14 Products to Help Your Pet Live Their Best Life On Your Next Road Trip

Traveling with kids is fun and all (and at times very, very challenging—but hey, no shade—more power to the parents who travel!), but what about those of us who prefer to travel with kids of another sort? We’re talking about fur babies, folks, and few things are more fun than a road trip that includes your furry BFF. We’ve gone ahead and compiled a dog road trip packing list of all the best must-haves for road-tripping with your dog(s) to ensure they’ll live their best life on your next outing.

Must-Have Essentials for Traveling With Your Dog

First, let's cover the basics, the essential must-haves for any road trip with a dog involved. Some of these might seem obvious, but hopefully, plenty of them are innovative ideas you might not have thought of before. When traveling with Fido, one can’t risk the inconvenience of not packing these must-haves on top of the basic harness, leash, and/or leads:

Safety Harness and Seatbelt

You know, we as humans are always told to buckle up for safety, so why shouldn’t we give our furbabies the same respect and care? Well, we’re in luck, nowadays we have the technology to keep puppers safe on every single outing, from short trips to the store to long trips to the beach.

And if your pup has trouble getting in and out of the car, you can travel with portable dog steps.

Canine Car Barrier

We love our furbabies, yes, but we don’t always need ‘em in the front seat with us. So, thankfully, there’s a way to keep him or her in the back seat (or wherever you need ‘em) without having to use your arms to push them back over and over again: the wonderful canine car barrier, a safe and comfortable way to give pups their own space in your vehicle on long trips. Just make sure to also get a waterproof car seat protector.

Smart Identification

This one’s actually great for all the time, not just vacations or days on the road. It’s the 21st century, and dog tags are so last century, don’t you think? Whether your dog is already microchipped or not, there are now smart ID tags that will let you know where they are at all times for a small monthly subscription fee. We promise: that the peace of mind is worth it. A worst-case scenario would be losing your baby while on a trip, now you don’t need to worry about it!

Eco-Friendly Pet Waste Bags

Let’s be real here: everything poops. Especially Fido. As a good citizen, we can’t just let it be without picking up after them, so it’s always wise to have these eco-friendly, decomposable pet waste bags on hand for state and national parks, hiking trails, and everywhere else you may roam.

If you're hiking or camping, you should also be packing out your dog waste.

Collapsible Food and Water Bowls

Everyone needs to eat, including your pup, but their traditional plastic bowls (or, goodness forbid, automatic feeders) at home are often bulky and don’t travel well. That’s where these handy-dandy collapsible bowls come in: feeding on the go has never been so easy (and portable). And, we love this handy water bottle/bowl combo to make sure your pup is hydrated.

Food Storage Container

So, you’ve got the collapsible bowls and everything, now all you need is the food itself! Should your fur baby munch on dry dog food, you’re obviously going to need to bring it with you, and you probably don't want to lug around a whole bag of food. Get yourself a smaller, easy-to-pack, easy-to-stack container for their munchies and keep them happy, well-fed, and on the go.

Play and Fun Essentials

Life with a dog is absolutely no fun without play, and getting in that precious play time while on the road is essential for your mental health and for your fur babies. Now that we’ve covered the need-to-have basics, let’s take a look at a handful of amazing toys and fun stuff to make long hours on the road a total blast for pups.

Canine Life Vest

Are you a canoer, kayaker, or water lover (of any kind), and plan on bringing the dogs along next time? Just like us, they need life vests to ensure a safe adventure where everyone returns home at the end of the day. Thankfully, they make life vests just for dogs, and they’re literal lifesavers. Please don’t assume your dog’s instincts will take over and they’ll be able to naturally swim—just like humans, even the most impressive swimmers need a safety net.

If they're getting wet, don't forget a shammy or dog towel!

Chew Bones and Treats

For on-the-road treats and yummies, you definitely want to go for treats that are healthy to keep Fido in tip-top happy shape... and easy to convince to sit still so you can get the seatbelt on. Watermelon is a good option to keep them hydrated. Just be sure to monitor their intake, especially if they get car sick easily.

On long trips or while lounging on the beach, you know as well as we do that sometimes Fido needs something to do that doesn’t involve you throwing a ball for 4 straight hours. Chew toys and/or chew bones are a fantastic lifesaver in case of canine boredom, but traditional rawhide has been shown not to be the healthiest for our babies. Smart Bones are non-rawhide, chewable, digestible yummies that are sure to keep your dog busy for quite a while.

Interactive Toys

One of the most important items to pack for your pup is their favorite toys; they help keep them calm, remind them of home, and are excellent solutions for boredom on the road. Of course, if you’re anything like us, one or two toys are never enough, so why not surprise puppers with some brand-new, totally fun toys? Dogs big and small will definitely appreciate the thought and care you put into their well-being for every journey.

Canine Comfort and Health Essentials

Last on this list but certainly not least in terms of importance: comfort! Why force your beloved canine companion to sit or lie down on car seats alone for up to many hours at a time when you can find ways for them to be ridiculously comfortable instead? We think yes. Here are a few more ideas to ensure your pet will be king (or queen) of the road in no time.

Dog Booties

Folks into hiking and walking will all tell you that your choice of shoes is very important. All too often, folks assume that dogs don’t need footwear or protection, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. Once temperatures rise into the 70s, the ground (especially when it’s concrete) becomes hot enough to cause very real burns on dogs’ delicate footpads. Footwear is also important on trails, where they might encounter thorns and other nasties that might otherwise put a damper on your hiking trip.

Also important on trails? Rain gear. If you're traveling to a rainy climate and your pet doesn't like getting wet, make sure to pack their rain jacket.

Dog Bed (and Linens From Home)

Bringing a bed and linens from home is important for long trips; as we touched on earlier, they help our dogs feel more comfortable on the road thanks to their incredible sense of smell. Bringing the perfect bed along is an excellent help for both your comfort and your pups—when they’re cozy, we’re cozy, and a nice dog bed with all the smells of home on it is a great idea. Why not have one for the house, and one for the road? If traveling during the summer, make sure to also have a cooling pad.

Canine First Aid Kit, Medications, and Tick Mitt

While you’re out and about, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person, there’s always the chance for minor injuries, from broken nails to cuts, scrapes, and bug bites. We humans have first aid kits, but our dogs should, too, and this kit is amazingly helpful for all sorts of situations where a vet isn’t necessarily needed, but some care is. Be ready for anything with a handy canine first aid kit, as well as a tick removal mitt.

Grooming Wipes and Paw Cleaner

Sometimes Fido gets into shenanigans that require a bath (or at least a wipedown!) and we’re nowhere near a bathtub or a hose, and that’s where grooming wipes come in. Wipe off eye boogies, dirty ears, muddy paws, and slobbery faces with a set of pup-friendly wipes. You’ll never know how you traveled with dogs without ‘em!

Keep your car, clothes, and vacation rental clean with a pet hair removal glove or pet hair removal tool.

Dog Storage Bag

With all these cool new items to stow away, where should you put them? Well, a handy-dandy multi-purpose backpack makes for a great storage idea. Now you’ll be ready for anything on the road when traveling—or simply existing with—your beloved dog.

We hope this dog road trip packing list makes your next road trip with Fido a great one, ensuring they’ll live their best life. Need to know what to pack for yourself, too? No worries, we've got you covered with our wonderful epic road trip packing list.