Dog vs. Exact Fit seat covers - better fabric choice??

I strongly suggest you get waterproof seat covers if you have a big dog. We once had two big Dobermans and a brand new Range Rover. One was a puppy and I took her to a park so she could do her business on a rare rainy day in Southern California. I waited patiently but to no avail. So I put her back in the cargo area and drove home. Within a few blocks, I smelled this familiar smell and had to open all windows even if it was raining.

When I got home I threw the carpet in the trash only to find the next day that the replacement carpet cost $350. So I retrieved the carpet and washed and shampooed it. Fortunately I was able to salvage it, so that is when I invested in a form fitted Range Rover water-proof seat cover set. Not too long after the purchase it proved to be a saviour. Well it was a hot summer day and I took them to the same park. The male Dobie had the annoying tendency to eat No 2 but I couldn't prevent him that time. I started to drive back when I heard this horrible sound of a big Doberman throwing up in the back. You don't have to imagine this but by the time we got home I almost threw up as well, not to mention both Dobies had stepped into it and it was all over the cargo area. I had to wash the dogs off first.

The good news is that the water-proof covers held its own and nothing seeped through. All I had to do was hose it off like I did with the carpet and shampoo it clean.

I'm sure your dog is probably neater, but the Range Rover seats looked like brand new when we finally dumped it 8 years later. I am sure they make w-p seat covers for Prius.

Just my 2 yen

 

I have the velour Exact Fit covers and they're holding up well after two years. But then I don't have a big dog -- or even a small dog, or small kids, or anything else that might damage them or wear them out prematurely. The greatest source of potential wear on mine is from my large-ish butt sliding in and out of the driver's eat, and they're withstanding that well.

 

I give a second to the waterproof seat covers. I just got mine from wetokole.com. They look great, and are fully waterproof.

 

Side note , but does anyone else find that on summer days the seat fabric gets warm. I usually end up with a sweaty back on warm days and would like to find something that breathes a little better than the standard seat back/fabric.

 

Alex,
I concur that one of the most important things to consider when purchasing seat covers is making sure they are waterproof. I would strongly recommend staying away from any cloth fabric covers and stick to durable material like a high grade canvass or vinyl. I own a 100 lb Bernese Mountain Dog and the back seat is her domain when we travel on our little excursions. After ordering our Prius I ordered back seat beige covers. It is not an exact color fit but fairly close. I try and take the dog on rides because she enjoys it so much.
On my 2004 Highlander I bought cheap, poorly fitting one piece vinyl cover and ended up throwing it away because the cover fit so poorly. When I sold the Highlander the seat had scratches and embedded dirt. I worked very hard cleaning and revitalizing the leather with expensive leather treatments.
For my new car, I purchased a back seat covers that were specifically tailored for a Prius. The covers fit very well and installation took about a half hour because the instructions were easy to follow. I could have installed the covers sooner but I am a little OCD when it comes to the car. The covers clean easily with a little cloth and water spray bottle or (409 if she rode in the car after walking on a rainy day). I do not recall the name of the company I purchased the covers from. I know the company was based in British Columbia and the covers arrived about 7-10 days from ordering them.
The one thing that did not fit was the head covers (to prevent whip lash for people). I just threw mine away. Good luck with the purchase. Terry

 

I've got GT covers.

But I've been lucky. No peeing or vomiting in the car. A few wet paws is all.

 

How hard are they to install? I hate the site. I just want ordinary seat covers no camo or logos.