Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which we may make commission from. As always, we only recommend places and products we love!
Things to Pack In Your Dog Travel Bag and Tips For Traveling With Your Dog
Table of Contents
I saw a saying once that read: “If my dog isn’t happy, neither am I.” I didn’t know how true that statement was until we started taking our dog Bentley with us on our trips.
When we first got Bentley we knew nothing about how to travel with a pet, what to put in a dog travel bag, or that pet-friendly hotels were an option. We started learning quickly that traveling with can be disastrous without proper planning… think muddy paws + energetic dog + carpet… but traveling with your pet has its perks if you have the right accessories!
Here are some tips we have found useful when traveling with our guy, Bentley, and items to pack in your dog travel bag.
1. Make Sure Your Pet Has the Correct Identification
Making sure your pet has proper identification is extremely important when traveling with your pet and should be worn at all times. Information on their tag should include your pet’s name, your name, phone number (or two), and if you can, your address.
If you want to go a step further you should make sure your dog is microchipped and that the information on his/her microchip is up to date. We typically keep an extra ID tag and collar in our dog travel bag to make sure we have one in case something happens to his collar.
2. Invest in A High-Quality Harness

We have two EzyDog harnesses and really like that they are, in fact, easy to put on. The EzyDog harness slips over your dog’s head and clips around the belly, rather than having to wrestle with your pup’s legs. They are also very compact.
We keep one on Bentley while traveling, and have a spare in our dog travel bag. One thing to note, Bentley is an escape artist and even has been able to get out of this one from time to time when he is in the car… he really hates it when we buckle him in because he can’t stick his head outside so make sure your pet is properly secured in the car or leashed somewhere outside.
3. Never Question the Power of A Good Grooming Wipe
As all dogs do, Bentley loves to roll, prance, and play in just about anything that’s dirty. Grooming wipes have been amazing for a quick and easy clean up after running through dirt and mud.
We usually pick up one that is hypoallergenic or smells nice like this grooming wipe. They are easy to keep in your dog travel bag while hitting the road.
4. A Back Seat Hammock is A Must For Car Rides

In order to keep your vehicle clean, dog hair from finding its way into every inch of your vehicle, or to just simply keep your leather/cloth seats scratch-free, this useful hammock will be a perfect addition to your pet travel checklist. Not to mention, Bentley loves lounging on it like a king!
Swapping vehicles? No problem, the hammock folds up into a pouch and can be carried individually or placed inside your dog travel bag.
5. Collapsible Travel Bowls or Convertible Containers Will Save You Space

Remember your petΒ needs to stay hydrated too! Having collapsible bowls are a huge space saver and can be clipped on to a carabiner and/or leash for ease of access. We always take at least one of these with us while traveling and we also attach one to our leash while hiking so we can pour some of our water into it for him.
6. Keep Your Pet Safe By Properly Securing Them While Traveling in a Vehicle

We’ll be honest, we don’t use our safety restraint for every car trip nearby, but we do use it when traveling long distances in order to keep Bentley safe in emergency situations.
The Ezydog seatbelt restraint is the one we have been using but have also heard really great reviews about the Ezydog seatbelt harness too.
7. Make Sure Your Pet Has an Appropriate Air Travel Carrier
Bentley is just over the weight limit for under the seat air travel but we did find an inexpensive carrier with great reviews. Make sure you provide your pet with enough water while traveling at the airport.
The majority of airports offer relief stations for your dog to relieve themselves prior to getting on the flight! Travel tip: all airlines require proof of vaccinations and health certifications. Make copies of these before you leave!
8. A Collapsible Crate Would Be A Worthy Investment
This crate easily folds down and fits in our trunk with all of our luggage. You could even go a step further by purchasing a crate mat that could double as a travel bed so your dog has extra comfort while sitting in the back of your vehicle.
9. You May Need to Purchase A Remedy to Help Your Dog Feel Calmer
Bentley is pretty used to us being on the go so we don’t have much experience in this category but he does have horrible separation anxiety when we go somewhere without him.
Here are a few options you could look into if your dog is struggling to survive your trip that would be easy to fit in your dog travel bag.
- Anti-Anxiety Jacket
- Calming Treats: we have tried a variety of treats that have lavender in them.
10. Ask For Updated Records From Your Vet

Most importantly, before leaving for any vacation or trip, make sure your pet’s vaccinations, identification, and records are up to date and that you have a copy with you.
Are there any other suggestions you would add to your dog travel bag in order to make traveling with your pet more comfortable and easy?
Like this post? Save it on Pinterest!

