Best Dog Car Seat Cover: Hammocks and Bench Covers, per Testers

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A dog car seat cover keeps hair, mud, water and claw marks off your back seat. We did not test these seat covers ourselves. The test results on this page come from two independent reviews: Treeline Review, which tested six covers with three dogs from 45 to 76 pounds, installing each one in two cars and pouring water on each one to see whether it reached the seat, and Car and Driver, which fitted covers in a pickup truck and an SUV, tried them with dogs from its office, then spilled coffee, cola, ketchup and mustard on them and scrubbed them with a wire brush. Material, size, seat belt and washing facts come from the makers.

The short answer: Treeline Review’s best overall cover was the Meadowlark Dog Car Seat Cover Hammock, which zips from a hammock to a bench. For dogs that ride home soaking wet, Treeline Review picked the Ruffwear Dirtbag as the most waterproof. To cover the doors as well as the seat, Car and Driver’s best overall was the Ruff Liners hammock with door protection.

How we chose: every pick is current on the maker’s own site and is covered by an independent review site, named next to each pick. We did not test any of these covers ourselves, and we do not list prices or star ratings.

A seat cover is not a restraint

A seat cover protects your car, not your dog. Treeline Review says covers should always be used with a well-fitted, crash-tested dog car harness or a crash-tested crate, because a dog loose in a hammock is not held in place in a crash. The ASPCA advises a well-ventilated crate that is secured so it will not slide or shift, or, without a crate, keeping your dog in the back seat in a harness attached to the seat buckle, and never letting your dog ride with its head out of the window.

Be careful with “crash-tested” claims too. Consumer Reports notes there are no government or industry standards for pet restraints, and that products labeled crash-tested are usually going on the maker’s own claims. The Center for Pet Safety lists CPS Certified products that it says meet its independent safety standards. For picks, see our best dog car harness and best dog crate guides, and how to travel with a dog in the car.

Hammock or bench?

• Hammock: clips to the front and rear headrests and makes a sling across the back seat footwell. Treeline Review says hammocks suit medium and large dogs, give a bit more room and can encourage a dog to stay in the back. A mesh window or center opening lets air from the front vents through.
• Bench: covers the seat only, so passengers can sit in the back too. Treeline Review says small dogs that fit on the seat do well with a bench cover. Many hammocks, including the Meadowlark and the Ruffwear Dirtbag, can be set up as a bench.
• Seat extender: a bench cover with firm boards that bridge the footwell, which Treeline Review suggests for extra large and giant dogs that need more seat space.
• Cargo cover: for the trunk of an SUV or hatchback, often with a bumper flap. Use it with a secured crate, not a loose dog.

The picks

Best overall: Meadowlark Dog Car Seat Cover Hammock

The Meadowlark hammock has a mesh window, side panels that shield the doors and free headrest covers. A heavy-duty zipper turns it into a semi-hammock or a bench, so a passenger can share the back seat. It can be machine washed, hosed off or shaken out and vacuumed, and comes in Standard and XL sizes with a 1 year warranty (Meadowlark).

Treeline Review’s reviewer has used it for three years and named it the best overall and best affordable cover. It stayed in place with fidgety dogs thanks to its seat anchors and non-slip backing, the quilted surface was not slippery for dogs, and it has openings to clip a car harness to a seat belt. Mud dried and shook off. The only complaint: some online reviews say the side panels do not stay up, which Treeline Review did not see in testing.

Most waterproof: Ruffwear Dirtbag Seat Cover

The Dirtbag is 300D recycled polyester with a nonfluorinated water-repellent finish and a tacky backing. It sets up as a bench or a hammock, measures 55 x 63 inches, has seat belt access points with two-way zippers and a mesh window for hammock mode, and washes in cold water on a gentle cycle (Ruffwear).

In Treeline Review’s water test, no water got through to the seat, and mud and stains wiped off with a cloth. It also did not hold odor. The trade-off: the waterproof fabric is more slippery than quilted covers, and Treeline Review’s dogs slipped on it more often getting in and out, so it may not suit older or unsteady dogs. It comes in one size.

Covers the doors too: Ruff Liners Soft Backseat Dog Hammock

The Ruff Liners hammock has door covers that attach to plastic inserts slid into the window seal, so the door panels stay covered with the doors open. It has adjustable seat belt openings, a zippable mesh area over the center console, anchor straps on each corner, and is machine washable on a gentle cycle. It comes in a size for cars, mid-size SUVs and small trucks and one for full-size trucks and SUVs (Ruff Liners).

