10 Pet Travel Essentials to Make Life Easier

Traveling with your pets can sometimes be an unexpected challenge. Here are our top 10 picks to make your miles on the road a whole lot better.

Whether you’re taking to the open road on an extended road trip, gearing up for a weekend camping adventure, or rolling through a vacation resort town, there’s always one necessary (but less than exciting) task to complete first: packing!

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Chances are, you’ve got a little experience packing for yourself, but what about your four-legged travel companions? I’ve tried to throw a leash and a bowl in the car and call my crazy canine; she ate the leash mid-trip 😒. Since then I’ve taken more precautions when it comes to traveling with my dog.

So, with my mistakes as our lesson, we’ve created a list of packing essentials for pet travel. From safety to convenience, all the way down to ingenious gadgets that make traveling with animals easier, here are our recommended pet-packing travel items.

There’s nothing worse than forgetting pet food, poop bags, or a leash to throw off your travel plans.

Alas, the pet travel packing list here 👉 will get you the basic necessities that you’ll need when taking Fido with you on road trips.

>>Download Pet Pack List<<

This pet essentials packing list will take care of the basics, but if you’re looking for some pet gear that will make traveling even easier, then continue on to our pet travel gadgets below!

Animal Luggage Kit

The right luggage keeps your packing list organized, easier to access, and, in general, makes a huge difference in your travel experience. Furry friends have things too, so pet luggage makes it easier to keep your pet’s things together while traveling.

Features:

Included travel food & water bowls.
2 leak-proof pet food containers
Organized pockets and zipper containers
Generous storage space

Doggie Car Seat

Hear me out: I thought dog car seats were a ridiculous idea. Until I was driving down the interstate in an unfamiliar busy city, and my hyper pooch wanted in the driver’s seat.

That’s actually when we stopped and used her leash (which she ate) to tie her into the car’s seat belt. For her safety and ours, we realized she needs a dog car seat.

I like this one because it has hooks that utilize the car’s seat belt system to secure the box. It also has a scoop in the box that allows my dog to still see the action and adventure of the road. There’s also an additional safety belt that can be attached to a pet vest in case of sudden stopping or an accident.

Pet Safety Harness

If your pup is too large for a little box, then a car seat may not be practical (especially if other passengers are sharing the back seat). That’s okay. You can still keep your pet contained and safe with a vehicle safety harness vest.

Features:

A universal system is usable in most vehicles
Broad chest coverage vs. hooking to a collar
Available up to XXL for those horse-sized pups

Collapsible Kennel

Full disclosure: my dog would have this chewed up in a minute, so if you have a chewer, I do not recommend a soft kennel. However, my mom has a more mild-mannered pooch (who is also a champion traveler), and this thing comes in handy for her all of the time! It’s especially great for ensuring that unfamiliar pets stay separated when direct supervision isn’t possible.

Things we like:

Removable, washable pet bedding
Doubles as a car seat with safety straps
Folds flat for easy travel

Full Disclosure:

It’s not very sturdy and is easily chewed

All-in-One Food, Water, & Baggies

Stopping can already be a pain during a road trip. When you’re trying to wrangle kids, get gas and snacks, and get back on the road, you need things to go as smoothly as possible.

I now consider this gadget a pet travel essential. It’s one tool to take care of three separate essential tasks.

This travel water bottle has a built-in drinking spout, food storage container, and replaceable waste bags when the doggie has to go while you’re on the go.

We love that it’s one grab-and-run item to take care of the whole potty break experience.

Camping Tie-Out Cable

If you have an adventurous dog, then it only makes sense that they’d want to go camping with you. While a leash is a no-brainer, it’s not practical to have your dog tied directly to you for the entire stay.

In that case, a tie-out cable can help give you and your dog more freedom. This one secures to two trees or posts to give your dog more room to run without the problem of getting tangled up.

This system features:

50 ft of heavy-duty cable
For dogs up to 200lbs
Easy-to-use carabiner system

Backseat Protector

While I enjoy traveling with my dog, there are certain activities that we partake in that can really wreak havoc on my car’s interior.

Lake day, anyone? The wet dog equals a wet back seat, which can equal a lasting unpleasant odorous memory.

Stay ahead of that curve with backseat protectors.

This one has zip-up sides for a fully encapsulated seat protection situation.

It’s fully waterproof and easy to clean, and you can use it in the backseat or even in the storage portion of your vehicle.

Travel Food Storage & Bowls

Remember that pet luggage you picked up? I can’t tell you how much more convenient it is to have a designated travel pet food bowl (and storage bag). I’ve used ziplock bags before. They inevitably break and spill.

This system fits neatly into a bag and can even be rolled up when it’s not holding travel pet food. The bowls are collapsible, waterproof, and easy to clean and store when not in use too. Their durable material also makes them ideal for camping and hiking.

Poop Bag Holders

Raise your hand if you’ve ever carried a bag full of dog poop. Oh, that’s just about all of us. I know my hand is separated by the plastic material, but it’s still gross! These poop bag holders keep your hands free and clean after your dog has done the dirty deed, but you’re miles from home, and there’s no trashcan in sight.

The carabiner attaches to your pet leash so you don’t have to worry about the used bag slipping out of your hands. Bonus points are that it comes as a set of two, and each one has two separate hooks. That four times less poop you have to carry, because, let’s face it, we all poop, but only the humans have to lug it around.

Video Monitoring Treat Dispenser

So maybe you’re gone for a day trip, or you just work really long hours, and you and your pet miss each other.

Perhaps one of the coolest gadgets I ever discovered was a video-monitoring pet treat dispenser. You can interact with your four-legged best friend and give them a treat while you’re gone (because we all have the goodest boys and girls at home).

This one features:

180-degree room view
Audio interaction
Video monitoring
Treat dispenser
Alexa compatible

Happy Trails Friends!

As we wrap up the essentials for traveling with pets, one thing is clear: making memories with our furry companions is worth every thoughtful consideration. The road less traveled doesn’t have to be rugged or haggard. With the right gear, you and your pet can have a tail-wagging adventure together. Let us know if we missed your favorite pet travel item in the comments.

Ozarks Family Travel