Pet Car Seat Barrier Buying Guide
The right pet barrier keeps your dog safely in the back so you can keep your eyes on the road.
When you're purchasing a pet barrier for your vehicle, there are two main things to consider: the size of your vehicle, and the size of your pet.
Mesh Barriers
Mesh barriers are pieces of mesh shaped much like a fitted sheet. They are attached to the corners of your front seats and stretched across the gap between them, keeping dogs in the back. Due to the nature of the material, mesh barriers generally only work with small, passive dogs. If your dog is medium sized or larger (or small but determined) the mesh isn't strong enough to keep them out of the front seat.
- Easy to instal
- See-through
- Work for small, passive dogs
Hammock Barriers
Hammock barriers keep your dogs in the backseat and have the added benefit of keeping them off the seat itself. Hammocks stretch from the back of the front seat to the top of the back seat, creating a literal hammock for a dog to lie in. These keep dogs of most sizes in the backseat (and keep your back seat clean).
- Waterproof and rip-resistant
- Work for dogs of most sizes
- Perfect for dogs that have the backseat to themselves
Cargo Barriers
A cargo barrier is a special barrier designed to keep your dog in the cargo area of your vehicle. These are usually metal, adjustable gates that are perfect for minivans, SUVs, station wagons and other vehicles featuring rear cargo areas.
- Made of metal
- Work for dogs of all sizes
- Perfect for vehicles with cargo areas
Reinforced Fabric Barriers
Reinforced fabric barriers are the best option for most dogs and most vehicles. They feature a rugged, waterproof and rip-resistant material with seams that are reinforced with metal in some key areas. These usually have a few different options for attachment (such as around the headrests or seat backs) and will hold up against dogs of all sizes.
- Easy to instal
- Waterproof and rip-resistant
- Work for dogs of all sizes
- A recent AAA survey found that 31% of drivers reported to being distracted while driving because their dog climbed into their lap. Keep yourself and your pooch safe on the road by containing them behind the front seat.
