How to Measure Your Dog and Vehicle for a Dog Car Seat

Quick answer: Measure the dog’s sitting width, lying length and body height, then compare those numbers with the car seat’s interior dimensions. Separately measure the vehicle space and compare it with the seat’s exterior dimensions. Weight is only a screening tool. A dog can be under the weight limit and still be too long or wide for the seat.

Most dog car-seat returns begin with one mistake: buying by breed or weight alone. A French Bulldog, Dachshund and Poodle can weigh the same but need very different interior shapes. A perfect dog fit can also fail if the seat is too wide for the vehicle or the console lid cannot close.

Measure the dog in two positions

1. Sitting measurement

Have the dog sit naturally. Measure the widest point across the body, then measure from the seat surface to the top of the shoulders. Do not force a rigid show-stack position. You are trying to capture the posture the dog uses in the car.

2. Lying measurement

Measure the space the dog uses when lying down, including the chest and hips. For a curler, record the curled width and length. For a dog that lies on one hip or stretches forward, record the longer footprint.

3. Weight

Use current weight to rule out models below the published limit, but do not use it to pick a size without the body measurements.

Measure the vehicle separately

Back-seat booster placement

• Measure the usable seat width and depth.
• Confirm access to the seat-belt buckle and the belt path used by the seat.
• Check that the installed height will not push the seat into a headrest or door frame.
• Leave enough room for passengers, child seats and door closure.

Center-console placement

• Measure console length and width at the narrowest usable point.
• Measure available height and note slopes or rounded edges.
• Check the lid, latch, cupholders, shifter, parking brake and climate controls.
• Verify that straps can wrap and tighten without blocking operation.
• Review the vehicle owner’s manual for airbag locations.

Current Snoozer model dimensions

Product specifications can change. Confirm the measurements on the live page for the exact model and fabric before ordering.

Use painter’s tape to test the footprint

Mark the seat’s exterior width and length on the vehicle seat or console with painter’s tape. Open and close doors, move the front seats through normal positions and test access to buckles and controls. A cardboard template is even better for a console because it reveals sloped or rounded surfaces that a tape rectangle can miss.

Check the dog inside the interior, not the exterior

The foam walls, back and cover take up space. The dog rests inside the published interior dimensions. Do not compare a dog’s body to the outside footprint. A 22-inch-wide Medium Lookout, for example, has an 18-inch interior width.

Common fit mistakes

• Choosing the size from weight only.
• Measuring the dog while standing but expecting room to lie down.
• Using vehicle console dimensions from an online forum instead of the actual vehicle.
• Ignoring a sloped console lid or raised latch.
• Assuming “Large” means it fits a large SUV console.
• Forgetting that a removable pillow reduces usable interior space.
• Measuring one dog when two dogs will share the seat.

Frequently asked questions