The Best Dog Car Seat in Australia
The best dog car seats in Australia for small and medium dogs, safer and less messy trips, with prices checked at Amazon Australia.
By Laurence Deer
On this page
- The best dog car seats in Australia
- 1. Best for small dogs and easy storage: Kurgo Rover Booster Seat
- 2. Best budget dog car booster seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Booster Seat
- 3. Best for a cushioned, framed seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Quilted Dog Safety Seat
- 4. Best plush booster for dogs up to 18 kg: Gimars Reversible Dog Car Seat
- 5. Best wider booster for dogs up to 27 kg: Gimars Upgrade Dog Car Seat
- How we chose
- Dog car seat buying guide
- Related guides
Your dog needs somewhere to sit in the car, but buying the wrong size or a seat that’s awkward to remove creates another hassle. Our best dog car seat pick is the Kurgo Rover Booster Seat for small dogs: Australian specialist guides recommend its defined, elevated seating area, easy installation and collapsible design.
For a smaller dog and a tighter budget, choose the PetSafe Happy Ride Booster Seat. If you need to cover the rear-seat gap rather than give your dog a raised seat, a rear-seat extender is a different category worth considering.
The short answer
The best dog car seats in Australia
- Best for small dogs and easy storage: Kurgo Rover Booster Seat
- Best budget dog car booster seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Booster Seat
- Best for a cushioned, framed seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Quilted Dog Safety Seat
- Best plush booster for dogs up to 18 kg: Gimars Reversible Dog Car Seat
- Best wider booster for dogs up to 27 kg: Gimars Upgrade Dog Car Seat
| Product | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Kurgo Rover Dog Booster Seat (K01144) | from $79.98 at Amazon | $79.98 at Amazon |
 | PetSafe Happy Ride™ Booster Seat (62344) | from $61.16 at Amazon | $61.16 at Amazon |
 | PetSafe Happy Ride™ Quilted Dog Safety Seat (PTV17-16912) | from $109.98 at Amazon | $109.98 at Amazon |
 | Gimars Reversible Dog Car Seat with Long&Short Plush Seat Cushion for Small/Medi (GIM-RDCS-S-02B) | from $113.71 at Amazon | $113.71 at Amazon |
 | Gimars Upgrade Dog Car Seat with Reversible Long & Short Plush Seat Cushion for (GIM-RDCS-L01) | from $125.21 at Amazon | $125.21 at Amazon |
1. Best for small dogs and easy storage: Kurgo Rover Booster Seat
If the passenger seat needs to go back to carrying people after the dog’s trip, the Kurgo Rover makes sense. Its collapsible design lets you pack it away between outings, rather than leaving a dog seat permanently installed.
DogBoss and Pawtal recommend it for small dogs needing a defined, elevated seating area, with easy installation and collapsible storage. That gives us a stronger reason to put it first than sales popularity alone.
Kurgo lists a capacity of up to 13.6 kg and installation on bucket seats. Our take is that this is the sensible starting point if your dog fits and you want a seat you can remove regularly. If you need a bench-seat installation, the PetSafe models below have that in their specifications.
Pros
- Packs away between dog trips
- Removable liner makes routine washing easier
- Elevated seating area gives a small dog a defined place to sit
Cons
- Unsuitable for dogs over the listed 13.6 kg limit
- Buyers needing bench-seat installation should choose a model that lists it
Our verdict: Start with the Kurgo if you have a small dog, a suitable bucket seat and want to pack the seat away between trips. Its specialist recommendations put it ahead of the sales-rank-only picks.
- Amazon$79.98In stock · as of 31 Oct, 11:16amBuy at Amazon
Amazon price is accurate as of the time shown and can change. Other prices were checked on the retailer's site on the date shown.
2. Best budget dog car booster seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Booster Seat
For a small dog’s occasional outings, it’s hard to justify paying for a bigger seat than you need. The PetSafe Happy Ride Booster is the cheapest pick here, and its fold-flat design suits anyone who wants the car back to normal afterwards.
DogBoss recommends it as the best-value option for smaller dogs, citing its washable fleece liner and quick setup. PetSafe says the booster raises your dog for a window view; that’s the reason to choose this over a flat seat cover.
The listing is for the 5 kg version. Don’t stretch that to accommodate a growing puppy or a heavier dog, and check that your intended seat has headrests.
Pros
- Lowest purchase price among these five picks
- Flat storage suits a car used for both pets and passengers
- Washable fleece liner simplifies cleaning
Cons
- The listed 5 kg version rules out heavier dogs
- Installation requires headrests
Our verdict: This is our budget recommendation for a dog that fits the 5 kg version. If your puppy is still growing, consider whether you’ll soon need a larger seat.
- Amazon$61.16In stock · as of 31 Oct, 11:16amBuy at Amazon
Amazon price is accurate as of the time shown and can change. Other prices were checked on the retailer's site on the date shown.
3. Best for a cushioned, framed seat: PetSafe Happy Ride Quilted Dog Safety Seat
If you want your dog to have a cushioned place to settle, consider the PetSafe Quilted Safety Seat. The quilted liner and pillow are the reason to spend more than you would on the basic Happy Ride Booster.
DogBoss recommends it as a luxury choice for sturdy construction, cushioned comfort and easy cleaning. We’d choose it for those priorities rather than pay extra expecting a proven safety advantage.
