Packing List: The Best Travel Gear and Tips For You and Your Dog
Recently on Instagram we asked you about the travel products YOU love that make trips easier and more enjoyable with your dogs. Once again we were blown away by your responses, and decided to turn them into an easy to reference guide. We will keep adding to this list as we get more great recommendations from YOU, the amazing pet parents and pro-trainers in our TOC Family! PS: One of the easiest ways to be sustainable is to buy less. With that in mind, we compile these lists to try to help you find quality products so you don't have to keep buying things. Just because it is on this list doesn't necessarily mean you need it to travel with your dog. Please feel free to also check around for used versions of these products! [Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning TOC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you.]
Navigate to Where You Want to Go
What To Prep Before Your Trip
Make a Packing List
From @gingers_naps:“Ginger has her own packing list so I don’t forget anything 😅. Before we go, I look for dog-friendly locations near where we’re staying, walking trails, restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating, etc.”
2. Plan Your Potty Break/Enrichment Stops Ahead of Time
From @elphapupper: “ … we always try to stop every few hours and get in a leg stretch - which means we often go off the highway rather than a highway rest stop. We’ve found some really pretty parks and hikes by going slightly off track.”
3. Plan the amount of food and medication you neeD + Pack Extras
From @soelsoprano :”…I now always travel with an extra day supply of kibble because I have lost luggage and all his kibble for the trip was in my checked bag and it was just stressful to have to immediately find a pet store.”
4. Research vets nearby
From @keeping.up.with.flynn: “ … aware of where your nearest vet might be - dependent on where you are it’s multiple hours away.”
What to Pack
Collapsible dishes
From @zeldaandaaron: “When staying at b&bs or hotels I always make sure to bring … their foldable bowls (always with me) … ” Note: TOC found this collapsible bowl on GSI Outdoors.
2. first aid kit
3. travel water bottle
From @owenthelobo: ”We only do road trips with Owen, so luckily we get to pack more for him than if we were to have to fly. For sure packs: … doggy water bottle.” Note: TOC found this water bottle on Amazon.
4. extra leash
From @dachshund_nola: “ … Extra leash … - you never know 😅😂” Note: TOC found this long line on High Tail Hikes and you can use code TAILSOFCONNECTION for 10% off on all products!
5. toys
6. LED Collars
From @steelandflorawellness: “I don’t leave home without the LED collars or harnesses, because we often arrive after dark.” Note: TOC found this LED collar on Amazon.
7. enrichment toy
From @boba.the.sustainable.mutt: ”An enrichment toy or two that work easily with kibble. I like bringing two different sized toppls because they can work together as a food dispenser, or separately. Alternatively, we bring our snoop.”
8. old plastic peanut butter jar for treats
From @boba.the.sustainable.mutt: “I also tend to bring an old plastic PB jar filled with extra [treats] so I can refill as needed, and have easy access to a treat jar wherever we’re staying.” Note: Make sure you use a peanut butter jar that doesn’t contain xylitol that is toxic to dogs.
9. dog bed
From @frankie.p.pittie:“We only car travel. Her normal favorite bed is a must.” Note: TOC found this bed on the Houndry site. Before you put your dog on their bed in the car, we encourage you to research what is safe for you and your dog in your particular vehicle. This post has some good advice.
10. blanket
From @elphapupper:“We have done a few weeks long car travel trips and there are some things that I just *always* keep in the car so I don’t have to worry about packing … blankets …” Note: TOC found this blanket on Amazon.
11. towels
From @captmorgan_10:”We also bring the quick-dry towels that roll up small.” Note: TOC found this towel on Amazon.
12. paw wipes
From @captmorgan_10: “We also bring the quick-dry towels that roll up small, his paw wipes …” Note: TOC found these wipes on Amazon.
13. shampoo
From @stanleysthoughts: “We always bring shampoo with us in case Stanley needs a random butt bath or paw bath before reentering the place where we’re staying or even getting back in the car.” Note: TOC found this shampoo on Amazon.
