# Dog Car Seat Covers (2026): Hammock, Bench and Cargo Liners, and What They Don't Do > Hammock, bench and cargo-area covers for dogs from Kurgo, Active Pets, URPOWER and 4Knines, the airbag notes makers publish, and why a cover is not a restraint. - Source: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers - Publisher: PetProofLab (https://petprooflab.com) - Published: 2026-09-28 - Category: walks-travel - Tags: dog car seat cover, dog hammock, cargo liner, back seat cover, car travel with dogs, dog hair in car - Method: picks chosen from Amazon listings and brand specs; not hands-on tested; current Amazon prices are on the page; content checked 2026-09-28. - Quick answer: For a sedan or small SUV back seat, a hammock such as the Kurgo Rover (55 in wide, six attachment points, sold by Amazon.com) keeps hair and mud off the seat and blocks the gap to the front. The Kurgo Wander bench cover is the flat version if people share the seat. For an SUV cargo area with fold-down seats, the 4Knines SUV Cargo Liner fits 60/40 and 50/50 splits. None of these holds a dog in a crash: pair any cover with a Center for Pet Safety certified harness, crate or carrier. ## Key takeaways - A hammock hangs from the front and rear headrests and blocks the footwell; a bench cover lies flat; a cargo liner lines the trunk and usually has a bumper flap. - Measure your bench from door to door before you buy: Kurgo's hammock is 55 in wide, Active Pets sells Standard and XL, and URPOWER says to check your seat is close to 54 in. - Seat covers are not restraints. The Center for Pet Safety says to use a CPS Certified harness, crate or carrier, secure pets in the back seat, and never add an extension tether or zipline. - 4Knines says its bucket-seat cover leaves the side of the seat back clear, where most side airbags are, and that its optional seat-back strap should not be used on seats with airbags. - Kurgo's half hammock has openings for seat belts, pet restraints and child-seat latches; check any cover leaves your buckles reachable. ## Products (chosen from listings, not tested) 1. **Kurgo Rover Hammock Seat Cover, 55 in** (details: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B00164SZPQ) — The hammock to start with for a sedan or small SUV back seat. - Pros: Hangs between the front and back seats to keep a dog from climbing forward and out of the footwell, per the listing; Six attachment points; 55 in wide by 56 in long; center zipper lets one side fold down for a passenger; Water and stain resistant, machine washable, with a utility bag; sold by Amazon.com - Cons: One width; Kurgo sells a 63 in Extended version for wider benches 2. **Kurgo Wander Bench Seat Cover** (details: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B00D44Z8Z6) — Buy it when people share the back seat and you only need the upholstery covered. - Pros: Flat bench cover, 55 in wide and 45 in deep, per the listing; Seat anchors to stop it shifting; waterproof and machine washable; Kurgo lifetime warranty; sold by Amazon.com - Cons: No hammock front, so it does not block the footwell or the gap to the front seats 3. **Active Pets Dog Car Hammock, XL** (details: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B07ZJYGRQ6) — A hammock for a full-size truck or large SUV bench; for a smaller car, pick the Standard. - Pros: Two sizes; the XL is meant for large SUVs and standard to large trucks, per Active Pets; 600D Oxford fabric you can vacuum or wipe; machine washable; Active Pets says its covers are OEKO-TEX certified for PFAS; sold by Active Pets - Cons: The listing gives Standard as 52.5 x 17.5 in and XL as 59 x 24.5 in, which read like partial dimensions, so check the size chart in the listing images 4. **URPOWER Dog Car Seat Cover (Hammock with Side Flaps)** (details: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B0727Y5ZD7) — A hammock that also guards the doors, for a dog that scratches at them. - Pros: Side flaps cover the doors, and URPOWER says they unzip so an older dog can step in and out; Converts between hammock, bench cover and trunk liner; nonslip backing, headrest and seat anchors; Sold by URPOWER Group, the brand's store - Cons: URPOWER says to confirm your back seat is close to 54 in before ordering; wider benches need its XL 5. **4Knines SUV Cargo Liner for Fold Down Seats, Large** (details: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B01439XBKE) — The cargo liner for a dog that rides in the back of an SUV, in a crate or not. - Pros: Made for SUVs and minivans with 60/40 or 50/50 split seats and a center pass-through, per 4Knines; 52 x 86 in including a 22 in bumper flap; nonslip backing and quick-release clips; Hose down, wipe or machine wash; sold by 4Knines - Cons: 4Knines says seams and zippers are not watertight and the liner is not chew-proof A dog car seat cover protects your upholstery from hair, mud and claws; it does not protect your dog in a crash. For most back seats, buy a hammock such as the **Kurgo Rover**, which also closes off the footwell. Pick a flat bench cover like the **Kurgo Wander** when people share the seat, and a cargo liner like the **4Knines SUV Cargo Liner** when the dog rides in the back of an SUV. Then add a restraint that has actually been crash tested. **How we chose:** we did not test these covers; we read the makers' listings and instructions and kept covers sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store and in stock on September 28, 2026. ## Five covers side by side | Cover | Type | Size (per maker) | Sold by | Amazon price | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Kurgo