As an avid traveler, I hit the jackpot with my Boston Terrier, Bowie, because he seems to also have been bitten by the travel bug. He LOVES road trips. Because of this, Bowie has been to a total of 23 states. He has traveled cross-country with me from NYC all the way to Vegas and back, and down to Orlando, Florida from Upstate New York in the winter with me twice now. We have also taken weekend trips to places like Baltimore, Albany, Lake Placid, and more. Safe to say, I’ve become well aware of what essentials are required for traveling long-term in a car with a pup. Here’s my go-to list of everything I bring with me when I take a road trip with Bowie.
1. Earth Rated Poop Bags and Bag Container
Leave no trace is an important concept to carry with you when you travel. This applies to humans, and it definitely applies to dogs. Dogs poop outside, obviously, and it’s crucial to always pick up after them. While there are many poop bag brands out there, my favorite is Earth Rated because of their sustainable mission. Their bags are compostable, making the impact on planet earth just a little bit less. I highly recommend bringing more than you think you’ll need.
2. Zoop Health & Odor Grooming Towels
I have tried and tested many dog cleansing products over the years, and nothing has impressed me more than Zoop. Zoop has a spray bottle of Stain + Odor Eliminator, but aside from that, they have these Health + Odor grooming towels that come individually wrapped, and they are SO helpful before getting into a dog-friendly hotel, or even before getting in the car. One quick wipe down and you can assure your fur baby is as fresh as ever.
3. The Duty Mitt
If you’re out on a hike with your pup or even on a beach or anywhere where there’s rugged terrain, it’s safe to say your dog’s fur is going to get a little dirty. My Boston Terrier is short-haired, so I can’t even imagine those with huskies or labs or poodles. The Duty Mitt is perfect for these scenarios. They’re individually wrapped disposable wipes that fit on your hand. You simply put the “mitt” on and pet your pup, scratch his belly and behind his ears, and Duty Mitt will help clean them up. I used this after a dirt trail hike in Upstate New York and was equally disgusted and amazed by the color of the mitt after I wiped Bowie down. It picked up a lot of dirt and because of Duty Mitt, I knew I wasn’t getting that dirt in my car.
4. Geekey
This one is less dog-related, and more people-related, but definitely helpful on any road trip. My biggest fear when I travel with Bowie, especially if I’m the only human traveling, is that I might need some assistance and be unable to obtain it because I have an animal with me. For example, some places don’t let you go inside with a dog, some people might be afraid of dogs, etc. It just adds an extra layer of stress traveling with a pup (but several extra layers of reward, too!). Geekey is a multipurpose tool that can do anything from open boxes, open a bottle of beer (very important), act as a wire stripper and a wire bender, has a multi-head fit, and even acts as an open wrench. Keep it on your keychain and thank me later; I guarantee it will serve a purpose at some point on your road trip!
5. LAKA Cooler
Bowie is a spoiled brat and really only eats ground beef, frozen green beans (it’s his favorite snack), and sometimes even pasta and quinoa. What can I say, he’s a fancy boy. When traveling with him, this isn’t entirely impossible, but obviously, tougher to transport than canned non-perishable food. Luckily, there’s where LAKA Cooler comes in. I love LAKA Coolers because they come in various sizes, so you can get one that best meets your needs. I find traveling with the medium-sized one is best when I travel with Bowie. Better yet, they come in an array of colors and they’re cute AF. There’s even cupholders on top and a bottle opener attached.
6. Fresh Food & Non-Perishable Food
As mentioned above, Bowie eats primarily ground beef and frozen green beans. This means when traveling, I need to carry foods he likes, but I also need to be mindful that there’s a chance that food can get spoilt or go bad, and I need a plan B. Bringing both fresh food and non-perishable food is applicable to both humans and dogs. Non-perishable is a must; for myself, I bring canned chickpeas, dried pasta, granola bars, dried fruits, even powdered milk. For Bowie, this means canned dog food. His favorite is Merrick (he particularly loves the wing-a-ling flavor) and is one of the few canned foods he will eat, but since he does have a sensitive tummy, he sometimes just eats plain canned chicken.
7. STNKY Laundry Bag
Pros to traveling with dogs: they’re the best, better than humans, in fact. Cons to traveling with dogs: they stink. As much as we love our furry friends, it goes without saying that dogs are not the most hygienic creatures. If your doggy has any type of clothing (coats, sweaters, shoes, etc.) and dirties any towels or blankets, it can be tough to find laundry services when traveling. This means, your car might get stinky, but luckily, there’s a solution for that: STNKY Laundry Bags. STNKY Bags are designed specifically to keep the odor in, and while they’re also great for humans, they’re particularly helpful when traveling with pups. I would never leave without them; they’re one of my favorite things to bring on a dog-friendly road trip.
8. Dog Treats
It might seem obvious, but these can be easily forgotten and it’s a real bummer if that’s the case. Dog treats after long car rides are crucial. I’m fortunate that my dog is well-behaved in the car, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the zoomies and an excess amount of energy after we get to our destination after a long car ride. Same way sometimes human deserve potato chips and ice cream after a long day, doggos deserve bones, bully sticks, and more after a long car ride! In the case of dog treats when it comes to road trips, the more the merrier, I say.
- I usually travel with these vegan blueberry treats (Bowie LOVES them) and these non-raw hide sticks.
9. Toys That Don’t Squeak
There’s nothing Bowie loves more than a squeak toy, but unfortunately, I try to avoid bringing them when we travel because they cause extra noise which can potentially disrupt others. Of course, I’m not a monster and I don’t deprive him completely of toys. I always bring 5-10 toys on a trip, depending on the length. That way, if he gets sick of one, I have something to replace it with. I try to keep some of them hidden so it feels like he’s getting something new. I highly recommend bringing a ball so you can play fetch with your dog at some point (if your dog is into it!).
