The best dog car seat covers to keep your pet safe and comfy on road trips
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Road trips with your dog can be fun, but you’ll need the right accessories to maximize the experience. The top dog seat covers of 2022 should do the trick. Dogs are faithful companions, and many dog owners love going places with their pets, whether it’s to the local park or a nearby town. Dogs love your company, but not all of them are comfortable inside a moving vehicle, and no matter how much you love your pet, the fur they leave behind can cause you to lose a few hairs of your own in frustration.
That won’t be a problem with the help of dog car seat covers. Designed specifically for your canine companions (and other similarly-sized pets), these accessories keep your dog in place while offering a clean and comfortable experience. Even if your dog can sit just fine on a human seat, giving them a little extra room wouldn’t hurt now, would it? Check out our picks of the top dog seat covers of 2022, and a helpful buying guide to learn more about how to keep your canine comfy.
Top Key Finders Worth Considering in 2022
Vailge Dog Car Seat Cover: Recommended
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With plenty of room for your pup to rest and a few extra functional features, this Vailge dog car seat cover takes the cake as the top choice on our list. It comes in at a pretty reasonable price, and you won’t have to break the bank to get one of your own. With two sizes to choose from, it’s a great fit for both small sedans and larger trucks (just as long as you pick the right size), and it’s also completely waterproof. Aside from offering space and protection, this dog car seat cover also comes with extra pockets on the side that you can use for storing things like leashes, collars, toys, and anything else for easy access. The entire cover conveniently folds inwards when you need to stow it away, and setup only takes a few minutes max, so you can make your car dog-friendly whenever you feel like it.
Pros
Available in two sizes
Added pockets for storage
Dual-layer waterproof design
Cons
Its “shine” can make it look unappealing
BarksBar Dog Car Seat Cover: Good value
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If you’re on a tight budget and don’t want to spend too much on a dog car seat cover, then consider this cover from BarksBar. This cover is priced reasonably lower than many of its competitors, and this lower price doesn’t come at the cost of overall quality. It’s great for standard-sized cars, and there’s even a larger option available that you can purchase for trucks and SUVs if you own one of those instead. With waterproof material lining, this dog car seat cover can keep your seats safe from messy pups. While it’s simple to install, the cover doesn’t break easily, and even larger dogs can find it comfortable to rest on. The only disadvantage to this cover is that it doesn’t stand out compared to other cover designs, but if all you need is a simple cover then this one might just be what you’re looking for.
Pros
Waterproof material to minimize cleanup
Easy installation for beginners
Side flaps for extra seat cushion coverage
Cons
Basic design — doesn’t offer many features
Active Pets Dog Car Seat Cover: Stylish pick
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Cars can be like a second home, and this can mean you’ll want to make yours look as presentable as possible, even for something like a dog seat cover. While this Active Pets dog car seat cover may not be reinventing the wheel, it stands out from the rest of the covers on our list with its sleek, premium-looking matte finish. It looks especially good with mat car seats, and its universal design can make it a great choice no matter the vehicle. Another visual feature worth pointing out is that this dog car seat cover is available in four different lining colors — the color of the cover itself doesn’t change, but its exterior lining can come in black, blue, orange, or pink depending on your preferences. This can add a little bit of extra color to your ride, and its anti-slip, waterproof design helps keep both your pet and your vehicle safe.
Pros
Sleek, stylish look
Universal fit for almost all cars
Safe, waterproof design
Cons
Color choices don’t make a huge difference
YesYees Waterproof Dog Car Seat Cover: Premium pick
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For anyone who hasn’t bought a dog car seat cover before, covers come in two designs — one creates a flat surface that works almost like a hammock, and the other simply covers the seat with a lining of material. This car seat is an example of the latter, and while it may not give your pet as much room as a hammock would, you can still protect your car seats from debris and messes. The main feature of this dog car seat is its waterproof nature — whether it’s water or waste, this cover can protect the car seat beneath, just as long as liquid doesn’t spill over its side. This cover, unlike a hammock cover, also has the advantage of not taking up an entire row of seats, so you can comfortably make room for other passengers and your pet at the same time.
Pros
Waterproof lining protects car seats
Provides ample room for other passengers
Can also be extended across entire row
Cons
Offers less space than a hammock can
URPOWER Dog Car Seat Cover: High quality
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Dogs are kind of like children, in the sense that they don’t really care too much about damaging things, and no matter how well you train your dog, they can still have destructive tendencies that pop up now and then. Though that’s another issue altogether, you can at least minimize the destruction by getting something that can handle your dog — allow us to introduce the URPOWER dog car seat cover. With various colors to spruce up your car, this hammock-style dog car seat cover can elevate your vehicle to the next level. The cover is completely waterproof and made out of a thick, durable combination of materials. Its nonslip base can also help prevent your dog from sliding around as your drive, and even if they start to make a mess back there, the cover can help your car tough it out.
