Both Toyota and Honda have created websites in Japan for dog lovers, aimed at attracting what the industry sees as a growing demographic.

Japan's No. 1 and No. 2 automakers are looking to win points with dog lovers through websites that don't just tout the dog-friendliness of their cars, but also offer information on dog friendly cafes and hotels as well.

Their motivation, of course, is financial: Due to a recent pet boom and a declining birthrate, there are now more dogs and cats in Japan than children under 15, and the dog crowd is seen as a more lucrative target these days than even single women and baby boomers.

Visitors to "Honda Dog" can find out about events where they can test-drive Honda cars with their pups. The Toyota dog site started soon after Honda's move. Both are Japanese-language sites.

Honda's website, for example, gives dimensions for its cars' cargo space for stashing cages, a rating system that ranks seat fabric for ease of removing dog hair, and more, according a Reuters article about the marketing strategy.

"There's definitely a need there that wasn't being met," said Teruhiro Murai, an Internet marketer at Honda who came up with the idea seven years ago to fulfill his own needs as the owner of a golden retriever and miniature dachshund.

Dog-conscious car shopping is alive and well in America, too, with Subaru, Honda and Toyota all chasing the dog lovers market.

Dogcars.com named the Honda Element SUV its first-ever "DogCar of the Year," in part because of its easy-to-clean interior and anti-noseprint windows.

To read the full Reuters story, click here.