<h2 class=”body-h2″>Things to Consider Before You Buy a Car Seat Cover</h2><p>Dog car seat covers are different than typical automotive seat covers. Before you spend way too much—or far too little—on a car seat cover so you can take your buddy to the beach or dog park, take some time to think about these factors.</p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Type</h3><p>Dog car seat covers generally fall into two categories: <strong>bench seat covers</strong> and <strong>hammock-type covers</strong>. The bench type wraps and covers the backrest and bench seat, much like a typical car seat cover. Hammocks create a suspended “bed” that connects the front headrests to the rear headrests, containing your pet and all the stuff they bring into the car with them, from balls and toys to the messes they leave behind. Any quality set cover will have holes or other access points to your seat belts.</p><p>If you’re looking for the best front seat cover for dogs, <a href=”https://www.centerforpetsafety.org/” target=”_blank”>experts</a> don’t recommend having your pet ride in the passenger seat. Much like a child, pets are much safer riding in the back seat or cargo area of any vehicle.</p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Fit</h3><p>While many covers claim to be universal, we recommend double-checking your rear seat’s measurements against the manufacturer’s information. Even then, curb your expectations of a “perfect” fit, especially for backseat coverage; a perfect fit and finish is just not going to happen. If you can, look for an anti-slip backing that will help keep your car seat cover in place. A door protector will also help keep your vehicle’s interior clean(er).</p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Ease of Installation</h3><p>If you plan on switching cars regularly, we’d recommend a hammock-style rear seat protector, since they’re much easier to install and remove. If you always take your doggo out for rides in the same vehicle, then a wraparound bench seat cover may be worth the extra time it takes to install, since you won’t be removing it so regularly.</p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Materials</h3><p>Choosing a durable and easy-to-clean material is your best bet for longevity against course dog hair, muddy paws, and sharp claws. Materials include Oxford cloth, polyester, Cordura, or canvas. Water-repellent is fantastic; waterproof material is even better. During our testing, we scrubbed each cover with a wire brush to assess durability, and they all held up pretty well. </p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Cleanability<br></h3><p>Most car seat covers for dogs will be machine washable or, at least, hand washable. However, if you have a dog that really likes to get wet and muddy, we recommend a fully waterproof cover for easier spot cleaning. </p><hr><h2 class=”body-h2″>How We Chose the Best Dog Car Seat Covers</h2><p class=”body-text”>We called in members of the <em>Car and Driver</em> staff’s furry families for true paws-on testing. We installed each dog car seat cover properly (some took more work than others), and only convinced the pets to hop on if they were 100 percent willing—a few treats worked wonders. </p><p>Note: Because the <a href=”https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/g60191102/best-dog-car-seats-restraints-tested/” target=”_blank”>Center for Pet Safety</a> doesn’t recommend dogs riding in the front seat, we haven’t included any front seat covers here.</p><p class=”body-text”>Of course, we also got our hands on these seat protectors to evaluate stain and scratch resistance with various liquids, a wire brush, and a wash cycle. Here are the parameters we looked for:</p><ul><li><strong>Installation</strong></li><li><strong>Fit and Workmanship</strong></li><li><strong>Water Resistance</strong></li><li><strong>Stain Resistance</strong></li><li><strong>Scratch Resistance</strong> </li></ul><hr><h2 class=”body-h2″>The Best Dog Car Seat Covers, Tested</h2>”/>
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Best Overall
Ruff Liners Seat Cover
Best Overall
Ruff Liners Seat Cover
Pros
- Easy to install
- Available in two sizes
Cons
- Relatively expensive
If you’re going to protect your back seat from pet paws, you might as well protect as much of your interior as possible. That’s where the Ruff Liners Seat Cover comes in. This hammock-style cover has integrated door-panel covers for full seat and door protection, a feature most other car seat covers for dogs don’t provide.
Conveniently, Ruff Liners offers two main designs: a hammock-style for upright back seats and a crew-cab style that lays on the truck’s floor while the seats are folded up. For the best fit possible, it’s available in a large truck/SUV size as well as a car/mid-size SUV size.
