Pet Abbey

We recently discussed the benefits of using a dog car seat while traveling with your dog. They included increased safety for your dog and less mobility, meaning he can’t distract you as easily by roaming around the car while you’re driving. As with any pet product, however, dog car seats get dirty and need to be maintained to stay looking nice and not develop nasty odors. The best way you can keep your dog car seat clean is to use a car seat cover.

A dog car seat cover should cover the part of the car seat that your dog sits on and protect it from fur, dander, muddy paws, slobber and more. It should be a material that’s easy to wash and dry, like cotton, so you don’t have to do anything more than throw it in the laundry. It’s much easier to wash a seat cover than it is to try to scrub smelly mud and slobber out of the seat itself! If you invest in a good-quality dog car seat for your dog’s safety, you should also pick up a seat cover (or two) to protect your investment.

You would never let your children ride in the car without seatbelts, right? Then why would you let your dogs? Just like any human, dogs are vulnerable to extensive injuries in the event of a car accident. They could easily be launched through a windshield and thrown from the car. Plus, dogs have a natural urge to roam around the car while you are driving, which can be distracting and more likely to cause an accident.

Luckily, there are dog car seats that are made especially to keep dogs seated in one place and protected in the event of an accident. There are several different kinds of car seats, from booster seats to nearly complete enclosures. Booster car seats boost dogs up several inches so they are safely able to see out the window. They strap onto the seat of the car and keep dogs comfortable while traveling. A nearly complete enclosure keeps dogs firmly where they should be, and has a hole for your dog to stick his head out and look out the window. No matter which dog car seat you choose, it will be a great step toward maximum car safety for your dog.