16 Comments
Sarah Ricks
October 11, 2016 at 8:58 PMFun to hear about ways you’ve found to bring your dog pal along with you. We have never traveled with a pet. But if we try to do that, this has really helpful advice.
kallsypage
October 11, 2016 at 9:46 PMSarah, thanks so much! We hope that if you ever do this will be useful for you. Ben loves taking long car rides, camping trips, and hikes with us but we often let his grandparents babysit when we are overseas! π
ckaway
October 11, 2016 at 10:02 PMNot a dog lover. Would never travel with a pet. However, I loved the post and smiled at the pictures of your lovely dog. Nice post and very useful advice π
kallsypage
October 11, 2016 at 10:35 PMThat’s okay ckaway! It definitely isn’t for everyone. We’re quite fond of our little rascal so I’m glad to hear you enjoyed his “photoshoot” π Thank you so much!
Daphne
October 11, 2016 at 10:58 PMLove your post on traveling with pets. Very informative and eye-opening. I shall take some of your advice.
2travellingsisters
October 12, 2016 at 11:39 AMVery essential and thoughtful tips to all the people who plan to travel with their pets. Loved how your dog modeled for your post haha, seems like a expert in posing ;). Thanks for the share.
kallsypage
October 12, 2016 at 10:34 PMThanks so much! He’s quite a diva and has definitely lost his camera shyness π
Kerri
October 17, 2016 at 3:36 AMOh how I would love to travel with our lab Jay. She’s such a good girl and is so well behaved. But it is such an epic event to take her overseas. First the cost – $15k AUD to get her to Europe (where we spend a lot of our time) and quarantine rules on the way home require her to be isolated for up to 30 days with no visitation from us. I just can’t do it. π Very envious of you being able to travel like this. Good on you.
kallsypage
October 19, 2016 at 6:04 PMKerri, I can’t imagine that fiasco that was for Jay and for you! We haven’t ever tried to take Bentley overseas and it’s for reason such as those you said. He is much happier with our parents as he is very spoiled! We are quite lucky to be able to take him on many of our U.S. trips and camping trips though. It isn’t always easy, but he greatly enjoys being outdoors with us. I hope you are able to take Jay with you on trips within Australia in the future!
kris
October 17, 2016 at 5:19 PMAwwwe! Another dog liver here but I havent brought my dog on my travel escapades for the main reason that it may not be convinient for my pet and mine too. Thanks for giving a list of the things that we need to secure before bringing a pet with us. I totally agree with the first list, identification is a must!
kallsypage
October 19, 2016 at 5:59 PMThank you Kris! I hope that you’re able to take your dog with you someday, even on a small trip. π
Sher
October 18, 2016 at 11:32 PMi dont have pets but i can imagine it’d be difficult traveling with them! especially on flights and long distances. great post – loved your tips
Sher
http://www.shershegoes.com
kallsypage
October 19, 2016 at 5:50 PMThanks so much Sher! It can definitely be challenging but it’s worth it to us. π
kallsypage
November 3, 2016 at 9:42 PMThank you! We are quite biased but we think he’s pretty cute too. π You got it! He loves snuggling!
Lena Ameri
November 16, 2016 at 9:20 PMLove this post! We love traveling with our dog and he loves coming along! The car hammock is such a great idea!
kallsypage
November 16, 2016 at 10:11 PMIt’s so fun to take them on trips to allow them to have new experiences too! We can always tell that it makes Ben so happy when we jump in the car.
We couldn’t survive without the car hammock, definitely look into it… the hair, accidental scratching, dirt… we learned the hard way without it at first! π