Practical and Tested Dog Travel Accessories

Ariel and I both like travelling and outdoor activities. We have been on trips together frequently enough that I have developed a packing system and identified a list of dog travel accessories that make my life easy. No matter whether it’s packing for myself or for Ariel, I have 5 broad categories: clothes / wearables, eat & drink, sleep, play, and cleaning.

Clothes / Wearables

Rain Coat

I never pretend Ariel is a “human” and try to put clothes on her, with one exception, her rain coat. California doesn’t rain that much, but we still have wet days. Rain jacket helps a lot when Ariel has to release herself under the rain. I always bring it with me when we are on the road just in case. I’m not a fan of it because it only prevents the rain from the top. Ariel will still get wet on her belly and long legs. She needs quite a bit cleaning after getting indoors.

Name Tag

I consider Ariel’s collar as part of her “clothes”. In case she gets lost, it’s important to tag her ID on the collar when travelling. I hate the dangling sound of a traditional metal ID and recently found this cute silicone pet ID. I’m loving it! It’s well designed and made in Colorado. I even got a handwritten thank-you note from the seller in the package.

Harness

Ariel uses harnesses more often than collars because I found them more practical. When Ariel is leash on the collar and bends down to sniff, the leash usually will fall on the ground and trip Ariel when she comes back up. Using harness can avoid this issue as the leash can be locked on her back. There are lots of good options for harnesses. I like the PetSafe 3-in-1 Dog Harness the most. It’s simple, adjustable, good quality, and not too thick for summer use. However, I only like the harness of this product. The two-point leash and car control strap are hard to use.

Leash

A good leash is the no. 1 essential for any dog parent. I like non-extendable leashes that can be adjusted and tied around my waist. They offer better control and free up my hands. I’ve tried many brands over the past two years. LANNEY Hands Free Dog Leash is very practical and affordable. It also comes with a compact waist bag in which I can store my essentials on walks. My current favorite is ZeeDog‘s hands-free leash. It’s more lightweight, more versatile, and pettier. In addition to a hand and waist leash, it can also be used as a crossbody and tied to any objects.

East & Drink (Accessories Only)

Travel Bag with Food Bowls

I will not recommend dog food or treats because every dog has different preferences and digestive conditions. Instead, I would like to recommend some food and drink accessories. The Mobile Dog Gear travel bag is a life saver when travelling with Ariel. I can easily pack all Ariel’s stuff in this bag and throw it on my shoulder as a crossbody. I ordered the medium/large size. It’s super practical and comes with 1 big compartment for storage, 1 divider, 2 collapsible silicone bowls, and 2 15-cup food carriers. The food storage capacity is more than enough for a one-week getaway.

Water Bottle

Water bottle is another necessity, not only for travelling but also for daily activities. I have tried different types and each has some pros and cons. When Ariel was a puppy, MalsiPree Dog Water Bottle worked really well. I could release water and feed Ariel with one hand. Unused water can flow back to the bottle, avoiding wasting water. However, as Ariel got bigger, the drinking bowl as well as the capacity of this bottle became too small for her.

As a result, I upgraded to Asobu Stainless Steel Insulated Travel Bottle. It was very convenient because Ariel and I could drink from the same bottle. There’s a dog bowl attached to the bottom of this bottle. However, I realized I like warm water which Ariel refuses to drink, so it’s not realistic for us to share a bottle.

I ultimately went with the PupFlask Dog Water Bottle. Its drinking bowl is a leaf-shaped, foldable piece of silicone that is attached to the lid, wide enough for Ariel. It can also save water because unused water can flow back. The only downside is that the silicone serving as the drinking bowl will get wet after Ariel uses it. My bag will get a little wet if I immediately put the bottle back.

Sleep

Even when dog bed is provided at my hotel or Airbnb, I still prefer to bring Ariel’s own bed so that she is familiar with the scent and has less anxiety in a new environment. Her bed at home is too big to be brought on trips. So I bought a travel bed for her from Chuckit! I highly recommend it. It’s water-resistant and machine washable. It can be used as a cushion for car rides, a pillow, a blanket, or a bed. After I roll it up, it’s small enough to be packed in her travel bag mentioned above.

Play

Ariel doesn’t really play toys unless I play them with her. I still bring one or two her favorite toys when travelling to minimize anxiety. One will be a small stuffed animal for her to play indoors. Another will be a ball or a stick toy for outdoor exercises. If our activities involve lots of hiking, I prefer a stick toy because balls will roll around and get lost easily. In particular, I like this KONG Squeezz Stick Dog Toy because it’s lightweight, squeaky, and very durable.

Another necessity for hiking is a poop bag holder. Does any dog parent share the struggle that when your dog poops in the middle of a hike and you have to carry the poop bag in your hand all the way? Well, I have never needed to do that since I got the poop bag holder. It’s odorless and can be tied to anything such as your hiking bag or your dog’s harness. Ariel doesn’t mind carrying her own poop at all.

Cleaning

My cleaning supplies for myself are discussed in this blog about COVID travels. I’m not too particular about cleaning Ariel when we are travelling because we are mostly outdoors. But once we get back to our accommodation, I still give her a thorough wipe with Nature’s Miracle Deodorizing Bath Wipes. It’s my all time favorite because of the softness and effectiveness. The moist in the wipes is also long-lasting. If our trip is more than a week long, I also bring a comb to reduce her shedding, but she doesn’t like it regardless of the types of combs I tried.

In addition, I bring pet hair removers when travelling to keep myself and the living environment clean. For example, I leave a lint roller in my car to clean car seat. I also pack a travel-sized pet hair remover brush to clean my clothes and furniture. This brush is surprisingly effective. It can pull out hairs that are stuck in fabric. It’s also a breeze to clean the brush itself. I just need to dip it into the self-cleaning base a few times.