Taking a dog for a ride in the car is very common and making sure they don’t injure themselves is important. Shutting them in the trunk is one option, but this can mean buying a large and expensive dog crate. Alternatively, you can let the dog sit in the back seat, but this can be dangerous if you haven’t got a way of keeping them securely in place.
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The best way to keep your dog safe in the car is to use a dog car seat. They’re better than harnesses because they contain your dog, but still give them plenty of room to move around. This is also helpful for dogs that don’t like crates, especially if they like to look out the window. Choosing the right dog car seat can be difficult because there are lots of different factors to consider. To help you make the best choice, here is a list of the top models currently available online.
1. K&H Pet Products Bucket Booster Seat
This great doggie car seat is elevated, meaning even small dogs will be able to look out the window. It has raised sides to keep your dog contained, and a dropped front so they’ve got plenty of room to move around. The seat has a handy clip that can be attached to your dog’s harness or collar, which will keep them nice and secure.
The dog seat features a 3” thick foam cushion for extra comfort, and a soft fleece cover. Both the cushion and cover are removable and machine washable, which is ideal after your dog has been out on a particularly dirty walk. The seat can be fitted in either the front or the back of many car models and is very easy to fit. Overall this is a great dog car seat.
2. Devoted Doggy Deluxe Booster Seat
This booster seat is a slightly different design, and is essentially a collapsible metal box that can be fitted in your car. Although this might not sound like the best dog car seat, it’s a perfectly safe and secure design. The frame is made of solid metal piping and so is very durable. It’s covered with a removable fleece lining that’s easy to wash, and is great at keeping all the stray dog hairs contained.
One of the downsides of this seat is its size. It’s 14” long, 12” wide, and 7” deep. While this will be fine for many breeds of smaller dog, it won’t be suitable for dogs over 20lbs. Some other models are better because their frame isn’t as rigid, and so there’s room for bigger dogs. However, if you have a small breed and want a more sturdy box design for your dog car seat, this model will be ideal.
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Ask a Vet Live Now3. Snoozer Lookout Car Seat
Snoozer has designed this dog car seat with comfort in mind. It’s another booster seat design that allows your dog to see out the window. It has a padded foam seat with faux wool lining, which gives your dog the ultimate luxury travelling experience. All the materials are superb quality and will last for a long time. The cover is machine washable and very easy to remove. The seat itself is really easy to fit in the car, and can be put in either the front or the back. It has straps that attach it to the car seat, which stops it from sliding around while driving.
The seat has a secure strap that attaches to your dog’s collar or harness, and this will keep them safe while driving. The seat has raised sides of 7”, meaning your dog will be kept reasonably contained but still have plenty of freedom. This means it will also be suitable for slightly bigger dogs because the materials are very flexible and so can deal with a bit of strain. The dog seat comes in a variety of different finishes, and is available in both small and medium.
4. WOpet Portable Dog Booster Seat
One of the best features of this dog car seat is that it’s collapsible, and so is really easy to keep in your car when not in use. It can be assembled in seconds and attaches to your car seat via several secure straps. The seat is easy to fit in either the front or back of many car models. The cover is made of durable polyester fabric, and whilst this isn’t machine washable, it’s really easy to wipe clean when it gets dirty.
The car seat isn’t elevated like some other models, but it does give your dog plenty of room to stand up if they want to. It has a strap that can be attached to your dog’s collar, keeping them in place while you drive. The sides of the car seat’s cover are mesh, meaning dogs of all sizes can see what’s going on, and the front has handy storage pockets. This dog car seat is ideal if you’re looking for one you can easily store in your car at all times.
5. Kurgo Skybox Booster Seat for Dogs
This dog car seat is different from other models in that it’s suspended from the headrest rather than resting on the seat. Although this might not sound secure, its sturdy design and durable materials make it safe for dogs up to 30lbs. However, the manufacturers recommend only using it with dogs up to 20lbs just to be on the safe side. It secures in place using several durable nylon straps, all of which are attached with metal clips.
The seat is covered in nylon fabric with a soft interior that’s available in many different colors. To make it even better, all of the fabric is waterproof, meaning there’s little chance of your car getting dirty. The seat comes with a dog seat belt for keeping your beloved pet secure, and it’s incredibly easy to attach to their harness. Overall this is one of the best models on this, and whilst it is more expensive than others, it is worth the extra money.
