What's the Best Dog Seat Cover for Trucks? Car and Driver Says Ruff Liners — Here's Why
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Ruff Liners on Shark Tank: Car and Driver's #1 Best Overall Dog Seat Cover Is Now Backed by Robert Herjavec
If you haul your dog anywhere — hunting trips, trail runs, vet visits, or weekend adventures — you already know what the back seat looks like afterward. Mud, fur, scratch marks, and the kind of damage that quietly chips away at your vehicle's value every single ride.
That's the problem Ruff Liners was built to solve. And with Car and Driver naming it the #1 Best Overall Dog Car Seat Cover — and founder Brandon Himmel walking away from Shark Tank Season 16, Episode 16 with an investment from Robert Herjavec — Ruff Liners has officially become the dog seat cover the experts and the investors agree on.
"Best Overall. That's the verdict from Car and Driver — the most trusted name in automotive testing. Ruff Liners beat every competitor on the market."
Car and Driver Tested It. Ruff Liners Won.
Car and Driver — part of the Hearst Autos family alongside Road & Track and Autoweek — put the market's top dog seat covers through rigorous real-world testing with actual dogs, wire brush scratch tests, liquid stain testing with mustard, ketchup, cola, and coffee, and full wash cycles.
Their verdict: "For an excellent dog car seat cover that offers ultimate seat protection, this is the one to get."
What won it for Ruff Liners? The same thing that won Robert Herjavec over on Shark Tank — the patent-pending door panel protection that no other seat cover on the market offers.
As Car and Driver noted: "This hammock-style cover has integrated door-panel covers for full seat and car door protection, a feature most other car seat covers for dogs don't provide."
What Is the Ruff Liners Dog Seat Cover?
The Ruff Liners dog seat cover is a high-end, heavy-duty vehicle protection system designed for dog owners who refuse to choose between their truck and their dog. Available in two purpose-built designs:
- Hammock-style — for upright back seats in cars and SUVs
- Crew-cab style — lays flat on the truck floor with rear seats folded, built specifically for truck owners
Available in Large Truck/SUV and Car/Mid-Size SUV sizing for the best fit possible.
Whether you're loading up in Dallas, Texas, heading out for a hunt in Nashville, Tennessee, or commuting through Denver, Colorado — Ruff Liners was made for your lifestyle.
The Patent-Pending Door Panel Feature: The Detail That Won #1
Here's what Car and Driver's testing confirmed: standard covers protect the seat and ignore everything else. Door panels are where the real damage happens — scratching to get in, pawing on turns, leaning on long drives.
Ruff Liners is the only dog seat cover on the market with patent-pending integrated door panel protection — and Car and Driver called it out as the defining feature that separates it from every competitor tested.
- ✅ Full seat surface coverage — seat, seat back, and headrest area
- ✅ Patent-pending door panel extensions — the feature no competitor offers
- ✅ Exceptional water beading confirmed in Car and Driver stain testing
- ✅ Strong scratch resistance — only minor wear in wire brush testing
- ✅ Two sizes — Large Truck/SUV and Car/Mid-Size SUV
- ✅ Two designs — hammock-style and crew-cab style for truck beds
- ✅ Easy to install, remove, and machine wash
As Seen on Shark Tank Season 16: Robert Herjavec Agrees With Car and Driver
Brandon Himmel walked into the Shark Tank with $3.1 million in sales in 2025 and the confidence of a founder who already knew his product was the best on the market. Robert Herjavec — known for backing durable, differentiated consumer products — made the deal.
It's the same conclusion Car and Driver's team of professional automotive testers reached independently: Ruff Liners is the best dog seat cover you can buy.
Watch the full Shark Tank pitch: Ruff Liners Season 16, Episode 16 — YouTube
"Rated #1 by Car and Driver. Backed by Robert Herjavec on Shark Tank. Order at ruffliners.com."
How Ruff Liners Compares to Every Competitor Tested
Car and Driver tested five leading dog seat covers head-to-head. Here's how the field stacked up:
| Cover | Car and Driver Rating | Door Panel Protection | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruff Liners | ⭐ #1 Best Overall | ✅ Patent-pending | Winner |
| Kurgo Wander Hammock | Easiest to Install | ❌ None | Runner-up |
| Molly Mutt 3-in-1 | Most Design Options | ❌ None | Style pick |
| Kurgo Wander Bench | Best Value | ❌ None | Budget pick |
| Carhartt Universal Bench | Honorable Mention | ❌ None | Waterproofing only |
Car and Driver's own conclusion on the Carhartt bench seat cover: "We wished we'd instead tested Carhartt's Pet Hammock... it's the smarter purchase for dog owners because it also covers the seatbacks and the door panels." — proof that door panel coverage is the standard every expert is looking for, and Ruff Liners is the only cover that delivers it.