Car and Driver named it the best overall of the covers it tested. Its test cover showed great water beading, good stain resistance and only minor wear from the wire brush, and Car and Driver points out that door covers are something most other pet seat covers lack.

Also good: 4Knines Rear Seat Cover with Hammock

The 4Knines cover works as a bench or a hammock and has a waterproof layer with a non-slip backing, though 4Knines says the seams are not watertight. A zippered split lets you fold part of the seat and reach all three seat belts, and it can be hosed off, wiped or machine washed (4Knines). Canine Bible named it its best overall dog car hammock. We did not find a hands-on test from the two review sites above.

Other covers the testers liked

Treeline Review picked the Katziela Extended Back Car Seat Cover as its best bench style, for foam boards that extend the seat for big dogs, though it found the cover does not fit every vehicle and comes without instructions. It picked the K9 Ballistics Tough Ripstop cargo cover as its most durable. Car and Driver liked the Kurgo hammock and bench covers for easy installing and water beading. We have not added these to our catalog, because we could not match the tested versions to a current listing on each maker’s site.

What to look for

• Waterproof layer: Treeline Review says a waterproof cover protects better than a water-resistant one, since a wet dog or an accident can soak through. Some makers call their covers water-resistant because the seams can let water in.
• Seat belt openings: Treeline Review says to make sure the cover has pass-throughs for your dog’s seat belt harness and for passengers.
• Anchors and non-slip backing: anchors tuck between the seat back and cushion to stop the cover sliding. Treeline Review found one well-made cover slid badly on faux leather seats, so on slippery seats pick heavier material or firm extenders.
• Durability: big dogs with strong nails need a tough, puncture-resistant fabric. In Car and Driver’s wire brush test, the softest cover took the most damage.
• Size: measure your seat width for a bench cover, and the gap from the back of the front seats to the rear seats for a hammock, then check the maker’s size guide (Treeline Review).
• Washability: pick a cover you can machine wash, but wash it only for big messes; Treeline Review says frequent washing can wear down water-repellent coatings.

Fitting and cleaning tips

• Lift adjustable headrests to fit the straps, push the anchors into the seat crease, and pull the seat belt buckles through the openings (Treeline Review).
• Zip side panels up before you close the doors (Treeline Review).
• Do not use a seat cover under a child car seat; Treeline Review says it can affect proper installation.
• Between washes, let mud dry, then shake out or vacuum the cover. When you do wash it, use a gentle cycle and a scent-free detergent, and dry it fully before putting it back (Treeline Review).
• Never leave your dog alone in a parked car. The ASPCA warns that a parked car can get dangerously hot or cold.

If your dog struggles to jump into the car or onto the bed, see our best dog ramp and pet stairs guide, based on independent hands-on tests. Ask your vet first if your dog has mobility problems.

FAQ

Are dog hammocks safe?

A hammock keeps a dog off the footwell and your seats clean, but it is not a safety device. Treeline Review says to use it with a crash-tested harness or crate, and the ASPCA says to keep an uncrated dog in the back seat in a harness attached to the seat buckle.

Are dog car seat covers waterproof?

Many are. Car and Driver found every cover it tested had water-resistant properties, with coffee and soda beading on the surface. In Treeline Review’s 20 minute water test, the Ruffwear Dirtbag kept the seat dry. Covers labeled water-resistant can still let water through at the seams.

Hammock or bench seat cover: which is better?

It depends on your dog and your passengers. A hammock gives a medium or large dog more room and covers the footwell; a bench cover suits small dogs and lets people sit in the back. A convertible cover such as the Meadowlark does both.

How do I stop a dog seat cover from sliding?

Choose one with a non-slip bottom and seat anchors, and make sure the anchors are pushed into the gap between the seat back and cushion (Treeline Review).

Can you wash a dog car seat cover?

Most can go in the washing machine, but check the maker’s care label. Treeline Review suggests saving machine washes for big messes, using a delicate cycle, and drying the cover completely before reinstalling it.

For more on car rides, read how to travel with a dog in the car, our best dog car harness picks and the dog leash, harness and carrier buying guide. For muddy-day gear, see the best dog raincoat.