Who's a Good Boy? The Best Dog Car Seat Covers for 2024, Tested

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As any pet owner knows, taking your furry friend for a ride in your car happens all the time. Along with that, every pet owner knows how hard it is to get paw prints and slobber off the back seat. And the door panel. And the windows. And the headliner (how did those get up there?). How can you prevent this?

Dog car seat covers are the answer. Made specifically to provide full protection for your ride's interior while being durable, liquid-repellent, and easy to clean, these covers are a game changer. We set out to find the best on the market with this test with real pets from the animal-loving Car and Driver office crew. Here's what you need to know.

Tested: Best Dog Crates, Carriers, and Restraints

Things to Consider about Dog Seat Covers

Pet-specific car seat covers are different than typical automotive seat covers. Before you spend way too much—or far too little—on one for your car, SUV, or truck, take some time to think about these factors.

Type

Pet seat covers generally fall into two categories: bench seat covers and hammock-type covers. The bench type wraps and covers the backrest and 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.

Fit

While many covers claim to be universal, we recommend double-checking your seat's measurements against the manufacturer's information. Even then, curb your expectations of a "perfect" fit, especially for bench seat covers; a factory-spec fit and finish is just not going to happen.

Ease of Installation

If you plan on switching cars regularly, we'd recommend a hammock-style seat cover, 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.

Materials

Choosing a durable and easy-to-clean material is your best bet for longevity against course dog hair 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.

Cleanability

Most dog seat covers 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.

How We Evaluated Pet Car Seat Covers

We called in members of the Car and Driver staff's furry families for true paws-on testing. We installed each pet 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.

Of course, we also got our hands on these covers to evaluate stain and scratch resistance with various liquids, a wire brush, and a wash cycle. Here are the full parameters:

• Installation

• Fit and Workmanship

• Water Resistance

• Stain Resistance

• Scratch Resistance

The Best Dog Car Seat Covers, Tested

Ruff Liners Seat Cover

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 protection, a feature most other pet car seat covers 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 protection, this is the one to get.

Kurgo Wander Hammock

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 Easiest to Install.

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, car seat cover, 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 car seat cover, you can't go wrong here.