Almost every car cover we take back comes down to the same thing: it didn't fit. Not because it was badly made, but because a back seat in a compact sedan and a back seat in a three-row SUV can differ by a foot or more, and most listings never mention it.
Five minutes with a tape measure solves this. Here's exactly what to do.
What you need
A soft tape measure is easiest, but a rigid one works. If you only have a phone, a piece of string plus a ruler will do — mark the string, then measure the string.
1. Bench width — the number that matters most
Open both back doors. Measure across the seat base, from where it meets the door trim on one side to the same point on the other. Measure the base, not the backrest, and not the gap between the doors — the backrest is usually narrower and will give you a number that's too small.
Write this number down. It's the one that decides whether a cover fits or slides around.
2. Seat depth
Measure from the front edge of the seat base straight back to where it meets the backrest. This tells you how much of the cover will actually sit on the seat versus hang over the front edge.
3. Headrests
Hammock-style covers strap around the front and rear headrests. Check two things:
- Do your rear headrests come out or fold down? Some covers need them removed to sit flat.
- Are your front headrests fixed or adjustable? Fixed one-piece headrests on some sports seats leave nowhere to loop a strap.
If your car has integrated headrests that don't detach, a hammock is still usually fine — but a flat bench cover is the safer choice.
4. Footwell depth (hammocks only)
If you're buying a hammock, measure from the seat base down to the floor. A hammock creates a barrier across this space so your dog can't slide into it under braking. Deeper footwells need a cover with more drop.
Reading this against our product pages
Every cover we sell lists its dimensions on the product page. Hold your bench width against them:
- Back Seat Dog Hammock — Hard Base is 52.3 in wide. If your bench measures less than that, the cover will bunch at the edges; more than that and it won't reach.
- Back Seat Dog Hammock — Classic is the lighter option for smaller, lighter dogs where a rigid base isn't needed.
Hard base or classic?
This is the other question we get most. It isn't about how much you spend — it's about your dog's weight.
A standard hammock is a sheet of fabric slung between headrests. Under a light dog it holds fine. Under a 60–80 lb dog it sags into a hollow, and the dog spends the whole journey bracing against the dip on every corner. The hard-base version has a rigid PE foam floor that stays flat, plus an extension pad that fills the footwell so the whole back of the car becomes one level surface.
If your dog is under about 30 lb, or you only need occasional protection, the classic is the sensible buy. Above that, the rigid base is worth the difference.
If you're between sizes
Don't guess. Email us your vehicle make, model and year plus the bench width you measured, and we'll tell you which cover to order — or tell you honestly that none of ours fits well. It takes us a minute and saves you a return.
pawsomehavenshopserve@gmail.com
A note on "universal fit"
You'll see that phrase on almost every listing, including some of ours from the supplier side. Treat it as marketing, not a specification. A cover is universal in the sense that it isn't cut for one model — it is not universal in the sense that it fits every car equally well. The measurement is the truth; the label isn't.