Covers for pets- anyone on here put dogs in cars?

S

Striker

Active member
Well, I never thought I`d transport my dog in my car esp a brand new one but the time has come.

Long story short, what does everyone here use as a pet cover for back seats?

For ten bucks I can get nice blankets from Costco to cover up the seats.

Also, there is a cover brand they carry too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I haul a pair of big, and very active, dogs regularly..almost every day.

I use different approaches with different vehicles (from the beater-Tahoe to the Audis...well, not the S8 ;) including a lot of little Sports Cars), with an eye towards protecting the vehicle and the comfort/safety of the dogs. Nobody`s ever realized that a vehicle I was selling had been used to haul dogs :D

Covering things up is key IME. I`ve been able to haul dogs in vehicles many would never use without any problems at all. Having the dogs well-trained/behaved is pretty key too!

I find the "hammock" approaches work best *FOR MY SITUATION* when I also fill in the rear footewell so the hammock isn`t merely suspended by its straps/free to move much. The added support seems to make a big diff and the dogs obviously appreciate it (maybe because of their size). Hammocks that rely on four headrests (well, their posts..) can sometimes be used without the headrests, but it can get tricky to keep everything secure (that`s my "top layer" of protection in the Crown Vic which has no rear headrests).

Keeping their nails clipped nice and short can make a big diff too, even when things are seemingly well-protected.

Clean the slobber off the glass quickly, and if you can`t use "door panel protectors" get it off the interior pieces quickly too. Sooner is better than later.

Look up Canine Covers and Hatchbag. Pet-related catalogs will show how seemingly similar approaches can have subtle differences that may/not matter a lot in different applications. (See how that "every situation is a little different" keeps cropping up?)

Happy to help if I can, I`ve been dealing with this one for over 30 years now, so ask away if there`s anything else I can contribute (not that one guy`s solutions will work for everybody). Heh heh...normal people wouldn`t *believe* how much time/effort/$ I`ve put into this one! But then they can`t believe their eyes regarding the nice interiors in my dog-haulers either :D
 
Sweet. Thank you. I`ll probably lay down a blanket followed by a hammock style cover.

Never seen one that protects the doors. That would be nice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Striker said:
I guess they`re all pretty well the same thing ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
We found there was definitely quality and feature differences on some. For example,if you have leather seats, make sure it has a really good anti-slip, otherwise it slides on the seats. Also check the width dimensions against your vehicle. One kind we tried barely covered the edge of the seat and would roll up every time the dogs jumped into the car/truck. I never had any door protectors but agree to clean the slober as soon as you can, that stuff seems to dry like glue.
 
This is for a fiesta. So a napkin would cover the rear seat size.

How about this one ??


IMG_1291.JPG


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ellens2- Yeah, the "slobber on glass" can be a big challenge, especially on vehicles with fragile aftermarket tint; the Glass Cleaners that work best for me on the slobber would kill the tint.

Striker- IMO that one would end up being a PIA in regular use...zip/unzip, and I`d worry about the tension those straps might exert on the coathangers/etc. If they attach to solidly-mounted handles that could be OK. This is *SUCH* a personal preference thing that one (other) person`s opinion might mean very little.

A Fiesta could be easy if only because (hopefully) the rear seats are all the same so whatever "fits a Fiesta" will really fit (oh the things that should`ve fit but didn`t!).

The Door Protectors I use came from Hatchbag...BUT..huh, a quick google failed to find Hatchbag`s website. Last time I did business with them the phone was (800) 869-9091 and I spoke with a woman named Vicky (bought bulk material that I then cut to size).

The Door Protectors I use mount with tabs that fit between the side window glass and the rubber seals, so some might not want to risk deforming the seals by having them mounted there all the time. I can`t use them on the Crown Vic due to concerns about the aftermarket tint, but they`re fine in the Tahoe and I never left them mounted in the Audis/etc. long enough to cause issues.

If you`re not already familiar with them, check out the stuff that Orvis sells. I initially thought it`d just be another Catalog Company, but I`ve found (some of) their dog-related stuff to be incredibly nice. I`m using their "waterproof/hose off" hammock as the top layer of protection in the Crown Vic, over top of a rear seat cover from Canine Covers (and in conjunction with some Hatchbag material). Link: Dog Travel Gear | Traveling with Dogs | Orvis . I see they have the door protectors too. I do *NOT* care for their Foam Block style fillers for the rear footwells, preferring inflatable ones that seem to fit whatever area needs filled. I think I have this one- Link: PetEgo Seat Extender - FREE SHIPPING from AutoAnything but IIRC I got mine from a Pet catalog for less.

Heh heh, I kinda overkill this whole thing, but it`s what I have to do to keep the interiors the way I want them.
 
pheerix- Yeah, those mount the same way mine do. I too wonder about just how cleanly velcro mounts might/not clean up/off when no longer needed, and velcro is a real pethair magnet (INSERT plug for CRKT`s Hook & Loop Tool, handy thing to have around).

Ever have issues with them deforming the window`s rubber seals?
 
Accumulator said:
pheerix- Yeah, those mount the same way mine do. I too wonder about just how cleanly velcro mounts might/not clean up/off when no longer needed, and velcro is a real pethair magnet (INSERT plug for CRKT`s Hook & Loop Tool, handy thing to have around).

Ever have issues with them deforming the window`s rubber seals?
Click to expand...

No issues so far though I haven`t really paid that close of attention...
 
So accumulator, if I take everything you said and decipher it ;) it appears that a hammock style seat cover and some door panel protectors should put me in the business? I have floor liners for the new fiesta to protect the carpets


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I see that some door protectors fit with Velcro while other between the glass and the panels. Any issues with tinted windows with the panel tabs being there ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Striker said:
I see that some door protectors fit with Velcro while other between the glass and the panels. Any issues with tinted windows with the panel tabs being there ?
Click to expand...

NO, but only because (see my earlier posts on this thread ;) ) I DO NOT EVER use the "tab-style" ones on vehicles with aftermarket tint. No problems with OEM tint, but there`s no way I`d ever risk it on aftermarket films.
 
Accumulator said:
NO, but only because (see my earlier posts on this thread ;) ) I DO NOT EVER use the "tab-style" ones on vehicles with aftermarket tint. No problems with OEM tint, but there`s no way I`d ever risk it on aftermarket films.
Click to expand...

Hadn`t thought of that....

THANK YOU
 
Striker said:
So accumulator, if I take everything you said and decipher it ;) it appears that a hammock style seat cover and some door panel protectors should put me in the business? I have floor liners for the new fiesta to protect the carpets
Click to expand...

Decipher it must be right, given the response I gave right before this one! Sorry, I ramble on so much it becomes incrutable :o

IMO the Hammock and Door Protectors are the minimum and would probably be sufficient for a smallish dog that doesn`t shed much.

Big dog- add rear footwell filler.
Shedder- add seatcover/protector under hammock

Make sure the hammock will attach securely in the Fiesta (four headrests?).

Get stuff that`s easy to clean and that the dog won`t slide around on. Don`t necessarilly need "soft and plush" as my dogs don`t care about that the way I`d expected.
 
Forgive my ignorance. The foot well filler does exactly what? Extends the seat in a sense I assume ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top