How to Measure Your Back Seat for a Dog Seat Cover

Before you order a rear seat cover for Ella, or for your own dog, it helps to spend two minutes with a tape measure instead of guessing. 4Knines makes its dog seat covers in two widths, a 54 inch regular size and a 60 inch XL, and picking the wrong one means either a cover that hangs loose or one that does not reach the far edge of the seat. Here is the plain way to measure, plus a few things to check before you order.

Measuring the bench width

Run the tape measure across the back seat cushion from one door panel to the other, right where the seat bottom meets the seat back. Do this on the cushion itself, not across the whole width of the car, since the interior panels usually stick out wider than the seat. Most sedans, coupes and smaller SUVs land close to the 54 inch regular size. Full size SUVs, minivans and trucks with a wide back bench often measure closer to 60 inches and need the XL. If your number falls right in between, sizing up to the XL usually gives a cleaner fit than sizing down.

Checking for fold-down seats

Look at whether your back seat splits into sections, commonly 60/40 or 40/20/40, and folds down flat for cargo. If it does, a plain rear seat cover can get in the way when you try to fold the seats, since the cover is not built to move with the seat back. 4Knines makes a version made specifically for fold-down seats, in both the plain and hammock styles, so the cover can handle the seat going flat without being pulled out of place first. If your seats do not fold, a standard cover works fine and there is no need to hunt for the fold-down listing.

Seat belt access and crew cab trucks

Whichever size and style you land on, check that the cover leaves all three seat belt buckles reachable, including the middle one, since that matters if you are ever carrying a full back seat of people and one dog. Crew cab trucks are their own case: the back seat usually flips up rather than folds down flat, and 4Knines builds a dedicated crew cab truck seat cover with a hammock for that layout, along with separate floor hammocks for the driver or passenger side floor area. If you drive a crew cab, measure the seat and floor separately and shop that line instead of the regular bench sizes.

In the Gear aisle

You can browse the regular and XL rear seat covers, with or without the hammock, in our dog car seat covers collection, and the crew cab specific options in truck seat covers for dogs. 4Knines ships these directly from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma through Shopify Collective, so your order comes from the maker, not from our garage here in Malvern. Never leave a dog in a parked vehicle unsupervised. That applies just as much in a store parking lot while you compare sizes as it does anywhere else.

Once the measuring is done and the cover is on its way, round out the trip with something for the dog riding on it. Our freeze dried dog treats hold up well in a car door pocket for the drive.

Questions

What if my seat measures between 54 and 60 inches?

Go with the 60 inch XL. A cover that runs a little long can be tucked and secured, while one that is too narrow will leave gaps at the edges of the seat.

Do I need the fold-down version if I only fold my seats once in a while?

If your seats fold at all, the fold-down version is worth the extra look, since it is built to handle that motion without shifting out of place. 4Knines describes the fold-down covers as still giving access to all three seat belts even with the seats folded down.

How do I know if my truck needs the crew cab version instead of a regular cover?

If your back seat flips up against the seat back rather than folding down flat into the floor, that is the crew cab layout, and the regular bench covers will not sit right on it. The covers are not chew proof. That holds true across every size and style, so keep an eye on any dog who likes to test fabric with their teeth.