9 Things We Pack In Our Dog’s Overnight Bag

Juno loves to travel. No, that isn’t her suitcase – she just hopped in there when were packing up to move houses – this is:

It started out as a backpack for us to use when we go hiking, but one trip to the kennel where Juno boards and they slapped her name on it – in permanent marker – so it’s hers now. Oh well, some things work out for the best! This bag works perfectly as a doggy overnight bag.

Whether we’re taking Juno out for a day hike, on a road trip to the beach, or on a longer trip where there is driving and overnights involved, this bag does it all. There are plenty of pockets, zippers, and secret compartments, and it’s machine washable and dries quickly.

Here’s what goes in it when we hit the road:

1. Food

Of course. We divide her meals into single-serve Ziploc bags. She gets the same amount of food twice a day, so this is easy for us.

2. A metal bowl

Fairly small, lightweight, and dishwasher safe. She eats and drinks out of one bowl on the road.

3. A refillable bottle

We fill a bottle up before we go with tap water from home. We refill as we go at parks, rest stops etc. We always make sure it’s potable water. But if your dog has stomach issues, we’d suggest bringing enough water from home to last your whole trip.

4. Small cheap towels

We picked up a stack of small cheap towels when we first got Juno. They’re well-used and kind of ragged now, but they do the trick in all seasons for muddy paws, wet coats, etc. and they all fit in one load of wash and dry quickly. They also double as a seat cover in the car after a day at the beach.

5. Chew toys or rawhides

Juno is a great car sleeper, but something to gnaw on comes in handy when we’re stuck in traffic. We pack floatable ones for days at the beach and bright, squeakable ones if we’ll be in the forest or at a park. Juno also loves rawhides, so we bring some of those for extended stays at friends or family’s houses. The towels from above come in handy as chewing mats and debris collectors.

6. Waste bags

We pack handfuls of poop n’ scoop bags as well as a bigger plastic grocery bag and a few paper towels and small bottle of enzyme cleaner. After one bout of vomit in the car ride home from the beach, we never leave home now without some clean-up supplies.

7. Important phone numbers

When we board Juno for any period of time, we make sure our cell numbers and our vet’s number are accessible. We put the numbers on a post-it note and leave it in a zipped compartment of Juno’s backpack. We make sure to point it out to the boarding staff each time. We also have our vet’s number programmed into our phones.

8. Medications and first aid supplies

We’re lucky on this front; Juno isn’t on any medication, but if your dog is, be sure to include any prescriptions and instructions if you’re not administering the medication yourself. We have a small all-purpose first aid kit in our car, so could wrangle up any doggy first aid requirements from that. We pop it in our backpack if we’re heading away from the car for any period of time.

9. Benadryl

Juno got bitten or stung by something two summers ago and her head and neck swelled up in minutes. To this day, we don’t know what she reacted to (and were lucky enough to be on a trail in the city around the corner from our vet), so we make sure that we always have a fresh supply of Benadryl tablets with us. It’s the same Benadryl we use. Just be sure to ask your vet about proper dosages for your dog.

Juno always knows we’re going somewhere exciting (and some place where she gets to come with us) as soon as that bag comes out. It probably just smells like fun! It’s been everywhere with her.

Does your dog love day and road trips too? What do you pack in your dog’s travel bag? Be sure to share your suggestions in the comments!

And for additional information about travelling and moving with dogs, we invite you to check out the article, “20 Things You Must Do When Moving Cross Country With Your Dog” by our friends at Sparefoot.com.

Thanks for reading!