Dogs are a big part of millions of families in the U.S., so it’s no surprise that companies spend tremendous amounts of money developing products to serve those families and their pets. Car accessories for dogs represent an important and extremely popular area of the market, and many of the products can be useful even if you don’t spend hours a day in the car with your dog.
Dog safety should be an important part of the decision-making process to buy car accessories, but there are several other considerations to make when you’re out shopping. Your dog’s comfort and happiness are an important part of a pleasant ride for both you and your pet. Finally, it can be easy to get bogged down in fancy products that you don’t really need or that don’t fit your vehicle. No matter how flashy the product or how compelling the price is, it won’t do you or your dog any good if it doesn’t fit their needs or your vehicle.
Below are some of the most common and most popular car accessories for dogs. It’s easy to find the best brands and solid pricing when shopping online, but there is not an abundance of resources to tell you what some of the products actually do. We’re here to help with a quick overview of each type of product. Let’s get started.
Dog Car Seat
Dogs, like people, need to be safely secured in a vehicle. While it may be appealing to let your dog jump in the back seat and be on your way, driving with a dog untethered is dangerous for you and your best friend. For this reason, all dogs should have a dog car seat.
There are several different brands, sizes, and shapes of dog car seats, which can make choosing the best model for your needs quite difficult. It’s important to take note of your dog’s size and weight, their balance and stability, and where inside the vehicle you want your dog to stay while you’re driving. Some dog car seats look like high-walled dog beds, secured to the back seat via the seatbelt. Others are more simple tether systems. Whichever style you choose, make sure your dog is securely harnessed, and don’t fit them with a harness that is too small or too large.
A Dog Ramp
Dog ramps can provide an easier method of entry. For many dogs, the gentle incline of a ramp is easier to navigate than steps. If you have a tall truck or SUV, your dog may need a ramp, regardless of how big or agile it is. Ramps are available in a variety of sizes and weights, and typically involve a folding design for easier transport.
Ramps can be tricky if they are not the right size or type for the dog and vehicle. It’s important to find a ramp that has grips to prevent slipping, and to make sure that it’s the right length for the vehicle height. If it’s too short, the angle might become too steep for your dog to climb it safely. A ramp that is too long will be hard to transport and store and may be difficult to use in places such as parking garages, where space is limited.
A Dog Seat Cover
You can still benefit from a good car seat cover, even if your car is rugged and well-worn. Dogs track dirt, sand, mud, and all sorts of other random debris into the car, and that’s before we even start the conversation about dog hair. A dog cover for your car seat is a great way to catch loose dirt and prevent stains. They can also be more comfortable and safer for the dog, as they cover up the cracks between seats so that the dog can’t accidentally step through. The seat cover will also help repel moisture and may keep strong dog-related odors at bay.
One thing a dog cover won’t do is act as a safety device in the event of an accident. Covers protect a vehicle’s seats and can offer a significant improvement in comfort over a bare seat alone. You may also find that your dog starts to use the seat cover as a security blanket since it’s a warm, soft place to be.
A Rear-Seat Gate
Even small dogs can be rowdy and become distracting in a car and may try to leap over seats to move around the cabin. To prevent this from happening, you might want to consider a dog gate for your car. Sometimes called barriers or dividers, dog gates can provide you with the peace of mind that your dog isn’t going to jump over a seat when you least expect it.
Most dog gates or barriers are adjustable for a variety of vehicles, so it should be easy to find a model that fits your car. You’ll want to look for a gate that has rubber feet and adjustment points both vertically and horizontally. Keep in mind that a gate is only useful if you drive an SUV, minivan, or wagon. The open cargo areas in these vehicles make it easy for dogs to jump over the back seats.
The gate will also prevent your dog from becoming a flying projectile if you get into a wreck, though they won’t do much to protect the dog. If you’re using a dog gate, it’s important to make sure that you are also harnessing or restraining the dog in some way to prevent injuries if there’s a crash.
A Dog Blanket
Dog blankets for cars can be virtually the same thing as dog covers for your car, but they can also be a plain, traditional blanket. Dog blankets are great to have on hand, because they can double as an actual blanket in an emergency. Also, if you’re searching for a simple dog blanket, you’ll save money over buying a more complex dog seat cover or a dog bed for your car.
Dog blankets are an easy ask for vehicle owners, because they only need to be folded to fit almost any space. You don’t need to buy a fancy brand, either. Any reasonably rugged blanket will do the trick, but if you want to get the most out of it, wool is one of the best fabric choices. It’s lightweight and easy to transport, but the real benefit is that wool can keep you warm even when it’s wet. That makes it an excellent choice to double as an emergency blanket in your vehicle.
A Car Divider for Dogs
Car dividers for dogs are similar to dog gates and may even be a different name for the same product. A car divider may be built like a metal gate or fence, or it could be a mesh-style divider with a softer structure. Either way, the divider’s job is to separate the dog space in the rear of the vehicle from the passenger space in other areas. Depending on the type of divider, the structure can provide a safety barrier between the dog and the passengers and can help prevent injuries that occur when a dog is unrestrained in a car.
Of course, a dog barrier doesn’t do anything for the dog’s overall safety, since it’s not a restraint or safety seat system. The best way to ensure your dog’s safety when using a car divider is to use a harness or restraint system that holds the dog in place in the event of an accident.
The Bottom Line
Are any of the products here an absolute requirement to have a good time with your dog in the car? Absolutely not. These products are intended to make the process more comfortable, easier, and less stressful for you and your dog. Remember that a restless dog is a huge distraction in a vehicle and can worse than texting and driving in some cases. Keeping your dog comfortable and occupied while in the car is good for their stress levels and can keep them out of your hair while you’re driving.
Even if you choose not to use any of the accessories here, it’s important to note that safety restraints, harnesses, and other related products are a good idea, and are not going to spoil your dog in any way. Unrestrained dogs tend to become projectiles in crashes, which can severely injure or kill them and anyone in their path. A harness or restraint works like a seatbelt, holding your dog in place during a crash. Harnesses also keep the dog in one place and prevents them from bouncing around in the car.
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