Our test cover featured great water beading and good stain resistance. Additionally, we only saw minor wear with our wire brush test. For an excellent dog car seat cover that offers ultimate seat protection, this is the one to get.
| Type | Hammock |
|---|---|
| Featured Dog | Bodie |
Easiest to Install
Kurgo Wander Hammock
Easiest to Install
Kurgo Wander Hammock
Now 20% Off
Pros
- Plastic hooks replace buckles, allowing for easy installation/removal
- Quality material
Cons
- Wish the cover’s sides extended a bit to protect the entire seat bolster
Kurgo is a renowned name in outdoor pet accessories, offering everything from rugged car seat covers to leashes, life jackets, and water bowls. The company’s Wander Hammock was a staff favorite of all the dog car seats we tested, with all of us lauding its quality material and ease of installation. The inclusion of plastic hooks as hoops instead of buckles makes it much simpler to install and remove. It’s available in 55- and 63-inch widths for various vehicles.
A handy zipper in the hammock acts as a vent for your pet or back-seat human with a messy eating habit. If you plan on taking your seat cover in and out, this is our pick for the dog car seat cover that’s easiest to install.
| Type | Hammock |
|---|---|
| Featured Dog | Bleu |
Most Design Options
Molly Mutt 3-in-1
Most Design Options
Molly Mutt 3-in-1
For the pet owner who enjoys a bit more flair, the Molly Mutt 3-in-1 offers a plethora of colors and print options. (The constellation print shown is called “Rocketman.”) But it’s not just great for looks; these covers are also comfortable, versatile, and well made.
Marketed as a hammock, seat cover for dogs, and cargo-area cover, the Molly Mutt proved to be effective in our testing. One thing to note is that its fabric is softer than most other covers we tested, so it’s probably best for small to medium dogs. This proved true in our wire brush test, in which the Molly Mutt suffered the most damage.
While it’s billed as universal, at 56 by 56 inches there’s bound to be some fit discrepancy if you drive a Mini as opposed to a QX80. Still, Molly Mutt makes a soft, comfortable car seat cover that’s pleasant in both look and feel. If you’re looking for more than just a utilitarian seat cover for dogs, you can’t go wrong here.
| Type | Hammock/Bench Seat/Cargo-Area Cover |
|---|---|
| Featured Dog | Emmy |
Best Value
Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover
Best Value
Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover
Pros
- Fit was exceptional and covered the entire seat surface
- Two sizes available
Cons
- Installation was trickier than others
Sometimes, a simple car seat cover is all you need. This one from Kurgo lacks hammock features, so it’s perfect for small pups or pets who prefer to lie down and nap in the car. Even at only 55 inches wide, we appreciated the extended sides that cover the entire seats, the material felt like quality, and the construction was top-notch. (An extended-width, 63-inch version is also available for $59 at Amazon).
It took a bit more work to install, but the fit was excellent. The Kurgo also performed well in our water-resistance test, beading off all of our liquids. For an affordable car seat cover for dogs, we really liked this one that’s priced to suit every budget.
| Type | Bench Seat |
|---|---|
| Featured Dog | Emmitt |
Honorable Mention
Carhartt Universal Bench Seat Cover
Honorable Mention
Carhartt Universal Bench Seat Cover
Now 17% Off
With a name like Carhartt, we were expecting a rugged, well-constructed car seat cover made of the classic Carhartt material found on the company’s clothing products. Judging by the images that accompany the listing on the Carhartt store at Amazon, that’s exactly what we were ordering. However, in a classic case of “buyer beware,” when the seat cover arrived its material felt much lighter and thinner than we expected, more like a raincoat than Carhartt workwear. You can see in the accompanying photo that it’s far more thin and pliable than the rugged, heavy-duty duck canvas Carhartt is renowned for.
Interestingly, acting like a raincoat is exactly what the Carhartt seat cover did best—the water beading from the Cordura Rain Defender–treated material during our stain test was unmatched. Unfortunately, we struggled to get the fitment right (as seen in the photo) and the quality felt too thin (ditto) to handle more than a few months’ worth of claws. While the waterproofing is a step above the rest, that’s about where the advantages of owning this brand-name seat cover end.
We went back and forth, but in the end, we wished we’d instead tested Carhartt’s Pet Hammock ($120 at Amazon), which actually costs less than this ill-fitting seat cover. It’s made of the same material and comes in the same colors, but if you’re looking for a car seat cover for your pup, it’s probably the smarter purchase because it also covers the seatbacks and the door panels.
Carhartt Pet Hammock $120
| Type | Bench Seat |
|---|---|
| Featured Dog | Indy |
How We Tested Dog Car Seat Covers
To test these car seat covers for pet-friendliness, we turned to our furry friends from the Car and Driver family. We organized a testing day to bring pets in, and thankfully, many were able to get their camera time.
