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Traveling with Pets :: A to Z Packing Tips

We recently welcomed our sweet furbaby Sophie into our lives, but have yet to take a trip with her. I’m excited to welcome Christina to our A to Z packing tips series to share all about packing for pets! I’m sure she’s got a lot of helpful tips for traveling with your pets. Welcome Christina!

Packing for Pets Collage Usable

Hey guys! I’m Christina, from Christina, Plain and Simple and I am so excited to be here sharing what we do to make traveling with our pets a safe and happy experience.

These days everyone knows that you shouldn’t leave your pet in a hot car in the summertime, but I don’t think people talk about traveling with pets very often. Since our boys are like members of our family, they go just about everywhere with us when we go on vacation. Through that adventure (and oh boy is it an adventure!) we’ve learned how to make it fun!

First, you’ll want a couple of cute pups (or cats if that’s your thing). Here are our chuckleheads:

Packing for pets 1

Next, you need a sturdy bag to carry all of the “stuff” in. We don’t have kids, but I would guess that if you do, you are all to familiar with “stuff”. We like to refer to this as our “doggy diaper bag”. Honestly, you don’t need anything fancy. We tend to use a reusable shopping bag.

Packing for Pets 3

So, what’s inside the bag? Let’s take a look:

  1. A portable water bottle
  2. A food dish
  3. Blankets
  4. A few small familiar/favorite toys
  5. Nylabone
  6. Dog Food
  7. Treats
  8. First aid essentials for pets
  9. Pet wipes
  10. Baggies for pet mess clean up
  11. A card that lists our vet information and a copy of current vaccinations and health checks
  12. Leash

Packing for Pets B in Car Seat

Most importantly, if you’re traveling long distances, you need a car seat. Yes, I know. I rolled my eyes a bit at first too. If you have a big dog (lab, golden, etc) then it might not be a “seat” but something to secure your pup to the car seat itself via the seat belt mechanism.

The truth is, in the unlikely event of an accident if your pet isn’t secured, terrible things can happen.

Since our dogs are small (under 25 pounds, and in the case of our first dog, only 4!) we opt for car seats when traveling – even around town. In fact, we have more than one type. We’re currently looking for a good fit for our new boys because one gets terribly car sick if he’s suspended in a seat.

It truly isn’t about being a crazy dog mom here – though they totally are our kids – it’s because we place their safety as a priority.

Other optional essentials:

1. Crate – If your pet is crate trained you’re going to want a portable crate. It’s important for them to have their “den” wherever they are.
2. Seat protection for your vehicle
3. Pet carrier

If you plan on traveling with your pet, the most important thing you can do is keep their safety in mind. We’ve done it many times and our pups are always happy and healthy and enjoy the vacation too!

Thank you to Christina for helping us get prepared for packing for pets! If you’d like to read more from our A to Z packing tips series, check out the other great posts:
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Alcohol & Wine, Building Lists & Plans, Chargers are a Must
D’s to Remember, Embark on a Cruise, First Aid Kits
Games for Any Family Trip, Hiking with Dogs, Inside My Bag
Jewelry Packing Tips, Kids Travel Bag Activities, Laundry on Vacation
Master Packing List Template, Necessities for Cooking in a Hotel, Organized Moving Tips
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Ready to head out vacation with your favorite four-legged friend? Here are some packing tips to help you when traveling with pets!

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Elena

Monday 22nd of February 2016

Great tips! What kind of dog is Sophie? She's a cutie.

Kimberly

Tuesday 23rd of February 2016

Thanks for commenting Elena! Our dog Sophie isn't the one pictured for this guest post so I'm not sure! :) Our Sophie is a medium sized Australian labradoodle. I share her sometimes on instagram! https://www.instagram.com/p/BBMT7Q9qsLj/?taken-by=stuffedsuitcase