatch without the rear seats down and it seems like it would be way to short of a space. I expect I'll just get a good rear seat cover and put him there on the rare occasion he needs to ride in the "good car."

 

I don't own one...but I think the interatarp as suggested above certainly looks interesting. If anyone does own one, I'd be curious as to how they feel about it.

 

Here's the thread on that with pictures.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/87514-pix-1-face-cord-firewood-in-prius.html

 

We have two 80 lb. labs. Whenever we are going to take them anywhere, we put them in my wife's Ford Explorer.

Problem solved!

 

So my big Lab Finn didn't like the way back, vertical space is too "short" and he wound up sitting up on the back of the flipped down seat, which puts him way too high for safety. So I flipped the seat back up, moved his blanket to the seat, and he rode much more comfortably (and safer imo) that way.

 

OH MY GOSH!
That product is awesome!
I just finished ordering one.
Thanks!!!!
:thumb:

 

Took our first trip with the entire family in the car.



Our 65 lb. old girl fits very well in the back, she just curls up and goes to sleep. Our big boy prefers the back seat so he can lay his head on our son's lap.