The Best Dog Car Seat Covers
Can't leave your dog at home? Yeah, us either. Our pups are just another piece of our family puzzle, and we wouldn't dream of leaving them home. One trick we've learned along the way? Dog car seat covers. While we can't completely avoid dog hair, protecting our vehicle's seats is an easy way to keep our seats protected from hair, nails, and slobber damage when we bring Fido along for the ride. A dog car seat cover is a must-have for every dog lover out there, so we've rounded up a few of the best of them to help simplify your search.
What to Look For
When you’re searching for the right car seat covers to suit you and your pooch’s needs, we suggest focusing on three key qualities: durability, ease of installation, and compatibility with your car. For a great all-around option, we think most folks should turn to BarksBar. Their standard pet seat cover is durable, high in quality, and easy to install. Plus, it’s offered at a great price. But if you plan on transporting multiple dogs at the same time, Active Pets makes an excellent seat cover designed to help you do exactly that. To learn about these and the rest of our favorites, keep on reading.
BarksBar Original Pet Seat Cover for Cars
The ultimate in car seat protection
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line dog car seat cover that’ll fully protect your seats, look no further. This one from BarksBar covers all the essentials, and then some. Designed to transform between a hammock and a bench seat style cover, there are built-in 7″ side flap extensions for a little extra coverage and protection.
And while this dog seat cover comes with some standard features such as being waterproof, scratch-resistant, and easy to install, what we love perhaps the most about this cover is the material. Made with color-fast material that is free of harmful dyes and metals, this car seat cover is specifically designed with materials that are made to withstand extreme temperatures. This means that even on the hottest days, the cover will be just fine. This makes it an extremely long-lasting cover, protecting your seats for years to come.
Pros:
- If you have dogs that shed a lot, this cover is a must-have. It really does a fantastic job of collecting hair and dirt, especially when it’s in the hammock style.
- Setting it up is easy since the straps loop around the headrests. It also has tuck-in seat anchors that make removing it simple, too.
- If your dog tracks mud or has an accident, you can just toss it in the washing machine on gentle for a convenient clean.
Cons:
- The dark fabric absorbs heat, so it can get pretty hot in direct sunlight.
Urpower Dog Seat Cover
Easy install, easy protection
With easy in-and-out side flaps for your pup, this hammock-style dog car seat cover is the ideal seat protector for accessibility. With a heavy-duty PP cotton mat and durable oxford fabric materials, your vehicle’s seats will remain dry and protected no matter what your dog is up to. The ultra-thick straps, velcro, and buckles keep this non-slip seat cover from moving or breaking under the pressure of high-energy dogs.
Pros:
- We like the design of the straps since they have adjustable buckles. That way, you don’t have to remove the headrests to fit them on snugly.
- The waterproof material is thick enough to prevent mud from soaking through to the seats.
Cons:
- The side flaps may not be long enough to protect car door handles from muddy paws.
Active Pets Dog Back Seat Cover Protector
Here a dog, there a dog
This insanely durable dog car seat cover is the ideal vehicle protector for those of us with multiple dogs (or just one very active, very huge dog). Made with an impenetrable, waterproof barrier with four different layers of protective technology, this car seat protector will hold up under all sorts of dog debris, nails, and excitement.
Although this is an easy-install design, the top layer of fabric is made of a wonderful spot-clean-friendly material, which makes cleaning up a breeze. With heavy-duty anchors and straps, this dog car seat cover will stay put, leaving your vehicle’s seats underneath 100% protected.
Pros:
- It works perfectly for providing full coverage to roomy cargo areas (the open trunk area in SUVs and hatchbacks), so it’s a great choice for those with large dogs that are too big for the seats.
- The non-slip backing help keep your canines from sliding around.
- Thanks to the seatbelt openings, passengers in the backseat remain safe, too.
Cons:
- With zero ties or clips for the middle headrest, there can be some sagging in the middle.
Viewpets Bench Car Seat Cover
Keep the bench warm, Buster
This car seat cover from Viewpets is an excellent choice for those of us with bench seats (whether for your backseat, SUV, or even the cab of a single-cab truck). We love that it’s scratch-resistant, waterproof, and totally non-slip. Often, with bench seat covers, you’ll have a cover that just won’t stay put, leaving your seats vulnerable to wear and tear and that dreaded hair. Because of the sure-fit of this dog car seat cover, you can feel confident that your dog seat cover will stay exactly where you need it to stay.
Pros:
- The price is a bargain, especially considering how well it protects the car upholstery.
- Many options in this price range are prone to slipping around, but this one stays put thanks to the nonslip mesh and strong straps that hold it in place.
- We love that there are multiple color options so we could match the cover to our car’s interior.
Cons:
- The headrest straps may not work for all headrests.
Urpower Pet Front Seat Cover
Front seat driver
We get it: sometimes, your dog is just the best co-pilot you could ask for. In these situations, you’re going to want a dog car seat cover that is designed specifically with your front passenger seat in mind. Made for cars, trucks, and SUVs alike, this front seat dog seat cover is padded, quilted, and highly durable. In fact, it’s made from heavy-duty polyester that’s essentially scratch-proof with 4 layers of PU for extra comfort and durability.
Other features we appreciate? It’s super easy to both put in and take out, which means that cleaning this dog car seat cover is nice and simple. There’s also a built-in rubber nonslip backing, which makes the cover stay exactly where you need it to stay.
Pros:
- When a human wants to ride in the passenger seat, you can simply unbuckle the headrest strap and fold the back portion down onto the seat, providing a clean surface to sit on without having to remove the cover.
- The construction is durable, so this cover can last through several years of service.
- The waterproof design is essential for protecting your seat from muddy paws.
Cons:
- The very bottom of the dog car seat cover doesn’t have elastic or a strap attached, which means that it moves around a bit and leaves the bottom of the seat exposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to ride with your dogs in the vehicle?
Following some general safety guidelines, yes, it is perfectly safe to ride with your pup in the vehicle with you. What are these general safety guidelines? Well, for starters, never drive with your dog on your lap. While front seats can be okay if necessary, it’s really best to keep your pup confined to the backseat or the back hatch area if you’re driving an SUV or hatchback style vehicle. And truck drivers: do not load your dog into the bed of your truck (this is incredibly dangerous for your dog).
And this should go without saying, but never, ever leave your dog in the car on a hot day.
What’s the best way to keep your vehicle free of pet hair?
The best way to keep your vehicle free of pet hair is to leave your pet at home. No fun? We know. Short of that, snagging a dog car seat cover and frequently vacuuming and cleaning your vehicle’s interior will help to keep your vehicle free of pet hair. Frequent grooming also leads to less shedding and overall dog hair, so it’s a good idea to keep your dog’s brushing and grooming habits up to par if you plan on driving around with your pup frequently but hate the thought of all that dog hair.
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