Chew Test What Is a Dog Car Seat Cover?
Dog car seat covers are quilted sheets designed to fit on top of your car upholstery to protect it from your dog’s nails, fur, drool, and other undesired excrements. Most covers are made for the rear passenger seat, but there are some made to fit the front passenger seat as well. The fabric is anchored underneath the front and rear headrests with clips to form a hammock that your dog will stay in for the duration of the ride.
Note that the front seat versions do not form a hammock. Small to medium dog owners can opt for a boxed seat cover instead while large dog owners should really use the rear seat covers for the extra space and safety.
There are a few colors and materials to choose from, with different levels of toughness and water/stain resistance properties. It also partially serves as a training tool by sectioning off an area so your dog will know to stay at the back seat. That last part will also depend on your ability not to let your dog roam freely in the car, which can be dangerous for all lives on board. This blog will focus on the hammock-style back seat dog covers.
What are Dog Car Seat Covers Good For?
Safety
A free-roaming dog in a moving vehicle can lead to accidents. A dog seat cover helps your dog learn where it can and cannot go when going on car rides. That helps reduce the chance of accidents significantly. These covers also help prevent your dog from sliding into the footwell should you ever need to slam your brakes.
Hygiene
Back seat dog covers are excellent at keeping most of your dog’s fur away from nooks and crannies in your car. Most of them are also stain/water resistant, which aids drool and vomit cleanup. These covers can be removed and cleaned very quickly with minimal effort. Doing this regularly will help control that dreaded dog odor if your dog spends a lot of time in the car.
Our cleaning routine consists of removing the cover and giving it a thorough vacuum since fur can be very clingy. Then, spot-clean with a small amount of regular fabric detergent, followed by a rinse/hose-down. We then air-dry our seat cover under the sun whenever possible, as most seat covers aren’t dryer friendly. We strongly suggest you consult the product manual or retailer for the best method to wash your seat cover before buying one.
Damage
Replacing a dog seat cover is more cost-effective than re-upholstering your rear passenger seat. However, the more durable covers can come at a higher cost. We strongly recommend investing in a tough cover from first-hand experience; a 600D Oxford fabric is an excellent place to start (more on what the 600D means below). It tends to last longer, be easier to fit, and is more secure when installed.
What to Look for in a Good Dog Car Seat Cover
Fitting
Measure twice, buy once. Take your time and measure the passenger space thoroughly before a purchase. The height is from the seat (where your butt goes) to the roof, the width is door-to-door while closed and the depth is from the rear back rest to the back of the front seats.
When looking at the dimensions of dog seat covers, pay close attention to sedan, SUV, or truck notations and choose one that suits your vehicle. Slightly bigger covers can be adjusted by tightening the anchor straps, while too small a cover will be very easily torn, especially with large dogs.
Clips
These seat covers are anchored to all the headrests in your car with clips making them an important feature to focus on when browsing. Plastic clips are usually strong enough for one large dog, but we recommend metal clips if you have two or more large dogs. That will drive the cost up but the increased strength will be worth it in the long run.
Waterproof
This feature is excellent for water-loving dogs as mud and water are easily wiped off after every trip. Remember that a common fault of a waterproof seat cover is that it can still form tiny micro-tears due to repeated contact with your dog’s nails. Take good care of your dog’s nails with regular trimmings and you will extend the lifespan of your seat cover.
Quilted material
Quilted back seat dog covers tend to be more robust and comfortable. It has become almost a standard, but keep an eye out for cheaper, non-quilted options with patterns designed to imitate real quilts. The only way to know for sure is to inspect the seams in person, but if that is not an option then try to get your seat cover from a well-known brand. The product review section is a great place to evaluate the seat cover if you are an online shopper.
Toughness
The letter D in a 600D fabric stands for ‘Denier,’ a unit of measurement used to determine fiber thickness. A human hair is 20 deniers, whereas Standard Fiber’s microfibers are typically 0.9 denier or less. A 600D Oxford fabric seat cover is usually tough enough for dog seat covers without breaking the bank. It is also commonly used in camping equipment for their strength.
Zipper
Some back seat dog covers can zip down the center after installation to accommodate human passengers on one half of the rear seat. These zippers should be large and preferably made from metallic materials. Some seat covers even feature netting in the center, which is great for hotter climates as your dog will be able to enjoy a full blast of air conditioning.
Conclusion
Look for quilted materials with a 600D rating minimum if you have a large dog. Plastic clips have no problem holding themselves together if your dog is small or medium sized. Spend the extra cash and get a seat cover with metal clips if you have multiple large dogs. Waterproof fabrics can make cleaning easier for messy dogs, which can lead to better overall dog hygiene. Lastly, make sure the dimensions of the seat cover will fit into your back seat.
