The mess from a country walk does not stay on the dog. It goes into the seat fabric, and once wet mud has been ground into upholstery a few times the smell stays long after the marks have gone. A quilted waterproof cover over the passenger seat takes all of that instead, and it goes in the wash while the seat underneath stays exactly as it was.

The waterproof layer is what separates this from throwing a towel down. Water and mud sit on top of it rather than soaking through to the foam, so a soaking spaniel does not leave a damp patch in the seat base that takes two days to dry out. The quilting gives the dog something with a bit of grip to stand on rather than sliding about on smooth fabric, and adjustable headrest straps hold the top edge, which is the part that otherwise works loose within a mile.

• Quilted waterproof layer that keeps mud and water off the upholstery
• Covers a single front seat
• Adjustable headrest straps to stop it slipping
• Catches shed hair and blocks claw scratches
• Lifts off in seconds when you want the seat back
• Two finishes: black with an orange label, or black on black

One thing this is not. A seat cover is not a restraint. A loose dog on the front seat is a hazard to itself and to you in a sudden stop, and the Highway Code requires animals to be suitably restrained in a moving vehicle. Use a crash-tested harness with the seat belt, or put the dog in the back. This protects your upholstery; it does nothing to hold the dog.

Who it's for: Dog owners doing regular muddy pickups who would rather wash a cover than shampoo a car seat.