You pull up at a stoplight and notice the passenger in the car next to you has gorgeous hair with long, flowing locks blowing in the breeze. Is that a supermodel?
The “supermodel” turns your way, and an instantaneous “ugly laugh” bellows out of your mouth. What you thought was a glamorous woman is none other than an Afghan Hound!
You look over at your English Bulldog lounging in the backseat in her doggy seatbelt staring back at you with her underbite and those amazing wrinkles. You wouldn’t have it any other way, as your “Ride or Die” partner is always up for an adventure. She’s more beautiful than a supermodel to you, anyway!
Leaving to go on a road trip with your puppy without any preparation can be a recipe for disaster. Having the right equipment on hand makes all the difference! Here are our road trip gear recommendations for puppies to ensure a smooth journey.
Essential Road Trip Gear for Traveling with Your Puppy
Just like when traveling with children, you will want to be prepared for any possible scenario you may encounter. These suggestions for dog road trip gear will allow you to focus on making memories rather than scrambling to handle unexpected situations.
Safety first
When you’re planning a successful outing with your puppy, you’ll want to put their safety first. The best place to begin is to research the best dog seatbelts and harnesses to protect them in moving vehicles.
Following puppy car safety basics is part of being a responsible dog owner. The Center for Pet Safety (CPS) independently conducts crash test protocols to assess products like the best dog seat belts, travel crates, harnesses, pet carriers, and more. They note that without using a restraint, your puppy could be launched out of the car or thrown around in a car crash or even by sudden braking. An unsecured puppy can cause many distractions and problems, from trying to jump out the window to crawling under your accelerator and brake pedals. Securing your puppy helps prevent injuries for you and your puppy.
AUBELL Dog Seat Belt, Updated 3-in-1 Pet Car Seat Belt for Dogs
EzyDog Drive Safety Travel Dog Car Harness
You also never know when your puppy will face a medical emergency. Always be prepared with a dog first aid kit, whether you assemble it yourself or buy one with the items you need to treat non-life-threatening medical events.
MySimplePetLab Dog First Aid Kit
Protect your puppy’s identity
Protecting your puppy’s identity is crucial on a road trip. Unfortunately, there’s a risk you may be separated from your puppy, whether they jump out the window to pursue some other adventure, take off after a scent in an unfamiliar place, or even worse, are stolen from you. It’s vital to microchip your puppy and provide up-to-date information on your microchip information and your dog’s identification tags. Consider having your puppy wear a GPS tracking collar in case of separation. Always bring proof of ownership paperwork with you to prove your puppy belongs to you.
Tractive Dog GPS Tracker with Activity Monitoring
Frisco Polyester Personalized Reflective Dog Collar
Keeping fresh and clean
We all know puppies can get messy as soon as you finish cleaning them up. In addition, some dogs get carsick and may not make it out to the grass. Puppies are still learning how and when to relieve themselves, and that might just be on your seat. A car seat cover can help protect your upholstery or leather seats from accidents and drool. You’ll need reliable cleaning solutions for your car’s upholstery and your puppy (and even yourself) when unexpected messes happen on your road trip. You can also use these at your destination like when staying in a hotel with your puppy or at a friend’s house, which your host will appreciate!
Nature's Miracle Dog Oxy Set-in Stain Destroyer
Wags & Wiggles Cleanse Hypoallergenic Wipes
Frisco Bolster Bench Car Seat Cover
Storage
You don’t want bottles rolling around the backseat or your puppy to tear up your paper towel roll. Stay organized with cargo organizers. Whether you choose a simple one-cube design or a fancy one with a built-in cooler, you'll be able to keep everything you need for your road trip with a puppy in one place.
Collapsible Cargo Trunk Organizer
Mobile Dog Gear Car Seat Back Organizer
Calming products
Before we recommend any products, we encourage you to see your licensed veterinarian to ask which (if any) medicines and supplements are right for your puppy’s needs. Whether they are ingestible or airborne, always clear them with your vet, as some products might not be suitable for your puppy.
Regardless of which pick, make sure your puppy can chew or swallow what you give them. A calm dog is a happy dog, and certainly better behaved! You want your puppy to love road trips, not shy away from them due to their discomfort or anxiety.
ThunderEssence Dog Calming Essential Oils Spray
Chew + Heal Travel-Sized Anxiety & Stress Chews Supplement for Dogs
Take a Pawrade Puppy on a Roadtrip
Your puppy’s first road trip will be to end up in your loving arms! Pawrade offers a variety of travel options to meet your puppy.
Option A: You and your breeder will determine a public meet-up spot that makes sense for both of your needs, locations, and schedules. Meeting at the breeder’s kennel is not safe for a few reasons. Any illness introduced to the facilities can tragically wipe out an entire kennel. The rise of puppy kidnappers is a huge problem and exposes businesses to people with nefarious intentions, as someone could be following you (you never know)! Because of the potential personal, business, and health risks to the breeder, their family, and their puppies, meeting in a public, convenient location is the best way to conduct a local Pawrade puppy pick-up due to these potentially costly risks.
Option B: Use a recommended ground transportation service. Work with your breeder or our Travel Team to select a preferred company with a proven track record. Travel vans are often equipped with GPS tracking, and they will communicate with you every step of the way.
Regardless of the method you choose, you’ll meet your puppy in no time! Begin a lifetime of road trip memories when you choose puppies for sale from our trusted breeder partners. We can’t wait to hear from you!
