Traveling with your dog is a great way to bond! But if you have a large breed that doesn’t fit under those tiny airline seats or you’d rather not spend rent money on pricey plane tickets, we recommend road tripping with your pup. Before zipping up your suitcase, make sure you pack all of the dog road trip essentials you’ll need for a successful vacation. Beyond toys and treats, dogs need gear designed to keep them safe, happy and clean while traveling. 

Ellen Diamant is the co-founder of Cleverpup, a brand that makes durable, functional dog travel products that meet FDA human-grade food safety standards. “I've learned from countless road trips with my dog that success comes down to smart packing," she says. Using Diamant’s insights and tips from real dog parents who travel with their pups frequently, we’ve created the dog road trip essentials list below.   

Every dog is different, so you may need to tweak these tips to better suit your pup’s personality. 

1. Practice with Quick Car Rides

The best way to prepare your dog for a road trip is by practicing with shorter car rides and working up to a lengthy journey over time. Use the same seat cover, dog car seat, harness and set-up you would on a longer road trip so your dog is familiar with the routine. 

2. Test Out Your Gear

Don’t wait to test your collapsible water bowl or dog car seat until the moment you need to use it while traveling. This is a great way to get frustrated really quickly. Familiarize yourself - and your dog - with the travel equipment so they don’t refuse food out of a pop-up bowl or whine over a brand new, never-before-slept-in bed. 

3. Use Calming Treats

Calming dog treats can work wonders for anxious pups. If you already use a brand your dog enjoys during fireworks season, try those first. For an interactive treat when you’re on the road already, Woof makes Calming Wellness Pops that fit into the brand’s Pupsicle toy for extended entertainment. 

4. Talk to Your Dog

This may sound silly, but my parents talk to their dog as they pack for road trips. Frannie, a Lab, associates suitcases with my parents leaving the house and she legitimately gets depressed. But, when they plan to bring her along, my mom constantly says things like, “Yes, Frannie, you’re coming too!” If your dog responds well to this type of thing, keep her in the loop as you pack her gear!

5. Crate Train

Crate training can help enormously on road trips with your dog. Obviously, if you plan to secure a crate in your vehicle for your dog to sit in during the ride, they’ll need to be used to the crate first. Beyond that, crate training makes adjusting to new environments easier on dogs. Crates provide them with comfort and their own space to go to in an unfamiliar place. If you invest in a new crate specific for travel, test it out beforehand!

6. Rent Supplies Ahead of Time

This is actually more for you during the preparation stage, but your dog will thank you upon arrival. BabyQuip, a site where you can rent baby equipment to avoid lugging everything with you, recently launched pet packages. Things like pet stairs, gates, strollers, bowls and more are available to rent and pick up at various locations around the U.S. You can rent up to the day before you travel, but the brand recommends giving more advanced notice when possible (especially during holiday seasons). 

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