The Best Travel Accessories for Your Dog

Last Updated on July 28, 2020

There can be so much to think about when trying to plan a trip with your dog. Whether you are roadtripping or flying, it almost feels like your pooch needs a bigger suitcase than you!

We love our pets and always want to make sure we haven’t forgotten anything crucial. On our most recent trip to Sweden, we managed to forget our dog’s food! Luckily, we were able to find a dog store to buy her some more (and some treats to apologize for forgetting it).

I’ve put together this list to help you figure out what items are perfect for keeping everyone comfortable throughout their travels.

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Travel Crates, Carriers and Seatbelts

Travel Crates + Carriers for Dogs

Crates, carriers and seatbelts all keep your dog safe during transportation.

If you are flying, you will need to make sure your crate is airline approved. Each individual airline may have certain rules regarding the crates and what each crate needs to have in order to be fit to fly, so it’s always best to know what to look for and speak with your airline before purchasing one.

Here are some crates that are currently rated as airline approved (but make sure you do your research with your airline, as well):

• Airline approved dog crate (for larger dogs)
• Airline approved soft carrier (for small dogs)

In terms of traveling, it’s also a nice idea to bring a compact dog bed with you so your dog has somewhere to sleep!

Seatbelts for Dogs

When going on a road trip or driving on the highway, it’s best to make sure your dog is buckled up safely.

If you have a smaller dog you might feel more comfortable keeping them in their carrier when you are driving (so that they aren’t walking around), but it’s difficult with a larger dog to keep them in their crate, especially if you have a small car!

We like using a dog harness + seatbelt, such as this one, to keep our dog safe and secure during those long car rides.

Alternatively, you can also use something like this car barrier to keep your pooch from roaming your vehicle.

Dog First Aid Kit

Keeping a first-aid kit for your dog is just as important as having one for yourself. You never know what can happen, but being prepared will help you in any circumstance!

Here is what we recommend you put in your dog’s first aid kit.

• a long pair of socks or protective shoes for paw injuries. (We use booties but a pair of long socks and tape will work as well)
• eyewash
• Benedryl (please contact your vet to discuss dosage before administering)
• Mylar emergency blanket* (to help your dog maintain body heat in case of an emergency, can work for humans too)
• tweezers/pliers (tweezers for ticks and pliers for porcupine needles)
• a list of important numbers such as your vets, emergency contacts and the phone number of the nearest emergency vet by where you will be traveling.

Other Dog Travel Supplies

Depending on where you are going and what activities you plan on doing, there are lots of other little items that can make your dog’s trip much more enjoyable!

A backpack for dogs can help tire an active dog out, but make sure you aren’t putting too much weight in there!

Here’s a helpful article if you’d like to know more about fitting your dog for a backpack and what to do and what not to do.

A few other items that you might want to include on your travels are:

• Dog shoes to protect your dog’s feet from the elements (these Muttlucks are what we have and they are WELL worth the price)
• Travel dog dishes
• A blanket that they normally sleep with (to give them some type of familiarity)

In Conclusion: Travel Accessories for Your Dog

There are many different travel accessories for dogs for you to choose from. It all depends on what type of trip you are going on and your dog.

I hope this list helps give you some idea of where to start. Happy travels!