PetSafe specifies support for dogs up to 14 kg. But weight alone won’t tell you whether your dog fits comfortably: check the interior measurements in the box above. PetSafe also recommends its Happy Ride Safety Harness for maximum safety, and that’s sold separately.
Pros
- Pillow and quilted liner provide a cushioned resting area
- Tool-free frame assembly reduces setup work
- Removable cover avoids washing the whole seat
Cons
- Costs more than both the Kurgo and basic PetSafe booster
- PetSafe’s recommended safety harness adds a separate purchase
Our verdict: Choose the quilted PetSafe if cushioning and a framed seat matter more than the lowest price. Allow for the separate harness and check the interior fit before ordering.
- Amazon$109.98In stock · as of 31 Oct, 11:16amBuy at Amazon
Amazon price is accurate as of the time shown and can change. Other prices were checked on the retailer's site on the date shown.
4. Best plush booster for dogs up to 18 kg: Gimars Reversible Dog Car Seat
A small framed booster may not be the shape you want for your dog. The Gimars Reversible Seat offers a plush, bed-style alternative, with a 15 cm cushion that Gimars says provides a clearer window view.
Its 48 × 48 cm size and recommended limit of 18 kg give you two checks to make before buying. Our take is to measure your dog’s resting space first; being below the weight limit doesn’t guarantee a comfortable fit.
It was ranked number 1 in Dog Booster & Car Seats on Amazon Australia when we checked. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check, so its place here rests on sales rank and the listed design, rather than owner scores. It also costs more than all three specialist-recommended seats above.
Pros
- Reversible cushion gives you a choice of plush surfaces
- Detachable, washable design makes cleaning more manageable
- Listed portable-lounger use adds a role beyond car trips
Cons
- Higher price than the Kurgo and both PetSafe picks
- Dogs over the recommended 18 kg limit need another choice
Our verdict: Buy this if you specifically want a plush booster and your dog fits its footprint. We’d still choose the Kurgo first for a small dog needing a collapsible seat.
- Amazon$113.71In stock · as of 31 Oct, 11:16amBuy at Amazon
Amazon price is accurate as of the time shown and can change. Other prices were checked on the retailer's site on the date shown.
5. Best wider booster for dogs up to 27 kg: Gimars Upgrade Dog Car Seat
When your dog needs more room to lie down, the Gimars Upgrade Seat is the wider of the two Gimars boosters here. Its 76 × 48.8 cm footprint is the reason to move up, provided your car has room for it.
Gimars recommends it for pets up to 27 kg. We’d choose this over the smaller Gimars for the extra resting space, but it’s the dearest pick in this guide. Don’t pay for the larger size unless your dog needs it.
This listing was ranked number 1 in Dog Booster & Car Seats on Amazon Australia when we checked. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check.
Pros
- Wider resting area than the smaller Gimars booster
- Reversible plush cushion lets you change the resting surface
- Washable components help with ongoing cleaning
Cons
- Highest purchase price of these five picks
- Its 76 cm width needs checking against available car-seat space
Our verdict: Choose the larger Gimars when the smaller boosters don’t give your dog enough room and the dimensions suit your car. For a smaller dog, the extra cost is hard to justify.
- Amazon$125.21In stock · as of 31 Oct, 11:16amBuy at Amazon
Amazon price is accurate as of the time shown and can change. Other prices were checked on the retailer's site on the date shown.
How we chose
These reviews are based on owner ratings where available, maker specifications, independent recommendations, and price and stock checks. No independent owner ratings were available for these five picks at the retailers we check. Independently recommended products come first, ordered by their fit, features and price, followed by products selected on Amazon Australia sales rank and practical needs.
All five were in stock at Amazon Australia, the only retailer shown stocking them in the supplied data. Check the warranty and returns terms before ordering.
Dog car seat buying guide
If your dog needs a raised seat
Start with a booster rather than a rear-seat cover. For a smaller dog, the basic PetSafe is our budget choice; the Kurgo is our first recommendation when collapsible storage matters. Check both the listed weight limit and the space your dog needs to sit or lie down.
If your dog needs more resting room
Measure before spending more. The two Gimars seats have different footprints, so choose by your dog’s fit and the room available in your car. A larger seat is wasted money if it crowds the car without helping your dog.
If you need to cover the rear-seat gap
A hard-bottom rear-seat extender is an alternative to a dog car seat or booster. The FANACAN and CHANCCI listings describe platforms that bridge the footwell or gap between seats, rather than a defined, elevated booster seat.
For passenger sharing, FANACAN lists a half-folding deck and accessible seat-belt openings. CHANCCI lists conversions including a bench cover, hammock and cargo liner. Choose this category when extending or covering the rear-seat area is the job you need done.
A platform’s claimed load capacity is a figure for its structure, not a recommended dog weight or proof of crash protection.
If cleaning is the job you dread
Choose removable, washable parts rather than judging by how tidy the product photo looks. Follow the care instructions for each component separately. A waterproof exterior doesn’t tell you how every part should be washed.
If safety is your main concern
The supplied specifications don’t include crash-test results for any pick, so we can’t name the safest dog car seat. Included tethers, structural load claims and “safety” in a product name don’t establish that ranking.
Check the maker’s installation and restraint requirements before purchasing. PetSafe’s quilted seat, for example, comes with a tether but recommends a separately sold harness for maximum safety.