Ruff Liners is a small company that makes heavy-duty dog seat covers for cars and trucks. Founded in 2021 by Brandon Hall Himmel and based in Houston, Texas, the business specializes in expansive backseat covers that protect vehicle interiors from pet-related messes. Himmel started Ruff Liners after facing a simple but frustrating problem as a dog owner – his Labrador retriever, Sadie, would return from outdoor adventures soaking wet and muddy, wreaking havoc on the back seat of his brand-new truck. When he realized no existing seat cover fully kept the dirt, water, and scratches off his truck’s seats and doors, he decided to design a better solution himself. What began as a personal fix has grown into a pet product venture with a line of premium car seat covers and accessories.
Brandon Himmel’s inspiration came from life with his dog. An avid camper, Himmel often took Sadie on trips, only to find that there was no way to protect the backseat of his truck from the mess. Standard pet seat covers didn’t cover everything – muddy paw prints still hit the floor or doors, and water soaked through to the upholstery. Himmel grew frustrated and saw a gap in the market. He spent months researching materials and designing his own cover. By September 2021, after testing his prototype, Himmel officially founded Ruff Liners. He left a stable engineering career to focus on the new venture full time.
Brandon Hall Himmel served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an intelligence analyst. He later worked at SAIC and Blackwater USA. Himmel earned a physics degree from San Diego State University in 2014, then joined ASML as an engineer. By 2021, he pivoted from engineering to entrepreneurship. He applied his technical background to develop Ruff Liners and holds a U.S. patent for his seat cover design. As the sole founder, Himmel runs a lean operation classified as a micro business on Amazon.
Ruff Liners’ main product is a dog car seat cover that provides full coverage of the backseat area, including the floor and door panels. It creates a protective “dog hammock” that shields every surface from mud, fur, and scratches.
- Door-to-Door Protection: Covers the interior side of the doors. Plastic window inserts hold protective panels in place without interfering with opening or closing.
- Split-Seat and Console Access: Designed to fit fold-up rear seats and allows access to the center console without removing the cover.
- Secure Fit: Anchor straps and sturdy buckles keep the cover taut and fixed in position.
- Durable Materials: Made from Oxford fabric with a polyester ripstop layer. The cover is waterproof, scratch-resistant, padded, and machine washable.
- Pet Comfort: The cover creates a flat, bed-like platform. A “hard bottom extender” fills the floor area, giving dogs more room to stretch out.
Ruff Liners also sells collapsible travel dog bowls and replacement window inserts.
Growth and Milestones
- September 2021: Company founded. Himmel filed for the “RUFF LINERS” trademark.
- 2022: Product design refined and early production began. Website launched.
- 2023: Ruff Liners expanded to Amazon. Weekly sales quadrupled by late 2023.
- September 2024: Himmel represented the brand at Amazon Accelerate 2024. Ruff Liners expanded product sizing options and boosted social media outreach.
- March 2025: Launched the XL Floor Cover for crew cab trucks.
- April 2025: Appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, Season 16, Episode 19.
Ruff Liners targets dog owners with higher-end vehicle protection needs. Products are priced above standard covers and marketed on durability and design. The company operates fully online through its website and Amazon. Reviews, influencer partnerships, and social media content have helped grow brand awareness. Product development and improvement rely heavily on customer feedback. Ruff Liners iterates features based on buyer suggestions, such as improved clips, zippers, and add-ons like the XL floor cover. Himmel oversees production and inventory logistics, working with suppliers and managing distribution through Amazon and third-party warehouses.
Ruff Liners has grown from a personal DIY solution to a recognized pet gear brand. They report tens of thousands of happy customers. With new exposure from Shark Tank and an expanding product line, the company is focused on scaling production, improving operations, and continuing to solve practical problems for dog owners on the go.
