I love taking my dogs for car rides, but the dirt and dog hair in my vehicle is another story. It's especially frustrating when one of our dogs is wet and eagerly jumps in the back seat before I'm even able to stop them. I've been looking for the best car seat cover for dogs for a while now, and I think I've finally found one after trying many different brands for our reviews here.
After weeks of trying and testing different items, it's clear that, as with any other dog supplies, not all of the best car seat covers for dogs are made equal. Usually, it comes to personal preference on many levels, and for me, the following criteria were a MUST:
- Easy to install;
- Durable;
- Waterproof;
- Comfortable for my dogs;
- Easy to clean.
If you watch our YouTube channel, you know I have three dogs. We live in Maine and go outdoors often, so I have to wash my car's seat cover all the time. Having a cover that is machine washable is an absolute necessity. I also need one that is easy to install.
During the summer months specifically, we take our dogs virtually everywhere we go as a family. Sometimes, I'll have to wash the car seat cover once a week. The last thing I want to do is spend half an hour installing it back in the vehicle after every single wash.
Not only do I wash it often, but as you can see in my video above when there are three dogs – there are 12 paws! Thus, the durability of a car seat cover is also essential. We've tried many cheap dog car seat covers before, which are made of nylon/plastic materials, and they rip after just a couple of washes. If they hold up in the washing machine, the wear and tear from my three dogs will ruin the seat cover after a few short months, if not faster
In my attempt to find the best car seat cover for dogs and share those findings with Top Dog Tips readers, I've gone through many different brands and have eventually chosen three of the best options for the final test video and review.
The three brands we're testing today
Here are the suspects in this dog car seat cover review/comparison. I chose two hammock-style car seat covers, one from MIU PET and one from Pettom. These have been called some of the best car seat covers for dogs by many other pet owners as well.
The above two covers attach to the headrests on the back seat of a car, run down the back of the seat, go across the bottom of the seat, and then attach to the headrests on the front seats. Thus, they make a hammock shape in your back seat.
The third dog car seat cover that I've chosen is a standard bench seat cover from Epica. The hammock-style seat is great, but not without its flaws. In fact, all these car seat covers have their own pros and cons, but I'll get to that in a minute.
A word of wisdom: If you're considering buying the best car seat cover for dogs, then be sure to measure your seat first. There are many different options available, and you'll need to know the dimensions of your seat in order to pick one that fits perfectly.
So, which of these best car seat covers for dogs is my top choice? Let me show you!
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Comparing the Top 3 Best Car Seat Covers for Dogs
MIU PET vs. Epica vs. Pettom
Similarities Between These Best Car Seat Covers for Dogs
The obvious similarity is that they all do their intended job. They cover the bench seat of a vehicle and keep dog hair, dirt, and debris from coming in contact with the upholstery. All three of these products did the job, but some did it better than others.
All three of these dog car seat covers claim to keep water from getting to your car's upholstery. The MIU PET and Pettom covers are waterproof, as they have a rubber backing that prevents leaks. The Epica cover is only water resistant. It's supposed to be thick enough to keep your seats dry, but there is no backing to prevent leaks completely.
All three of these seat covers for dogs were easy to install. They connect around the headrests of your seat(s) and are equipped with seat anchors that get pushed into the crack between the back and bottom of the car's seat. This means that all three of these options stay in place so your pooch doesn't slide around when you're driving.
When I'm shopping for any pet supplies, I always focus on the comfort of my animals. My dogs enjoy resting in the back seat of the car while lying on all of these seat covers. I noticed that they really loved the Epica cover – it's very soft and has the most padding.
RELATED: 15 Clever Tips for Traveling with Dogs in Cars
Differences Between These Best Car Seat Covers for Dogs
I chose these three dog car seat covers because they're made with quality materials, they're affordable, and they have been very highly reviewed by other dog owners. I did a lot of research before picking these three covers and have been testing them for months.
Even though we've picked these as our top three best car seat covers for dogs options, unfortunately, none of them are perfect. Each of these three has its own advantages and disadvantages, which I will explain to you now.
Epica Luxury Deluxe Pet Car Seat Cover
This is my number three choice. While it serves its purpose and is quite durable, Epica‘s car seat cover doesn't really fit the needs of my family. As I mentioned, this is a standard bench seat cover. That means it does not protect the floor or the back of your front seats.
In the video review above, I demonstrate just how easy this seat cover is to install. There are straps that slide over your headrest and can then be adjusted to tighten.
The straps don't come apart via a buckle, which means that you'll have to readjust them every time you have to take the cover on and off. It's not a huge issue, but it's still somewhat of an inconvenience.
Epica's dog car seat cover is 56 inches long and 47 inches wide. As you can see, it fits great in my Ford Escape, and the company claims that it will cover most bench seats. Just be sure to measure properly before making your pick.
Our dogs loved this seat cover the most, especially our boxer Chloe who enjoys nesting on it before she lies down.