Pros
Durable, sturdy material
Non-slip base to prevent sliding
Completely waterproof design
Cons
Heavier than other covers, making transportation difficult
Buyer’s guide for finding a dog car seat cover
You want to give your dog the world, and with a car seat cover tailored for them, they can safely and comfortably tag along with you on all your road adventures. Here’s all you need to know about dog car seat covers to find the right one for you and your pooch in 2022:
What are dog car seat covers for?
Dog car seat covers accomplish two things — they keep your car and car seats safe from your pet by adding a waterproof, durable lining that prevents debris and liquid from passing through, and they also help your pet by giving them more room to move around and offering a non-slip base for a comfortable ride.
Why should I get a dog car seat cover?
They keep your car seats safe
If you’re buying a dog car seat cover for your pet, it’s safe to say that you love them. But no matter how much you love your pet, it can still get pretty frustrating whenever they end up making a mess. Rummaging around in the garbage, tearing up papers and clothing, stealing food off the table — you get the idea.
When you place your dog inside your car, you’re at risk of either dirtying or damaging the seats that they sit on. The car seats can end up covered with dog fur if your dog stays on them for too long, and in the worst of cases, your dog might have to go to the bathroom, leaving you with a huge mess that’ll be a nightmare to deal with. With all these potential disasters, you need some form of insurance to prevent the worst from happening.
A dog car seat cover serves as an inexpensive and effective solution for keeping your car seats in good condition. The cover prevents your dog’s fur from falling directly onto the seat, and any liquids that your dog may release will be safely caught by the waterproof material. It’s not perfect, but it’s a significant improvement over no protection at all.
They give your pet more room
Cars are designed for humans, and their seats are meant for… well, sitting on. Dogs aren’t bipedal like us, though, and they can’t make full use of cars’ seat design. This means that they either have to sit in a limited space or lie down horizontally, and this can be quite uncomfortable depending on the size of your pet.
Using hammock covers, you can effectively extend the area that your dog can move around in. This turns the back of your car into a large, flat surface for your pet to hang out on, and the cover has enough support to withstand even the weight of some of the larger dog breeds out there.
It prevents your dog from moving or sliding as you drive
Unless your dog’s strapped tightly in with a seatbelt (which, by the way, is a bad idea, unless you’re using a specialized harness), they may not have the most comfortable experience when riding in the car. Not all car seats offer enough friction for your pet to stay in place, and in the event of sudden stops or acceleration, they can be caught off guard and slide a bit too much, potentially hurting themselves in the process.
To prevent this, you can use dog car seat covers to create a non-slip surface. The surface is somewhat soft, but it doesn’t hurt when your dog rests on it, either. This makes it easy for your dog to not lose their footing in the back of your car, even if it’s not the smoothest ride.
Types of dog car seat covers
Hammock covers
Hammock covers are dog car seat covers that can be used to create as much room for your pet as possible. This design covers up the bottom floor of the back car seat row, and this expands the area in which your dog can move around. The cover is supported by both the front and back seats, so you can be sure that it’ll hold on without causing your dog to accidentally fall.
It’s worth noting that if your dog is very large, hammock covers may not be the way to go. These covers use the front seats for support, and too much weight can put stress on either the car seats or the cover itself.
Seat covers
Seat covers only cover the car seats themselves, leaving the space on the floor open. These might not offer as much room for your pets, but they do leave room for people to sit on the seats next to them. Hammock covers will typically cover an entire row of seats, making them unusable for humans, so if you’ve got both human and animal passengers coming on your next trip, consider getting a seat cover instead.
Are dog car seat covers legal?
The laws surrounding driving with a pet can be pretty confusing, especially when using accessories such as car seat covers, and the specifics can vary from place to place. In general, as long as your dog is properly restrained while you drive, you should be okay, but be sure to check your local laws for more in-depth details.
Dog Car Seat FAQ’s
Q: Should I get a dog car seat cover?
If you often travel with your dog in the car, investing in a dog car seat cover is likely worth your money.
Q: Are dog car seat covers durable?
Designed for regular use by dogs, dog car seat covers are meant to be used daily without any issues as long as they’re properly used and maintained.
Q: Should I get a hammock or seat cover?
If you want to give your dog extra room, go with the hammock design, but a seat cover will be more useful and versatile for various scenarios.