Rover Hammock](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B00164SZPQ) | Hammock | 55 x 56 in | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Kurgo Wander Bench](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B00D44Z8Z6) | Bench | 55 x 45 in | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Active Pets Hammock XL](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B07ZJYGRQ6) | Hammock | Standard and XL; XL for large SUVs and trucks | Active Pets | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [URPOWER Hammock with Side Flaps](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B0727Y5ZD7) | Hammock + door flaps | For back seats close to 54 in | URPOWER | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [4Knines SUV Cargo Liner, Large](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers#product-B01439XBKE) | Cargo liner | 52 x 86 in with 22 in bumper flap | 4Knines | see the current Amazon price on the page | Sizes are from each Amazon listing. Kurgo also makes a [Heather half hammock](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers) that covers one side of the seat, sold by Amazon.com, for a car that also carries a child seat. ## Hammock, bench or cargo liner? **A hammock** clips to the rear headrests and the front headrests, so the cover makes a sling across the footwell. Kurgo says the Rover "strategically hangs between the front and back seats, providing a barrier to prevent your dog from climbing into the front seat," and gives a dog that tends to slide into the footwell on a short stop somewhere to stay. Most hammocks, including the Rover, have a center zipper so one half can drop for a passenger. **A bench cover** is the same fabric without the front straps. It covers the seat and the seat back and nothing else. Buy one when adults ride in the back often, or when the dog rides in a crate on the seat and you only need the upholstery protected. **A cargo liner** lines the trunk of an SUV or wagon and usually has a flap that folds over the bumper, which is where claws do the most damage while a dog jumps in and out. 4Knines' large liner is built for 60/40 and 50/50 split rear seats with a center pass-through. ## Measure the seat first Every maker here asks you to measure, and the sizes differ enough to matter. Kurgo's Rover is 55 in wide and says to measure your bench seat from left to right; its Extended version is 63 in. URPOWER says to confirm your back seat length is close to 54 in before ordering the Standard. Active Pets sells a Standard for hatchbacks up through smaller trucks and an XL for large SUVs and standard to large trucks, and points to a size chart in its listing images. Measure where the dog will actually sit: across the seat cushion, door to door. If your SUV has captain's chairs in the second row, a bench hammock will not fit; URPOWER says the same about its hard-bottom version. ## What the makers say about airbags and seat belts Front seats in many cars have side airbags built into the outer edge of the seat back. A cover that wraps over that seam can get in the way. The clearest instruction we found is from 4Knines, on its [bucket seat cover page](https://4knines.com/products/bucket-seat-cover-for-dogs-and-pets-for-cars-trucks-and-suvs): its covers "do not cover the side of the seat back (where most side airbags are housed)," the optional strap around the back of the seat "should not be used in seats with airbags," and you should install the cover "to ensure it does not cover where your airbag deploys." That advice applies to any cover you put on a front seat. Check your vehicle owner's manual for where the side airbags are, and do not strap anything across them. Seat belts and restraint anchors are the other thing to check. Kurgo says its half hammock has openings for "easy access to seat belts, pet restraints, and child car or booster seat latches," and 4Knines' fitted rear cover lists seat belt and LATCH anchor access. With a cheaper hammock, look for the Velcro openings and make sure the buckle you need is reachable before the dog is in the car. ## A seat cover is not a restraint A hammock keeps a dog in the back seat on a normal drive. In a crash, it is fabric clipped to headrests. None of the covers here is on the [Center for Pet Safety certified list](https://centerforpetsafety.org/cps-certified/), and none claims to be a crash restraint. The Center for Pet Safety, a nonprofit that crash tests pet travel products, gives three rules on its [extension tether advisory](https://centerforpetsafety.org/extension-tether-advisory/): "Use a CPS Certified® harness, crate, or carrier," "Secure pets in the back seat," and "Never attach an extension tether or zipline device." It warns that extension tethers "give pets too much movement during a sudden stop or crash." The Active Pets listing suggests pairing its cover with the brand's "Dog Car Harness Seatbelts." A strap that runs from the seat belt buckle to a harness is the kind of extension tether CPS warns about, so check what you are buying. So the setup that makes sense is a cover for the seat and a certified product for the dog. Our guide to [crash-tested dog car harnesses, carriers and crates](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/crash-tested-dog-car-restraints) lists everything on the CPS list and which sizes were tested. A walking harness is a different thing again; none of our [no-pull harness picks](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/best-no-pull-dog-harnesses) is certified. **Key point:** buy the cover for the car and the restraint for the dog. A hammock that "keeps your dog safe," as some listings put it, means it keeps the dog in the back seat, not that it was crash tested. ## Which cover for which car **Sedan or small SUV, dog alone in the back:** the Kurgo Rover hammock. It covers the whole bench, blocks the footwell and folds down on one side when you need a passenger seat. **Large SUV or crew-cab truck:** the Active Pets XL, or Kurgo's 63 in [Rover Extended](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers), sold by Amazon.com. Measure first; this is the size range where a standard hammock sags short of the doors. **A dog that scratches the doors:** the URPOWER hammock, whose side flaps cover the door panels. URPOWER says the flaps unzip so an older dog can get in and out, and the cover converts to a bench cover or trunk liner. **Adults ride in the back too:** the Kurgo Wander bench cover. There is no front sling to climb around. **Dog rides in the cargo area:** the 4Knines SUV Cargo Liner. If the dog rides in a crate back there, CPS's [cargo area advisory](https://centerforpetsafety.org/cargo-area-connection-advisory/) says "crates should always be secured with strength-rated anchor straps" and warns that cargo anchors "are not always weight-rated for the forces generated in an accident"; our [dog crate guide](https://petprooflab.com/home-beds/best-dog-crates) explains why a wire house crate is not built for that. **Hard-bottom "seat extenders"**, such as URPOWER's [hard bottom cover](https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers), add a platform over the footwell so a big dog can lie flat. URPOWER says its board holds up to 400 lb. That is a floor for the dog to lie on, not a restraint either. ## Cleaning and hair All five covers are listed as machine washable, and 4Knines adds that you can hose its liner down. Waterproof claims come with fine print: 4Knines says seams and zippers are not watertight, and Kurgo calls the Rover water resistant rather than waterproof. For accidents in the car, an enzyme cleaner does the same job it does at home; see our [enzyme cleaner guide](https://petprooflab.com/potty-cleaning/enzyme-cleaners-pet-stains-odors). For the hair a cover does not catch, our [pet hair removal guide](https://petprooflab.com/potty-cleaning/pet-hair-removal-tools) covers rubber tools, lint rollers and handheld vacuums, and a [deshedding brush](https://petprooflab.com/grooming-health/best-deshedding-brushes) before the trip means less to clean after it. ## What we left out We found no WeatherTech pet seat cover sold by WeatherTech or Amazon.com; WeatherTech's own Amazon store listed a pet barrier, a pet partition and a child car seat protector, which are different products. The Kurgo Loft hammock turned up only as a dog bed and jacket in our search. One Rover Extended listing was sold by a third-party seller, so we linked the one sold by Amazon.com instead. None of these brands appears in the [CPSC recall database](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls) for seat covers, and none is on our [pet product recall page](https://petprooflab.com/recalls) as of September 28, 2026. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does a dog hammock keep my dog safe in a crash? No. A hammock keeps a dog off the footwell and out of the front seat on a normal drive. For crash protection, the Center for Pet Safety says to use a harness, crate or carrier from its certified list and to secure the pet in the back seat. ### Can I put a dog seat cover on a front seat with a side airbag? Only if it leaves the airbag seam clear. 4Knines says its bucket cover does not cover the side of the seat back where most side airbags are, and that its optional seat-back strap should not be used on seats with airbags. The Center for Pet Safety says pets belong in the back seat. ### What size dog hammock do I need? Measure your back seat cushion from door to door. Kurgo's Rover is 55 in wide with a 63 in Extended version, URPOWER's Standard is for seats close to 54 in, and Active Pets sells an XL for large SUVs and trucks. ### Can my dog use a seat belt tether with a hammock? The Center for Pet Safety says never to attach an extension tether or zipline, because they give pets too much movement in a sudden stop or crash. Use a certified harness instead of a tether clipped to the seat belt. --- *PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We did not test these covers; sizes and features are the makers' own, from their listings and sites.* ## Sources - 4knines.com: [Bucket seat cover for dogs and pets for cars trucks and suvs](https://4knines.com/products/bucket-seat-cover-for-dogs-and-pets-for-cars-trucks-and-suvs) - Center for Pet Safety: [Center for Pet Safety certified list](https://centerforpetsafety.org/cps-certified) - Center for Pet Safety: [Extension tether advisory](https://centerforpetsafety.org/extension-tether-advisory) - Center for Pet Safety: [Cargo area connection advisory](https://centerforpetsafety.org/cargo-area-connection-advisory) - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: [CPSC recall database](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls) --- Last updated: 2026-09-28 Canonical URL: https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers How to cite: "Dog Car Seat Covers (2026): Hammock, Bench and Cargo Liners, and What They Don't Do", PetProofLab, https://petprooflab.com/walks-travel/dog-car-seat-covers (checked 2026-09-28). Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate PetProofLab earns from qualifying purchases. Safety information summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.