(111) Dog Travel Necessities

When we pack the car, we keep in mind that Max will ride in the furthest part of the truck. He has the most room there and he will not be bothered by Beeker chewing on his tail when he wants to rest. We will make stops every so often for bathroom breaks but we will also take extra water in bottles with us just in case we need it. When we pack we do fill one fourth to one half of the back seat with travel stuff then put a rug over it so that Beeks can ride up top if he wants. He likes to see outside when we travel. We have individual bags for the dogs, in which we put their dog food. Brad likes to premeasure each meal so that it is easy to dump in their bowls. We take extra food bowls so each dog has their own bowl while we travel. Max has such anxiety when we travel that he sometimes doesn’t eat every meal. Beeks will eat anything. Tethers, harnesses, tie outs and and long leashes go into the bags, as well as towels and treats. Brad brings along extra batteries for Max’s collar and that goes in his bag as well. I keep Beeks everyday leash and poop bags inside the car so that they are easily accessible. Some of Beeker’s chew toys I put away so that he has something “new” when we get to the hotel or our destination. Some items we leave in the car to occupy the dogs during the long time we spend on the road. Max doesn’t seem to need much of anything to occupy his time, Beeks needs something to chew. He will chew and then settle down. Beeks has learned from an early age to settle on his rug. This is a child’s sleeping bag that I got Nana to sew into two parts. It is soft and it is dog proof so now Beeks will settle anywhere he sees the rug. We use it in the car and in the hotel or even here at home so it is one of the important things I always remember on trips. Treats such as the sweet potato chews and training chews I mostly keep in their bags but some I keep in the car for easy access. Brad takes the grooming tools for both dogs especially when we are heading to a woodsy area or a water destination. Likewise, we will take the ear medication so that when and if ear irritations begin we can get right on it. We take sheets with us for putting on the hotel bed top for the dogs. I like Beeks to sleep with us so this way I don’t feel bad if he is on top of our sheet. We do take a baby gate so that we can keep the dogs in the bathroom if we need to leave them in the room, while we go out. Sometimes it is too hot to take them with us if we are going to out during the day for a long time. Max especially needs the cooled air and he does better in a kenneled situation where he is on the cool tiled floor, with access to water.

By List:

Food
Water/food bowls
Extra water in bottles
Leashes…long(20 feet), Regular 6 ft
Harnesses
Towels
Beeks Rug
Toys (includes Chew, fill able, lovies )
Treats (sweet potato, training treats)
Meds (if any) For ears etc.
Poop bags (a necessity for any outing)
Grooming tools (important if they are going to get wet or into the woods)
Tie outs (for around trees)
Batteries, extra for Max’s collar
White sheets (to put on the hotel bed so Dogs can sleep with us)
Baby gate (to gate the dogs in the bathroom if we need to leave them in the hotel room)