A small dog on a bare car seat has nothing to hold on to. Every corner tips it sideways, and a dog that cannot settle is a dog that whines, pants or tries to get to you. Raised sides fix a surprising amount of that, because the dog can wedge itself in and stop balancing.

This is a soft grey plush bed shaped for a car seat: 55cm wide, 40cm deep and 30cm high at the back, with a raised cushion to lean on and bolstered sides. A strap inside clips to your dog's harness, and the base is non-slip so the bed stays put on the seat or on a hard floor. Because it is a bed first, it works just as well indoors, which helps a nervous traveller: the same bed, the same smell, in the car and out of it.

• 55 x 40 x 30cm
• Grey plush over polyester
• Raised back cushion and bolstered sides
• Internal safety strap
• Non-slip base
• Works as a bed at home

On safety and size: Clip the strap to a harness, never to a collar. This is a comfort seat, and the maker publishes no crash test for it, so treat it as a way to keep a small dog settled and in one place. At 55 x 40cm it is for toy and small breeds; the maker mentions large dogs, which the measurements do not support.

Who it's for: toy and small dogs that fret in the car, puppies getting used to travel, and owners who want one bed for the car and the sofa.