I've seen a guy fit two 120+ lb mastiffs in the back of a Cooper with the seats down. It was was a deciding factor in getting mine since i have a 60 lb dog.

 

My 80lb Golden loved to ride in the backseat of my MINI. She had her own seatbelt harness and I would spread out a big beach towel for her to sit on. For the most part she sat up so that she could see out but sometimes she would lay down and stick her head between the two front seats. Our MINIs may be small but they're great for dogs. As mine got older, she favored my car over our other cars (a Civic and a Suburban) because of how easy it was for her to get into the back seat with the front seat pushed forward and the low lip around the door. Here's a picture of her after she had gotten her summer shave:


She was ready to motor and didn't understand why I was wasting time taking her picture.

 

Third scottie owner here! Must go with being an Anglophile.

 

Here is a pic of William, my Scottish Terrier and myself in a Paceman.
Scotties aren't considered lap dogs by nature.

 

Whichever breed you decide on, please consider adopting from either a local shelter or a breed-specific rescue group. There are so many wonderful, loving dogs out there that need homes it's almost criminal to buy from a breeder, let alone a pet shop.

 

Hawke is a 112 pound golden retriever/Newfoundland. He loves road trips.

 

My 6 year old Boston Terrier (25lbs)and 2 year old adopted AmStaff Terrier (61lbs) fit comfortably in the back seat....with room to spare. Considering adopting another AmStaff. Perhaps that one can sit in the front seat

 

My beagle (37lb) and retriever mix (45lb) love being in my Mini because that means road trips! Both adopted from shelters and best cuddlers around!

 

I fit my pitbull and 2 english bulldogs in the back of my Clubbie. They all fit really comfortably. Its usually just the Bullies in there. I'm sure you'll be okay with basically any dog. The Hatch is pretty big in the back too with the seats folded down.

 

I have a wonderful beagle but they have their quirks and limitations.

1. You'll never be able to have your beagle off-lead out in public. No matter how well they're trained, they just go off and do their own thing, following their nose. Of all the hundreds of beagles I've met, only one was an off-lead dog.

2. You MUST have a very secure yard. They can be escape artists. And training them not to cross a doorway unless they have permission is important as well.

3. They are always hungry. So, you must ration their daily allotment of food and limit their treat intake. Otherwise you end up with a fat dog.

Our beagle Gracie is an absolute sweetheart and loves riding in our JCW cabriolet. She has her own car dog bed and safety harness which takes up a bit more than half the width of the back seat. And if my wife stays at home, I put her bed in the passenger seat.

Whatever you get, make sure you have a quality safety harness for your dog. I consider those who don't do that to be fools and really don't care for their dogs. ('Sorry if I offended anyone.) In an accident, a dog can be seriously injured flying around inside the vehicle. And in many accidents, if the dog is somehow still mobile, they can often escape through an open or broken window. Many of those that do escape end up killed by other vehicle on the road. If you love your dog, buckle them up.

Here's what I do:

1. If your dog is smaller, buy one of those dog car beds that's held in place by the seat belt. Run the shoulder strap on the side of the headrest that's closest to the center of the car. That way you can give your dog some slack to be comfortable in their bed and turn around and lay down without giving them so much slack that they can hang out the window too far.
2. Buy a carabiner from a rock climbing shop and use this to attach the harness to the shoulder strap. I also use a short sling or runner to provide a little more slack so she can lay down and turn around comfortably. http://www.rei.com/category/4500701/q/Slings%7CRunners
3. I then use a small but strong clip with a swivel to connect the sling/runner to the harness itself. Something along these lines: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_SS500_.jpg The jaws are overlaping and the entire clip is very strong.
4. Finally, a quality harness is necessary. The ones at the usual dog supply stores are just OK. Problem is that they all are designed so that the force restraining the dog goes through those plastic snap buckles. This harness also uses the snap buckles for easy on and off but also has some steel D rings that take the actual force of restraining your dog in an accident. This is the absolute best harness I've ever found:

http://usak9outfitters.com/CH.htm

 

I have a 50lb boxer husky. fits right in the back.
My 25lb daughter sits in a car seat next to him, and my 95lb wife sits up front, and a little 10" sub woofer sits behind the big 50lb woofer. The blank is to catch his fur, and to have something to sit on when we go to parks and stuff.
Everyone watches as a mini rolls into a parking lot, and then a whole family spills out like a clown car, and their jaws hit the floor.

 

My Carolina dingo/terrier X prefers the R50's back seat but she gets hair everywhere.

 

Nice looking MINI and DOGGY. Keep that leash inside the car at all times!

 

Compared to most beagels, your beagle at 37 lbs would be considered fat. However, he/she certainly doesn't look it. How tall is he/she at the shoulders?

 

This guy loved riding in the MINI/ Mini's All 200+ pounds of him.



Nik

 

Our 70lbs black lab fit easily on 1 back seat in my r53. He looked comfortable during our 1 day 600 mile road trip . The other seat was folded down and had a ton of stuff on it.

Right now it's even easier. I took the back seats out altogether and just put a dog blanket where the back seat used to be. He seems even more comfortable.

When getting a dog, I agree to get a rescue. Our black lab Bear has been the best dog I've ever had. He's like a cat inside and a dog outside, haha

 

Very nice Dane! Our Dane loved to ride in our R53, seats folded down if course. I can't find the picture right now, but he's about 165lbs.

 

Rescue is the way to go, so many need homes. I never intended on another dog after my 85 lb pit and 65 lb mix passed within months of each other, and certainly would have not have looked for a 14lb er, but heartless sob actually left him on the subway tracks and that was that he was part of the family. We had no idea how to feed or even play with one that small. We learned quick


As soon as you take him out front door he heads straight for MINI





Don't discount the little guys they have some much love to give

 

Our two Australian Shepherd/Collie mixes love the mini. They're about 50lbs each. We put the seats down and a cover over the back. This picture is the return from a doggie park run.



-Paul

 

I drove cross country several times with my 85 pound Weimerainer and 2 cats in my R53 with household goods and my sister. Any dog will fit.

 

I believe any dog will fit in the mini. I have a 120 pound Mastiff cross and a 60lb american staffoshire terrier.

 

I have a rear seat delete kit. And now my princess has her throne. She comes to work with me everyday. She is the whole reason why I got the Mini in the first place.

 

I have a 100# Alaskan Malamute, but I haven't put him in the GP2 yet. I'm trying to leave as much of the new car smell in it. I may have to remove the bar in tuba I for him and currently making a custom dog bed to fit in the rear. They are the best dogs ever. I had 2 Jack Russell Terriers before, they were just too small for me

 

My son carries two rotties in the back of his new hardtop. Plenty of room for 200+ pounds of dogs with the seats folded down. Enough room for 200+ lb dad in the passenger seat too!