Now, let's talk about comfort. This is by far the most comfortable of the three best seat covers for dog products that I have chosen to review. It is quilted and made with a soft yet durable fabric.
Although our dogs loved the material, I myself wasn't a big fan. Dog hair tends to stick into the fabric and is very hard to remove without a lint roller. The cover is machine washable, but most of the pet hair was still stuck to it after a trip through the washer. Compared to the other two best car seat covers for dogs, this was the most difficult to get dog hair out of.
There are openings for seat belts, which is a feature that you want to look for in any car seat cover that you choose. Unlike the other two covers that I reviewed in this article, the Epica pet cover offers open holes to place over the seat belt buckles. The other two have Velcro closures on the openings, which is a bonus if you have a dog that likes to chew.
You can purchase this best car seat cover for dogs for $39.95 on Amazon. It's in the middle of the price range for similar products. Keep in mind that it isn't waterproof; it needs to be readjusted every time you take it off or put it on, and you'll have to use a lint roller to remove hair from the material. Okay, onto the next one!
READ THIS: The Best Dog Car Seat Review
Pettom Cutton Dog Car Seat Cover
My choice as the runner-up for the best seat cover for dogs is this one from Pettom. Unlike the Epica seat cover I discussed above, this one's available in three different sizes. You can choose from:
- Large – 58″ X 54″
- X-Large – 60″ X 58″
- Front seat cover – 39″ X 20″
As I stated earlier, this is a hammock-style seat cover for dogs, so it protects your back seat, the floor, and the back of your front seats. The quilted design offers more padding than the MIU PET seat cover (discussed below) but not quite as much as the Epica car seat cover.
This one is easier to install because the straps that go around the headrests come apart with a buckle. They also feature adjustment straps. You can adjust them properly the first time you put the cover on your seat, and then all you have to do is use the buckle to take them off and put them on; no readjustment is needed.
As I briefly mentioned before, there are seat belt openings in this cover. They feature Velcro closures. This isn't an option you'll find on all seat covers, but it's something you should definitely look for if you have a dog that likes to chew.
The top of the cover is made with a durable 600D oxford polyester material. The bottom layer is made of a waterproof, rubbery material. You can see this is my review video above. Not only does the backing keep water from leaking into your seats, but it also helps to prevent the car seat cover from sliding around when your pet moves.
You can buy the smaller version of Pettom's bench car seat covers for dogs on Amazon for $58.90. It's slightly more expensive than the other two that I have reviewed, but not enough to make it a deal-breaker. If you need the larger size, then it will cost you around $68.90 and the front seat cover is only $38.90.
READ ALSO: 4 Essential Tips for Traveling with Dogs That Will Keep Them Safe
MIU PET Dog Car Seat Cover – My Personal Favorite
The car seat cover from MIU PET is well liked by pet owners who have purchased it, although yet to become as popular as the two other options.
MIU PET car seat cover comes highly reviewed and at an affordable price. I chose it as my top pick because it offers unique features, is super easy to clean, and installation is super simple.
It's not quilted or padded like the other two, but that doesn't bother my dogs. After all, they're still sitting on the back seat of my SUV, so there's plenty of padding underneath.
This seat cover was the “most waterproof“, if you can say that, out of the three. Our chocolate Labrador finds water everywhere she goes, and the MIU PET car seat cover never fails to keep my seats dry. No matter how long the ride home was or how many times I had washed it, this seat cover stayed 100% waterproof and we've never had a leak.
In fact, this is the seat cover that I use on a daily basis and I've had it for almost 1 year. I wash it at least twice a month, and it still looks like new.
It's machine washable and the material does not hold pet hair at all. It's not as soft as the other two options I'm discussing today, but the seat is super easy to clean. In a pinch, you can just wet down a washcloth and wipe the dirt and hair off of this seat cover!
Another feature that makes me feel that this is the best seat cover for dogs is the added pockets. This is a unique addition that isn't found on most similar products.
Take a look at the photo to the right – you can see the two pockets that can be used to store dog leashes, collars, treats, food, water, maybe dog seat belts, or anything else you may need while on a road trip with pets.
The larger pocket zippers to close, which is great if you have a nosy pup that will get into treats or his dog food. The small pocket doesn't close, but it's ideal for a bottle of water that would otherwise be too tall for most pockets.
I love the side flaps on this car seat cover as well. The entire thing measures at 56″ X 62″, and there are flaps on either side that fold down to cover the sides of your seat. This is another feature that isn't commonly found on other similar products.
I find the flaps to be very useful because our little Beagle always jumps and paws at the seat while she's waiting for me to pick her up and put her in the car. The flaps keep the seat from getting dirty or scratched.
Ultimately, I found that MIU PET's dog car seat cover had the most unique features, all of which I found very useful. If you think this may be the best car seat cover for dogs for your pet too, you can purchase one on Amazon for $49.99. In my opinion, it's a fair price, especially when compared to other ones. You'll likely have this cover for years, and the investment pays for itself when you don't have to vacuum or wash your upholstery.
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