On this road, they call it puppy love

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. -- Hercules, a Chihuahua mix, went car shopping recently without the slightest worry of pushy salespeople, high-pressure tactics or getting a loan.

Hercules looked over a new "dog friendly" Honda Element at a dog park here at the invitation of USA TODAY, which got a peek at the vehicle prior to its public debut Thursday at the New York International Auto show.

The new version of the Element is sort of a rolling Ritz-Carlton for the canine set. It features a built-in bed in the cargo area, a private electric cooling fan, a spill-proof water bowl and a mesh net to keep animals separated from people. Rubber floor mats are embellished with a dog-bone design.

Being shown at the show as a concept, a final version of the pooch-coddling 2009 Element will go on sale in late summer, setting up a dogfight of sorts with Toyota.

Honda's rival has outfitted its Venza crossover with its own canine-friendly features and displayed it at a few dog parks and events around the country.

The Venza offers doggy seat mats, barriers and other items designed to make dogs and their owners more comfortable.

Honda and Toyota officials say the curious timing of the twin debuts is just coincidence. In an age when dogs join HMOs, get massages and see therapists, it was only a matter of time before they could have their own limousines.

More empty-nesters dote on their dogs now as their children have scattered, says James Jenkins, a Honda product planner.

Who let the dogs in?

It's no small market. About 63% of U.S. households have a pet, the American Pet Products Association found in its 2007-2008 pet owners survey. More households, 44.8 million, own a dog than a cat, 38.4 million.

The average owner spends $580 to $875 a year on food and care for their dog, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says.

Honda started thinking about a dog version of the Element after unveiling a concept vehicle focusing on the same theme at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005, Jenkins says. The "WOW," for "wonderful open-hearted wagon," fit nicely into the nonsense that often defines the Tokyo show, says Jenkins, but Honda received a surprising barrage of support from fans.