So I have had this post written for about 2 weeks, but I completely forgot to post. Better late than never!!
When planning a trip, bringing the right items for your dog is just as important as packing for the humans. Here are a few things I like to pack for the pups when we hit the road.
1. Extra leashes. Yes, you should bring one leash to walk your dog, but having a second is always a smart idea. The extra leash works well to tether your dog if you stop for a picnic. It can provide extra length for a little run at the park. If for some reason your dog chews one in half, you have a second. Many people use “Flexi” leashes when traveling. I really don’t like for them for several reasons. The rope gets tangled around people’s legs, and the dogs learn to pull on leash. Those are valid reasons in and of themselves, but the number one reason I don’t like them, is a dogs can easily yank them out of your hand. About sixteen years ago I was in Michigan visiting family. I had all my dogs plus a friend’s Shiba girl who I was going to show in Canada while I was up in the area. I was walking her on a Flexi leash when something startled her. This little Shiba ran full tilt, hit the end, and jerked the Flexi out of my hand. She stopped but when that extendable leash hit the ground behind her she freaked out and bolted, running full speed with a scary ‘thing’ chasing her. She was lost for a week. Thankfully we found her, but that was the end of my love affair with retractable leashes. If a small Shiba can get up enough speed to jerk something out of my grasp, it isn’t safe to use. Why set yourself up for a nightmare when you can just use a normal leash.
2. Water. I always use bottled water when we travel. My dogs generally don’t have any issue drinking different water, but why risk it? I’ve been told for years by my fellow dog show people to pack water or use bottled water when traveling, so that is what I do.
3. Bowls. At least one for food and one for water. I generally use metal buckets clipped inside my crates or a bowl holder so the dogs always have access to water while we are moving. It is easy to forget to give them water and they will quickly dehydrate sitting in the back of a car during a long drive.
4. Food. Bring twice as much as you think you will need, especially if your food is hard to find. If you feed a pre-made raw meal, locate places that sell what you use along your route and pack a small cooler for extras. When I travel I generally purchase ground beef or turkey from the grocery store where we are stopping for the night to avoid the hassle of dealing with a cooler. That is a perfectly fine option for a few days on the road, and they are fed in their airline crates. I just pull their bedding out and they can eat their raw food right in the crate. With a couple bleach wipes the crate is now clean. I always bring dry kibble as well and/or some honest kitchen dehydrated raw food. When Jazz was young, she wasn’t keen on eating much when we would go on trips for dog shows. The Honest Kitchen food really helped her stay on target as far as calories.
5. Probiotics. LOVE LOVE LOVE probiotics. I typically start giving them a few days before any trip and continue until we return. This keeps their tummies happy, which leads to firm stool, which makes ME happy! You can buy just the probiotic powder in daily packets like FortiFlora or you can get a treat version like Naturvet. If a dog is new here or has a very sensitive tummy I get the good stuff, the Fortiflora. If I am traveling and it is my personal crew who have no tummy issues at home, I’ll just use the treat version I can pick up at Tractor Supply.
6. Meds for dogs – If your dog is on any medications, don’t forget to bring those on your trip. I generally pack a few things that can be handy like Pepsid AC, pepto chewables, a few rymadyl, and benadryl.
7. Entertainment – Pack a few choice toys / bones. A ball to play with at the park. A kong to load with treats for when you stop at a hotel.
8. Mesh crates. Oh boy do I love my light weight crates. Great for dog shows, great for hotel rooms, great for staying at family’s house. These things are fabulous. You need a well trained dog to use a mesh crate, so if your dog is not crate trained, don’t go there. You will just teach the dog they can rip out of a crate. My guys have no clue they can bust out of any crate, because I start them in something they can’t get out of so they learn early it is impossible. These are best for dogs 6 months of age or older that understand polite crate behavior.
9. Poop bags. Don’t be rude. Pick up your dogs waste.
10. Optional items- I have a few things I take that generally don’t get used but I like to have ‘just in case’.
One item is my spray bark collar. Everyone in the house has used the bark collar at one point or another. I’ve intentionally allowed them to learn that it is the collar that sprays them when they will not hush. I do this because all I have to say now is “Hush! Do you want to wear the collar?”. Dogs are smart and will answer “NO” if given a chance. Due to Lina’s size, I now own two. I did not want to put a large dog collar on her little neck. All my guys are adults and well traveled. They all understand that barking is not acceptable, but that came from years of training and the very limited use of the citronella bark collar. I keep it in the car and use it as needed, which is almost never. Lina was the worst (little dog issue!!) and still talks under her breath in hotels or during gas stops when she sees other dogs. As long as she keeps it to a whisper, I let her have her fun. This collar is NOT a substitute for training. You don’t stick this collar on and leave. You teach the dog what exactly they are doing by being around when they bark and use this collar to tell them “Ahh, hush”.
I also keep a chain collar in the car for Jazz. As well trained as she is, her prey drive is so high she can lose her mind. Sometimes she just needs a little more than a plan buckle collar.
The crate fans are also a nice bonus, with extra batteries. Link to what I own and have used for 10 years.
Extra towels and / or bedding. You just never know if you might need to change their bed. Someone might get car sick, covered in mud, or just dripping wet from a downpour.
Clean Up Kit: A roll of paper towels, disinfecting wipes, and a few plastic bags. Make cleaning up any mess easy with this throw away option.
~Becky