- I always travel with these balls, a durable toy like this, something textured like this (Bowie is a super aggressive chewer and this toy withstands his jaw!), and a giant ball like this.
10. An Extra Leash & Collar/Harness
I learned this one the hard way! I one time was traveling with Bowie, and the metal clip on his leash snapped. I was SOL because I did not have another leash on me (luckily, we were close to a PetSmart so I was able to buy one). The problem was, he had to wait in the car because I couldn’t bring him in the store without a leash. This taught me the valuable lesson to ALWAYS carry an extra leash and collar for that matter. It certainly cannot hurt to have on deck.
11. Foldable Water & Food Dishes
So long as your pup needs to eat and drink, they’ll need a vessel to eat out of. I love collapsable water and food dishes for road trips. I even take one on our walks with us in New York. The best ones are the ones that can clasp onto the leash.
12. Instant Coffee
This one is for the dog parents. I am addicted to caffeine, and it’s my worst nightmare to be on the road without access to coffee. I always carry Instant Coffee with me, even on my solo international trips. I first got turned onto Instant Coffee when I road-tripped through New Zealand, and let’s just say, I’m not a coffee aficiondo by any means, as long as I have caffeine, I’m a somewhat bearable human being.
13. Benadryl (With Veterinary Approval)
It would be awful to be somewhere far from home and have an incident happen with your dog. Doggos getting allergic reactions is a terrifying thing. One time, on a walk, Bowie got bit by something without making a flinch, and he had me fooled. When we got back to our apartment, his entire face was swollen. It was scary, and the vet recommended I give him a Benadryl immediately. This helped lessen the symptoms. If this is to happen when you’re not in your own hometown, aka with easy access to your regular vet, having Benadryl on hand can be really helpful! It also helps if your dog is nervous in the car.
- DISCLAIMER: Please consult with a vet before giving your dog Benadryl.
14. Coalatree Kachula Adventure Blanket
I once read on a blog post that people traveling with a dog should consider bringing a yoga mat, so your pup has somewhere to sit when outdoors. While this is not a horrible idea, car travel means you have to be mindful of your space. I’d highly suggest ditching the yoga mat and bringing Coalatree Kachula Adventure Blanket instead. Not only is it more compact (it can actually fold into itself and turn into a pillow), but you and your pup can BOTH sit on it with ample space for both of you. It serves several uses, like a picnic blanket, a car seat cover, and it even turns into a poncho! Oh, and it’s water-resistant.
15. Filtered Water
Something we all take for granted is access to clean water. It’s not always readily available in certain parts of the world (and the US). Avoid the issue altogether and travel with tons of filtered water. Every time I travel for a long distance with Bowie, I buy a plethora of 2-Liter jugs of Poland Springs, but any brand will do. To avoid having to lug them around, I order them on Amazon, and when the delivery person shows up, you can have them put it right in your car (especially if you offer them a cash tip!).
16. Refillable Water Bottles
This is the most obvious thing to bring on any trip, yet one that we sometimes forget to pack with us (no judgment here; it happens). Bring a refillable water bottle, not only on your road trips, but on all trips. It avoids plastic waste, and better yet, will remind you constantly to stay hydrated. This is particularly helpful when traveling with a doggo. If your dog is anything like Bowie, they can easily drink through liters of water a day, especially when traveling.
- This is my favorite refillable water bottle, because it tells you when to drink (great for you AND your pup).
17. Kurgo First-Aid Kit For Dogs & Cats
Just like humans, dogs are prone to accidents. As mentioned above, if your dog gets something like an allergic reaction, or even a minor (or major) cut/injury, having help on deck is essential. The Kurgo First-Aid Kit comes with an ice pack, tweezers, Q-tips, bandages, sting relief, a flashlight, an emergency blanket, and more, ensuring, even if you’re in the middle of nowhere, your dog will have some type of assistance if they get hurt.
18. AAA
I learned this one the hard way. Bowie and I took a cross-country road trip, and on a Sunday in rural Oklahoma (aka the Bible Belt of the US- so, on Sundays, everything is closed), I got a flat tire. To add insult to injury, it was raining out. I called every car company in the area and not a single one was open. From the comfort of my broken down vehicle, I signed up for AAA quickly, and immediately used it for assistance. It was around $150 for the entire year. A man showed up, said there was no salvaging my tire, and that I needed a replacement. He was able to call a tow truck, and they guided me to Latino Tires, the only place open near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The $150 annual membership covered the call, the assistance, and the tow. I just had to pay for a new tire which was only $90. I will never take a road trip without AAA again!
19. ID Tag
This should be obvious, but I’ll include it in case it’s not. Having a proper ID tag on your doggo at all times, not only on long road trips, is crucial. I always put Bowie’s name, my name, “New York, NY” (our hometown), and my cell phone number. You can easily print a dog tag at Petsmart, Petco, or any other major pet retailer for under $10. It’s also wise to put their vaccination tags on their collar.
20. Paw Balm
Bowie is a stubborn little brat and won’t wear dog shoes (though, I would recommend traveling with them, too), so I rely heavily on paw balm to keep his paws from cracking, especially in really dry climates. I am obsessed with both Paw Nectar and Burt’s Bees Paw and Nose Lotion. They don’t irritate him and they help keep his paws (and nose) in tip-top condition.
DISCLAIMER: I might make a small commission from some of the links throughout this article, but the price is the same for you. This helps keep my business running so I can continue to provide free travel tips!
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