6. GENORTH Dog Car Seat
Although this dog car seat isn’t a booster, meaning your dog can’t see out the windows, it’s a good design if they need to be kept more secure while you’re driving. This seat would be ideal if you have an energetic puppy for example. The sides are quite high, and unlike some other models of this design, aren’t covered in mesh. Whilst this realistically doesn’t make a lot of difference, it does mean your dog won’t be able to such much of what’s going on around them. If you want a dog car seat with good visibility, look for another model.
It secures to both front and back car seats, but is much easier to fit in the front. This is because it’s got straps that go around the headrest and the back of the chair, which would take a while to fit on a back seat. The dimensions are 15.7” x 11.8” x 9.8”, and it can easily hold dogs of up to 30lbs. It will hold bigger dogs, they just won’t be very comfortable.
7. Petsfit Booster Seat for Two Dogs
Unlike other dog car seats on this list, this one can easily fit two dogs. Think of it like a doggie sofa that fits in the car! This obviously only makes it suitable for fitting in the back seat of a car, so bear this in mind before you order one. The seat is 29.5” long, and so should fit easily in most car models. Like many other models it’ boosted up so your dog can see what’s going on, and it has raised sides to keep them contained.
The seat has a soft foam cushion and luxurious plush lining, which is machine washable. To make it even better, the cover is reversible with a smooth side for hotter weather. There are some handy storage pockets on the outside of the seat, and a tether for securing your dog in place. This model would be suitable for two smaller dogs, or one bigger dog up to 45lbs. It’s a great size considering many other dog car seats are only suitable for dogs up to 20bs.
8. Petlo Dog Booster Seat
This is another dog car seat that’s suspended from the headrest rather than boosted from the seat. It’s held in place by several sturdy nylon straps, all of which have metal clips. This means there shouldn’t be any problems holding dogs up to 20lbs. The fact that the seat is suspended means your dog will still be able to see what’s going on outside the car.
The interior of the seat has a soft fleece lining that’s removable and machine washable. The actual car seat frame is covered with nylon fabric that’s incredibly durable, and waterproof, making it ideal for protecting your car after muddy walks. It has an adjustable leash that attaches to your dog’s collar and stops them moving around. This dog car seat is great for smaller dogs, but look elsewhere if you want a more secure design.
9. Petbobi Reinforced Booster Car Seat
If you’re looking for a really sturdy and durable dog car seat, then this is the one for you. The sides are reinforced with boards, and it has foam padding around the top bar. The cover is made from a heavyweight nylon cloth, and it has mesh sides for extra visibility. All of the materials used in the cover are waterproof and really easy to wipe clean. There are several handy storage pockets on the front and sides.
The frame is collapsible and really easy to store in your car when not in use. Unlike other models on this list, this dog car seat has an extra strap to secure it to your car seat. You’ll find this useful if you’ve got a particularly energetic dog as it’ll stop the seat from moving around as much whilst you’re driving. This dog car seat is a great model if you’re looking for one that’s easy to store in your car and will last for a long time.
10. Pet Gear Dog Booster Seat
Pet Gear have designed this dog car seat for ease of use. It can be fitted in your car in seconds, and doesn’t require any tools to assemble or fit. The seat has several straps and buckles for easy attachment to the regular car seat, but the downside of this design is that it’s not collapsible. While this does mean you can’t store it in your car, it does make it much sturdier than some other models.
The entire seat is covered in soft microsuede fabric, and has a removable foam pillow for extra comfort. The cushion can be washed easily, and the rest of the seat can be wiped down if needed. One downside to this model is that it doesn’t have raised sides, and so might not be suitable for energetic dogs that might need a bit more containment. That said, this bed does come in a great range of colors, and is suitable for bigger dogs.
11. Solvit Deluxe Dog Seat
This dog car seat is great because it’s suitable for dogs up to 30lbs, but its design means it can easily hold larger dogs. It has raised sides for extra containment, and a soft and comfortable faux wool interior. The fabric cover is removable and machine washable, and so is the faux wool cushion.
The booster seat raises your dog up 9”, meaning even small breeds should be able to see out the window. It has a strong nylon tether with sturdy metal clips, meaning your dog will be held securely in place while you’re driving. It can be easily fitted in either the front or back of a car, and has several straps to hold it in place. This is a great model if you’re looking for a comfortable bed for bigger dogs.
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Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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