14. lickimat
From @jessyergin : “We always bring a lickimat with us and it’s come in handing during quick paw baths."
15. snuffle mat
From @owenthelobo: “We only do road trips with Owen, so luckily we get to pack more for him than if we were to have to fly. For sure packs: … a snuffle mat …“ Note: TOC found this snuffle mat on Etsy.
16. Lint brush
From @steelandflorawellness: “I travel a lot with the dogs! … I keep a … lint brush … in the car. Note: TOC found this lint brush on Amazon.
17. extra high value treats
18. toothpaste and toothbrush
19. DIY scratchboard
From @owenthelobo: “… I also bring a homemade scratch board for easy training and nail maintenance, plus grooming scissors in case I need to cut some hair out for whatever reason …” Note: TOC published the article below on how to make a DIY scratchboard.
20. Ruffwear food caddy Bag
From @steelandflorawellness: “… Oh and the Ruffwear food caddy bag, it seems dumb to spend money on but it keeps the food stink off the rest of my stuff better even than double ziplock.”
21. Muzzle
From @keeping.up.with.flynn: “… muzzle incase of emergency’s - increased bite risk if they are in pain …” Note: TOC found this muzzle on Amazon.
22. cardboard
From @frankie.p.pittie: “ … cardboard for chewing” Note: TOC found these plain cardboard moving boxes on Amazon, but if you buy one of the other products on our list from Amazon (or if you already have cardboard at home), you can just use that free packaging etc. for for enrichment.
23. Fanny Pack
From @boba.the.sustainable.mutt“ … We always carry a fanny pack with treats (as well as extra poop bags & a collapsible water bowl) … ” Note: TOC found this fanny pack on Amazon.
24. Extra Collar
From @dachshund_nola: “- Extra … collar - you never know 😅😂.” Note: TOC found these biothane collars on Mossy Pawz’s site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Pet POC Diretory here.
For the Car
CAR Hammock
From @blissdogs831:Walking groups of dogs, I feel like I’ve tried every kind of seat cover and destroyed them all. 😂this is by FAR the best one, on Amazon: “Plush Paws Products Premium Rear Car Seat Protector w/Hammock.”
2. Seatbelt harness
From @blissdogs831: “I have a small senior dog so in addition to the many great ideas above, we always bring & use his Kurgo seatbelt attachment and a back-clip harness … ”
3. Ramp
From @theotheramyprice: “If you have a Great Pyr or similar breed, consider a ramp for the car. I think we could have avoided issues if we had one when we traveled. Also, be aware that a lot of rental places have very slippery floors (easier to clean, I guess?) That can be a challenge for some pups. :)” Note: TOC found this ramp on Amazon.
4. car crate
From @luna.in_the.city: “Love this! We have been traveling with Luna since she was 6 months. We do MA-FL car travel twice a year and she's a champ. We do set her up for success by: bringing her crate along with us …” Note: TOC found this crash tested crate on Gunner’s website.
5. Roadside Emergency kit
From @elphapupper:” … car emergency kit (which has things like jumper cables, flares, etc. in case we are stalled or stopped on the side of the road).” Note: TOC found this kit on Amazon.
6. snooza travel bed
From @pretendyelling: “So we have tried a couple of car seats with bolsters for her to steady herself against, the best being the Snooza travel bed. We chose the medium size so that she can lie properly on her side rather than being curled up, which must be uncomfortable on long trips. It's designed so you can bring either the whole bed or just the cushion insert out of the car and use as a bed at the destination which is handy …” Note: TOC found this bed on the Snooza site. Before you put your dog on their bed in the car, we encourage you to research what is safe for you and your dog in your particular vehicle.
7. back seat extender platform
From @steelandflorawellness: “I have a back seat extender platform from Amazon …” Note: TOC found this back seat extender on the Amazon site. Before you put your dog on an extender in the car, we encourage you to research what is safe for you and your dog in your particular vehicle.
