Dogs always enjoy spending time with their owner. And it is even more exciting for your little friend to enjoy an “adventurous” road trip with you, no matter how long the distance is.
However, it has never been easy for us to travel with these adorable furry companions as their needs are different from ours, and their behaviors can sometimes change dramatically.
Hence, this post will give you advice and details about the necessary accessories for a wonderful trip with your dog. In the next section, I will first list some vital equipment such as dog car harness, dog crate, first-aid kit, etc.
Dog Travel Necessities – Never Travel Without Them
You all need to be well-prepared before starting a short trip near your hometown or planning on a long one with your beloved dog. One of the most important missions is to prepare several vital dog travel accessories properly.
More specifically, you can’t completely prevent unfortunate incidents all the time, as there might be car accidents, flat tires, or sudden weather changes, etc. In this case, dog travel accessories would help protect or minimize the injuries to the pet.
Let’s see which necessary accessories can meet your dog’s needs.
1. Organizer
Too many pieces of stuff stay in the car will cause a clutter situation, and this will negatively affect you and your dog physically and mentally. To be more specific, you and the dog would feel suffocated and uncomfortable due to the lack of space. To avoid this situation, an organizer on the car back seat would be the best solution.
Brands offer different sizes and shape organizers, allowing you to choose the suitable ones to meet your needs easily. My advice is to choose models with many pockets which can maintain a lot of stuff inside the car.
2. Dog Car Harness
Dogs are our best friends and ideal companions for road trips, but there will be times when they can not stay calm while you are driving. Besides, they are also just as vulnerable as humans when a car accident happens.
Thus, your dogs need a seatbelt, which will prevent them from jumping around while driving or running away after opening the car door. This tool can also protect them from getting injuries when there is an accident.
Before choosing a suitable car harness, you need to consider several features besides the price:
Crash-tested
Based on the Consumer Reports (a famous non-profit organization for product testing and consumer awareness), not all harness products on the market are good enough to obtain crash-testing certificates.
Size
The perfect harness needs to fit your dog’s size. Make sure to measure your buddy’s length, neck, and chest carefully.
Design And Comfort
To ensure your companion’s mood during trips, pick a harness with durable material, stable stitching, and a padded chest plate to deter chafing feelings.
3. Dog Crate for Car
Dog crates (or dog carriers) offer an enclosed and secure space for your dog to travel comfortably. These crates are different from household ones.
Travel crates offer high-quality shielding with high durability and security. They can protect your little friend during your trip plan.
Now I will guide you on how to choose the best dog crate for traveling based on some of the most common factors:
Size: The space has to be big enough for your pal to comfortably stand, sit, lie down, and ensure their safety. My advice is that the crate’s size should not be longer than your dog’s body length by more than six inches.
Safety: The crate needs to be sturdy, and it is important to make sure that nothing can destroy the shape. A reliable and durable crate can endure as much damage as possible. Therefore, the crate should be capable of protecting your pet from external dangers.
Quick Set-Up: Your pet’s little space needs to be easy for you to store, assemble and use.
Last but not least, I recommend you choose dog travel crates with approval from the Center for Pet Safety to provide your friend with a high-quality shield.
4. Pet First-Aid Kit
You will grab this tool first if your dog gets hurt physically. A complete first-aid kit will be the perfect assistant for you when taking care of the furry pals.
To make sure your pet first-aid kit is suitable for outdoor and traveling usage, pick the portable, lightweight, and durable one so that the kit can stay in its original form regardless of different conditions.
Some basic features for a kit include an easy-to-understand manual, full of essential equipment (scissors, sutures, etc.), and high-quality bandages. Make sure veterinarians approved the model of the kit you chose for your little pal.
As manufacturers build them to be travel-friendly and serve under unstable conditions, these products come with perfect durability. Moreover, some of them have a very useful LED light for the night, while others have water-proof material, compact designs, and are lightweight.
Up next, I’m going to give you some amazingly beneficial tips for friendly-budget travels with your dog.
Extra Tips For Traveling With Dogs
1. Available Treats and Food
Traveling changes your little companion’s biological clock.
Give your beloved pet rewards for their good behavior to keep them happy and excited during the trip.
Hence, you should prepare food and treats before starting your journey, as this will help save your money for other emergencies, unexpected events, and recreation activities.
The most suitable choice is dehydrated food. In detail, this type of food can save more space in your car and keeps your pet hydrated when you mix it with water.
2. Extra Leash
Leash is very crucial for people having dogs, as your dogs may not keep calm as there are many exciting things around them. Thus, carrying an extra leash will be a good contingency plan for a wonderful travel trip.
3. Odour Eliminator
Travelling can make your pal have a bad body odor, one of the most headache issues for people traveling with pets. Let me tell you some awesome ways to solve this problem.
First of all, the easiest solution is taking the dog’s shampoo along. Remember to prepare enough shampoo throughout the trip. But if you or don’t want to bring it or forgot about this stuff, here are other space-saving and low-cost materials for you:
Baking soda: A bowl of baking soda can absorb the smell in your car. Place it inside the car overnight. If the smell is too strong, keep doing this for several nights.
Vodka/White vinegar: Mix one of these with water, then spray into the air inside. When it dries out, the alcohol will take all the terrible odors away.
Old blanket: Prepare some old blankets and cover them on your seats. These blankets will play a role as a protector for your car seats, as they can trap the fur, odors, and dirt. You can quickly replace, wash, or even throw them away.
Final Thoughts
Being well-prepared can make a huge difference for your road trip with your dog. Before any trip, ensure you have all the dog travel essentials, including dog car harness, dog crate for car, dog first aid kit, and other materials for some special situations.
Of course, there are still many other necessary travel products for dogs. If you have experiences and opinions when using them, please share them with us by leaving comments.
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Kathy is the chief editor of The Safety Restraint Coalition, a leading site on the topic of child restraint systems. She is a busy mother of two and a CPS technician for more than eight years. Her mission is to awaken parents to the importance of child passenger safety and show them the right practice.