Traveling with Your Dog? Pack These Essential Items for Your Next Trip

Dining out with your pup? Kurgo’s “Collaps a Bowl” keeps your pet fed and watered. (Photo: Courtesy of Kurgo)

Your four-legged family member deserves a vacation, too. After all, she brings you back to happy when you get home from a long day of work and errands. Such is life. (Sigh.) Until you see your pooch and all is well, right?

Well, there’s good news, pup lovers. Heading out on the road — or up in the air — with your furry tyke doesn’t require much gear. Whether your dog’s style leans toward basic or fancy (those poodles!), pups are generally easy to pack for. Here is some of the best go-to gear for dogs-on-the-go.

But first, a pro tip: When flying, don’t schlep heavy dog food with you. Order a small bag online and have it delivered to your destination. Nice idea, right?

Heavenly Dog Bed

Westin Hotels & Resorts reinvented the way travelers sleep with its Heavenly Bed. Now your four-legged friend can slumber in style with the plush Heavenly Dog Bed. It’s every bit as luxurious, featuring grey Westin embroidered branding and signature piping. Measuring 30″ x 30″ x 5,” it’s perfect for small- and mid-size dogs, and easy to clean since it can be thrown in the wash. It’s perfect for your next road trip or will look great in any room at home.

Eating Out

Kurgo’s “Collaps a Bowl” measures an inch thick once, as the name suggests, you collapse it by pushing the food-grade silicone down into itself. It’s like those collapsible cups you loved as a kid. Remember? But the good news is that unlike the cups of your childhood, which always left you thirsty and covered in whatever you were drinking, Kurgo’s product won’t fall flat mid-use.

Carry On (Your Little Cutie)

If your wee one is teeny enough to carry onto the plane (check your airline of choice for weight restrictions), this is the bag you’ll want for the job. Sleepypod Air’s design makes it easy to reduce the bag size to fit the size restrictions of your airline of choice.

Not loyal to one airline or even to air travel at all? This is definitely the carrier for you. The bag also straps into a car seatbelt to keep your pup safe on the road. The color choices are pretty sweet, too.

Easy Feeder

Don’t risk another plastic bag full of kibble bursting in the back of your car. Instead, load up to 42 cups of FiFi’s favorite food into the Ruffwear Kibble Kaddie. The top locks securely to keep your hungry mutt from diving in for an extra helping. A food chute opens on the side to make for easy serving.

Keep Calm

If your pup gets a bit nervous (or you’re not sure and want to avoid any issues), dress him in a Thundershirt for your trip. The snug vest gives dogs a never-ending hug proven to keep them calm. OK, most of them

Just One Toy

There’s no reason to pack 47 different dog toys for the trip. The Tizzi Dog Toy, which looks like a pair of frog’s legs, is the perfect companion for tug of war, fetch or just some serious chewing. The company, West Paw Design, stands behind their product, offering a one-time replacement if Beau chews through it.

Satisfy Thirst

Don’t go searching around for your dog’s water bowl. Instead, the OllyBottle features a bowl that snaps onto its one-liter water bottle. So there’s no need to tote separate water bottles for you and your dog. Pour some into the bowl for him and then you can just drink straight from the bottle.