8.Sleepy Pod Harness
9. trash bag for motion sickness
From @the_marvelous_ms_mavi: “I also make sure we have … a trash bag in case of motion sickness.” Note: TOC found these trash bags on Amazon.
10. enzymatic cleaner
From @the_marvelous_ms_mavi: “I also make sure we have enzymatic cleaner …” Note: TOC found this cleaner on Amazon.
11. cooler with frozen kongs or chews
From @kitstagram_awoo: “ … We bring a cooler with frozen kongs and chews (as well as her crate from the car) to help her get through it!”
For the Plane/Airport
Carrier
From @soelsoprano:“I fly often with my little one (in the cabin with me), and we do training with his carrier about a month before any flight. Small sessions, I basically start as if it’s the first time (though he seems to know the drill now). It helps so much for him to be comfortable going in and out while we are at the airport.” Note: TOC found this carrier on Amazon.
2. Potty clean up kit for the airport
From @soelsoprano: “My dog also refuses to use dog relief stations at airports, so I have a little potty clean up “kit” (lots of paper towels, dog friendly disinfectant wipes, and keeping him on non carpeted areas if I think he might pee).” Note: TOC found this travel urine stain and odor remover on Walmart’s website.
3. Extra Food
From @myhelpfulcloud: ”I’ve had trips where my dog gets his own suitcase and trips where he gets a ziploc baggie full of kibble and that’s it 😂. It really depends on where we’re going but I HATE to overpack … ”
4. Toy to play with
From @soelsoprano: “I always bring a toy he can chase (a ball, chew toy, rope toy) because we have to get to the airport so early, I like to give him some play time.” Note: TOC found this toy on Amazon.
5. Treats and chews that are tummy-safe
From @myhelpfulcloud: “For any type of travel, do NOT give your dog new treats. Make sure any treats or chews your dog has are already demonstrated to be tummy-safe. The plane, car, train etc. is the worst place to find out your dog doesn’t tolerate something. And I like to keep the no new treats rule for the entire trip, just for safety.” Note: TOC found these treats on Amazon.
6. Stasher Bag for Food
From @otis_unleashed: “Stasher bags for the plane. They are great silicone bags that you could stash your extra food in.”
For Your Home Away From Home
1.Grooming kit
From @myhelpfulcloud:” … a small grooming kit so I can keep him looking nice on the trip.” Note: TOC found this brush on Amazon but you can assemble your own small grooming kit with products that you might already have at home!
2. X-pen or baby gate
From @owenthelobo: “I have a Regalo wooden baby gate from target that is really easy to pack. It’s not the most sturdy so I’d only recommend for dogs that’s are visually deterred when they see a barrier rather than an escape artist 😂 the X-pen is the you & me brand from Petco and it is much less easy to pack since it’s so heavy, so I’d only bring it if I’m really unsure what the layout of the house is and if I want to block large spaces rather than just one room.”
3. Travel Crate
From @c_healy21: “I always travel with a travel crate … It’s the EliteField 3 door soft folding crate on Amazon. I have the 42” and the 36”. They are so light and easy to carry!”
4. Rain jacket
From @blissdogs831: “I have a small senior dog so in addition to the many great ideas above, we always bring & use his … sweater & rain jacket.” Note: TOC found this rain jacket on Amazon.
5. ULLERSLEV from Ikea as a bed
From @pretendyelling: “ … though she just sleeps on a rug on our bed when we travel) ... it's ULLERSLEV from Ikea 😁”
6. White noise machine
From @luna.in_the.city: ”Love this! We have been traveling with Luna since she was 6 months. We do MA-FL car travel twice a year and she's a champ. We do set her up for success by: bringing … her white noise machine, and a few toys.”
7. Human headlamP
From @boba.the.sustainable.mutt: “ … I wear a @petzl_official Tikka headlamp (once this one kicks the bucket I’ll probably invest in one of their rechargeable options).”