We installed these covers in both the long-term Toyota Tundra and Hyundai Ioniq 5 and took notes on the installation process and overall fit (the dogs offered tail wags as opinions).
We then took each cover to the garage, added mustard, ketchup, cola, and coffee, and rubbed them in. We then observed how well each cover’s water resistance performed.
Next, we scrubbed the seams and fabric panels with a wire brush to evaluate scratch resistance.
Finally, we threw each cover into a washing machine and, once dry, observed stain resistance.
[A couple of notes on stain resistance: The mustard stained every one of our seat covers, which we believe to be more of a reflection of yellow #5 food coloring rather than a failure of these car seat covers to repel stains. The other stain-tested items failed to yield any noticeable results, which is a good thing. Attempts to get a dog to pee into a cup were unsuccessful.]
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Las fundas de los asientos de seguridad para mascotas permanecen en su lugar?
Muchas fundas para asientos de automóvil incluyen anclajes para asientos, presillas para reposacabezas y correas ajustables para mantener la funda en su lugar. Sin embargo, según nuestra experiencia, eso no siempre es suficiente para mantener la funda firmemente en su lugar, especialmente con un perro en el asiento trasero, así que maneje las expectativas en consecuencia.
¿Puedo utilizar una funda para coche para mascotas debajo de mi asiento de seguridad para niños?
Si bien la mayoría de las fundas brindan acceso a los anclajes del asiento y a los puntos del cinturón de seguridad, recomendamos consultar con el fabricante del asiento para el automóvil para garantizar la compatibilidad.
¿Son duraderas las fundas para asientos de coche para perros?
Sí, las fundas de los asientos para perros suelen estar hechas de materiales duraderos como tela Oxford, Cordura, poliéster o lona para resistir el uso regular y brindar una protección duradera del asiento.
¿Las fundas para asientos de coche para perros son fáciles de limpiar?
La mayoría de las fundas de asientos para perros están diseñadas para ser fáciles de limpiar y se pueden lavar a máquina o con un paño. Las instrucciones de limpieza específicas pueden variar, por lo que es mejor consultarlas.
¿Las fundas para asientos de coche para mascotas son universales?
Las fundas vienen en diferentes formas y ajustes, así que mídalas antes de realizar el pedido. Si no está seguro de las medidas, le recomendamos un estilo hamaca o una funda suelta que cuelgue sobre el banco en lugar de una funda para asiento tipo banco.
¿Las fundas de los asientos para perros son impermeables?
De hecho, muchas fundas son impermeables. No podemos hablar de todas las fundas para asientos de automóvil, pero todas las fundas que probamos tenían propiedades resistentes al agua. Cuando vertimos café y refrescos en sus superficies, observamos que se desprendían gotas de la superficie.
¿Por qué confiar en nosotros?
Hearst Autos combina el talento, los recursos y la experiencia de tres de las publicaciones automotrices más grandes e influyentes del mundo. El equipo Gear ha probado una amplia variedad de productos, piezas, accesorios y equipos automotrices, como tapetes, limpiadores de cuero y limpiadores de interiores. Tenemos en nuestras manos todos y cada uno de los productos que probamos. La mayoría se compran; algunos son suministrados por los fabricantes.
El Gear Team no necesita jugar con algoritmos para obtener tráfico ni promocionar productos pésimos para obtener clics. Estamos más preocupados por nuestra reputación y la confianza que nuestros lectores tienen en semana automática, Coche y conductory Pista del camino para entregar opiniones honestas y evaluaciones de expertos.
Visita nuestro Probado y confiable página para ver lo mejor en equipamiento para automóviles. Lea más sobre nuestro proceso de prueba y evaluación de productos aquí.
Katherine Keeler es editora asociada de pruebas en Hearst Autos. De día evalúa herramientas para tu disfrute; Por la noche, Frankenstein vuelve a reparar su siempre cambiante flota de rarezas oxidadas. Su sueño es abrir una atracción en la carretera donde el público pueda ver, conducir y aprender a reparar en su emporio de autos curiosos.
Collin Morgan es editor comercial en Hearst Autos, donde el ex mecánico de Rust Belt y entusiasta de los dispositivos presenta el mejor equipo para sus proyectos automotrices.
A Gannon Burgett le encantan las cámaras, los coches y el café: una combinación perfecta para su trabajo en Hearst Autos. Su firma ha aparecido en EE.UU. Hoy en día, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Tendencias digitalesel Prensa libre de Detroity más.
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