How Hard is it to travel with a dog?

I get asked one question more frequently than any other: How hard is it to travel with a dog? My answer is more straightforward than you may think, despite some challenges. It is easy as long as I prepare. I will share some of those challenges and let you see how I make travel fun and easy through preparation.

This is Leia, my travel buddy, hanging out in New Orleans, and eating a beignet. You may notice she weighs just under 9 pounds, which makes my life a little easier than having a 90-pound dog. The items I use can be upgraded to sizes that fit bigger dogs if needed. It should also be noted that this is about staying in hotels and hiking daily. I will address camping in a later post.

The things I do every time we travel

There are a few things I do all the time when traveling. I keep Leia secure in the car by using her harness. Leia is permanently attached to her car seat or a leash when traveling. She will never be able to jump from an open door or window. And it is safer for both of us while driving. A few years back, someone opened their car door, their dog took off and jumped into one of the acidic hot springs at Yellowstone. Sadly, the dog died; the owner was severely burned trying to rescue the dog. I know accidents happen, and I like to keep the odds as low as possible.

How I get organized

Next, I have a small tote with all her travel items so I can get to them quickly. I stock the tote with booties for hot or cool surfaces, a portable bowl for food, and a water bottle. We carry extra leashes. I am amazed at how often I leave Leia’s tie out behind while traveling, so I always have an extra. Included is dog first aid gear, an extra small blanket, an additional harness, a life jacket, a winter coat, and a raincoat.

Lastly, I have her hiking and adventure gear in her backpack and her poop bags attached to both leashes. She is small, so she does not have a carry bag for her doggie self, though I would add that to the list if she were bigger. Instead, I carry all of her stuff in the bag attached to the outside of the backpack. Plus, it fits some things for me, too. Her K9Sportsack is the best investment I have made. In addition to being able to carry Leia, it also has room for my hands-free leash, water, and snacks. Her musher secret is paw protection for when you don’t need booties. And that’s just for Leia. The sack still leaves me room for things I need.

Ready for the hotel

The last thing I will say is to carry a portable kennel and a dog bed or pillow they are familiar with. More hotels are letting dog owners bring their pets, but like everything, rotten pets(owners) can ruin things for all of us. The kennel is so you can leave them in the room while you go out. We use the dog bed/pillow, so Leia is familiar with it; that familiarity makes sleeping and resting in the room easier. Leia’s bed or pillow can be set on the bed without breaking hotel rules about dogs on the sheets.

So that is all that makes my traveling with Leia fun and safe. Always Remember, pick up your dog’s poop and keep them leashed, and you and everyone around you will have a great time.

You can find all the things I use personally on my Amazon Page. Click the pink links