Dog Car Bed, Car Pillow, Booster Seat or Pet Car Seat? Every Name Explained
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Search for a place for your dog in the car and you'll find a dozen names: dog car bed, dog car pillow, dog car cushion seat, dog booster seat, pet car seat, elevated dog car seat, dog travel bed for car, puppy car seat. Some mean the same thing. Some are completely different products. Here's how to tell them apart.
The same product under different names
These names usually describe one thing: a raised, padded bed that sits on the back seat, anchors to the car and has a short tether for your dog's harness.
- Dog car seat – the most common name in the US.
- Dog booster seat / pet car seat booster – stresses that it raises the dog to window height.
- Elevated dog car seat / raised dog car seat – same idea.
- Dog car bed / dog car bed seat – stresses the padded, bed-like shape. A "dog car bed with harness" or "with seat belt" is one with a tether clip.
- Dog travel bed for car – often the same product, sometimes a flat bed with no walls.
- Pet car seat – the same thing for small dogs and cats.
- Puppy car seat – any of the above in a small size. Buy for your puppy's adult weight; see dog car seat for puppies.
TheDogCarSeat is all of these: an elevated booster bed with padded walls, LATCH/ISOFIX clips, a headrest strap and a harness tether, in four sizes.
Dog car pillow and dog car cushion
A dog car pillow or dog car cushion is usually just padding: a soft pad or bolster your dog lies on, with nothing holding it to the car and nothing holding the dog to it. It's comfortable, but on the first hard brake both the pillow and the dog slide.
A dog car pillow seat or cushion seat sits in between: a pillow with low sides, sometimes with a strap. Check whether it anchors to the car and has a tether before you treat it as a seat.
Our seat has a double-sided cushion inside it, fleece for winter and waterproof for summer, so you get the pillow and the walls and the anchoring.
Completely different products
- Dog seat belt / dog car harness: a strap from the harness to the seat belt buckle. No bed, no walls. Compare them in car seat vs harness vs crate.
- Dog car seat cover / hammock / back seat protector: protects the upholstery, doesn't hold the dog. We make one: the back seat cover.
- Dog car mat: a flat liner, often for the trunk or cargo area.
- Console seat: a small box on the center console for toy dogs, right next to the front airbags.
- Pet car seat carrier: a closed bag or crate you strap in.
- Dog car window pillow: a small headrest pad by the window. Comfort only.
Which one does your dog need?
| Your problem | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Dog won't stay on the back seat | Car seat / booster bed with a tether |
| Dog is anxious or carsick, can't see out | Elevated seat (booster) |
| Hair and mud everywhere | Seat cover, or a seat with a waterproof base |
| Just wants something soft | Pillow or cushion (but it won't hold the dog) |
Pick your size
S, up to 15 lbs · M, 15-35 lbs · L, 35-50 lbs · XL, 50+ lbs or two dogs. Free shipping, ships in 24-48 hours.
Related guides
TheDogCarSeat is a comfort and containment product, not a crash-tested restraint system.