Bringing canine companions along adds something special to trip. (When you break for doggy walks, you're basically forced to stop and enjoy the world around you.) Below, we've catalogued the best essential equipment and exciting extras for road tripping with dogs.
Some dogs are more suited to long drives than others. If your dog doesn't like driving – or loves it and keeps bouncing around – the Sleepypod Clickit Terrain harness has a convenient seatbelt attachment. It helps keep your canine buddy tethered to the dedicated doggy seat.
A collapsible dog bowl helps you save space and keep your car clean of doggy crumbs between meal breaks. There are tons of options, but this one could be considered the deluxe model: it’s washable (seriously, that’s important) and it gives your pup a familiar elevated eating area wherever you go.
Driving through warm places can be downright dangerous for anyone wearing a fur coat. Dogs are no exception, and they can't ask you to turn up the AC. This cooling mat helps your canine companion keep things chill in hot environments. Instead of gel, which stays a few degrees below room temperature, this one goes all-out with ice packs.
Fur flies during long road trips – and we're not just talking about arguing over playlist choices. If you've been blasting the AC with a dog in the car for a while, things might get a little fuzzy. This brushing mitten helps you preemptively remove the loose fur your dog might otherwise shed all over your interior. Plus, on a bumpy drive, a mitten is probably less hazard-prone than one of those sharp de-matting brushes.
Is your pup the greasy type? You probably won't find ideal dog washing setup in a hotel room or at a campsite. Plus, you might find it hard to schedule an appointment with a groomer in between point A and point B. Enter: Burt's Bees dry – er, waterless – shampoo. This stuff isn't a permanent bath substitute, but it can be as helpful for dogs as it can be for humans.
Dogs with go-getter energy, especially those with herding instincts, love having a job to do. Carrying something for you in a doggy backpack can be just the thing to smooth out an active dog’s behavior on a hike.
Of course, some dogs have less drive. If your smaller pal doesn’t have much get-up-and-go, you can become the talk of the trail by carting around this doggy backpack.