Dog Car Seat Cover Buying Guide

Dog Car Seat Cover Buying Guide

Posted by Dan Hinds on 7th June 2016

Traveling with your dog is a blast, but the cleanup? Not so much. Even the most well trained
dogs can’t help getting pretty dirty from time to time. You don’t have
to let cleanliness interfere with your fun though; there are a variety
of ways to protect your car from dirt, hair and slobber.


Bench Seat Covers


Bench
seat covers are the most common kind of vehicle protection. A
good bench seat cover will protect your entire back seat, keeping it
completely free of dirt, hair, paw prints, and all the other messy stuff
that dogs bring in. Be sure to measure your backseat and compare it to the measurements for the products you are considering. Most standard bench seat covers are 55" wide. If your bench seat is wider than that, you may want to look for
Truck Bench Seat Covers which come in extended widths, typically up to 63" wide.


What to watch for: With bench seat
covers, it’s all about coverage and durability. They’re going to be up
against your dirty dogs, and that’s a big challenge. Make sure that you
get a cover that has waterproof fabric, strong seams, piping to catch
mud and water, and at least 4 points of attachment so that your dog
can’t move it and uncover your nice clean seat. Another huge thing to
look for is openings to pass the seat belts through, so your car can still
be used by human passengers and you can still use your
dog seat belt harness. Openings also allow you to use child car seats.


Bucket Seat Covers


Dog Hammock


Bucket
seat covers work with bucket seats in cars, SUVs and trucks.
Most often, these are used in the front passenger seat, but they an
also be used anywhere you may have bucket seats, like the middle row of
a minivan or SUV. These usually cover the entire seat, bottom and back, just like a glove
so you’re completely protected.


What to watch for: With
bucket seat covers, you want to be sure that they are extra durable. Look
for double stitched seams, piping on the edges, and a company that
offers a lifetime warranty. Cars with cup holders or strange armrests
may require you get one of the irregular options listed below.


Irregular Car Seat Cover Options


When
it comes to bench and bucket seat covers, no cover will be completely
universal; there is just too broad an array of vehicles on the market.
When you have a seat that has strange armrests, an extra-wide bench, or
other extruding features, you might consider the a
shorty bench seat cover or shorty bucket seat cover which only cover the bottom part of the seat.


Dog Hammocks


Hammocks
are special covers that hang between the back of the front seat and the front of the back seat, creating a literal hammock in the back of your
car. These do triple duty as they protect your seat, keep your dog from
falling in the footwell, and help prevent your dog from jumping into the
front seat. Most hammocks will also let you zip them down the middle so
your dogs can share the seat with human passengers.


What to watch for: With
Hammocks, you want to be sure that you’re getting one that’s durable
enough for your dog. Now, hammocks aren’t designed to support your dog’s
full weight (they rest on the seat) but they’ll still be covering a lot
of area and you need to be sure they’ll hold up. Signs of strength
include waterproof materials, double stitched seams, and piping to
direct dirt and water. A good hammock will also have a zipper down the
middle so you can split it, allowing your dog to sit on one side of the
seat and a person to sit on the other.


Car Door Guards


Car
door guards extend the protection from your seat to your doors and
windows. Dogs like to put their paws up (especially when the window is
rolled down) and they can easily scratch your door or at least leave
behind dirt and slobber. Car door guards fit in between your window and
door panel, and hang down as a tough, waterproof barrier to complete the
protection of your car’s interior.


Car Door Guard


What to watch for: With
car door guards, you want to make sure you’re getting something that’s
going to fit your car. Quality car door guards will be nearly universal,
and they’ll slide between the window and the door. These have to deal
with paws and slobber, so make sure they’re rugged and waterproof too.


Cargo Covers


Cargo
Cape’s are great for dogs that ride in the storage area of your car,
such as the back of an SUV, minivan, or station wagon. These covers lay
flat in your storage area and are split so that you can put seats up and
down without having to move them. They also come with rubber bumper
guards that fold down to make loading and unloading a breeze.


What to watch for: With
cargo capes, you want to be sure you’re getting something that has your
whole car in mind. Many cargo capes are just glorified blankets, but
the good ones will fold out to protect the bumper so your dog can climb
in and out with ease. It's also best to get one with a center zipper that will allow you to fold down one of your seats.


Still not sure what solution is best for you? Give our Customer Service Team a call at 877-847-3868 or email at info@kurgo.com and we can give you our best recommendation.

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