Summer Road Trips With a Dog: Planning Around the Heat

Summer road trips with a dog go best when the day is planned around the heat and the dog never stays behind in a parked car. Most of what follows comes back to those two ideas.

We make single ingredient freeze-dried treats in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and we spend a lot of summer weekends driving to car shows with a dog in the back. This is how we do it, from the first morning to the drive home. It names no destination, because the place is the easy part.

Plan the day around the heat

Leave early. Do the long stretch of driving in the morning and be settled somewhere before the afternoon. At every stop we look for the shaded end of the lot first, and the dog gets out of the car with us.

The American Kennel Club says: "You should never leave a dog alone in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked." We treat that as the whole rule. Our page on dogs in hot cars goes through it in more detail.

Food stops follow from it. The American Kennel Club also says: "Plan stops carefully so your dog is never left alone in the car" and so we plan them that way. We use a drive-through, a picnic table the dog can sit under, or one of us eats while the other waits outside with the dog.

Water at every stop

A collapsible bowl lives in the door pocket, and a jug of fresh water sits behind the front seat. The ASPCA says: "Give pets plenty of fresh, clean water when it's hot or humid outdoors as pets can get dehydrated quickly." We pour a bowl at every stop even if the dog only sniffs it, and we dump and refill instead of topping off.

If you are heading somewhere with a lake or an ocean, our beach day guide picks up where this one leaves off.

Rest areas and hot ground

Many rest areas are mostly asphalt. The ASPCA says: "Don't let dogs linger on hot asphalt when the temperature is very high." Before we let the dog out, one of us puts a hand flat on the ground for a few seconds. If it is too hot for a hand, we walk on the grass strip or find a shaded spot instead.

The window and the head out of it

Everyone has seen a dog with its head out of a car window. The American Kennel Club says: "Unrestrained dogs at open windows are in danger of falling out if there's a collision or abrupt turn, and they may even decide to jump out if they see something they want to chase" and we take that seriously. We keep the dog in a harness clipped to the seat belt and open the window only a few inches. The air conditioning does the rest.

What to pack for summer road trips with a dog

Most of this goes in one bag by the door, and it takes about five minutes to fill.

• A collapsible bowl and a jug of fresh water, plus a spare leash.
• An ID tag with a phone number that works on the road.
• A towel and a blanket for the back seat.
• Waste bags on the leash, not in the trunk.
• The dog's own food from home, and a few treats.

That is our whole dog road trip essentials list. Anything else depends on where you are going.

Why the treats ride in the console

We do not bring a cooler for the dog's treats, because the ones we make are freeze-dried and need no refrigeration. The label says to store them in a cool, dry place, so the bag comes inside with us at every stop and rides in the console while we drive. Reseal it after opening.

These four are the ones we pack:

• Freeze-Dried Beef Liver is a single ingredient treat, beef liver and nothing else. It is lightweight and non-greasy, so it packs easily for a drive. The pieces are medium and break easily. Once the bag is open, we use it within 30 days, resealed and kept cool and dry.
• Freeze-Dried Beef Heart is firm and snaps into small pieces. It is milder than liver.
• Freeze-Dried Cheddar Cheese Bites are crunchy and non-greasy rather than soft. They contain dairy.
• Pup-Ornaut Ice Cream, in banana peanut butter, is light and crunchy. It is freeze-dried rather than frozen, so it will not melt on a seat. It contains peanuts and dairy, so it is not a single ingredient treat.

All four are freeze-dried in small batches in Malvern, and the label on each says to feed it as a treat and to provide fresh water. You will find the full set in our freeze-dried treats collection, and the summer road trip kit guide is the short version.

Bags on the leash

The Tire Stack Poop Bag Holder is a leash dispenser we designed and 3D-print in Malvern. It looks like a stack of four race tires, and the top tire is the screw-off lid. A steel screw-lock cable loop clips it to a leash or a harness ring. It weighs about 2 ounces, takes a standard roll of bags, and comes with a roll of strawberry-scented bags. We wipe it clean by hand. It is gear, not a chew toy, so keep it away from a determined chewer.

The motel or the rental

Read the pet policy before you book, not at the front desk. Look for size limits, fees and whether a dog may be left alone in the room. If the policy is unclear, call and ask.

We bring the dog's own bowl, blanket and towel inside, along with the treat bag. The treats stay with us in the room, not in the car overnight. A towel by the door catches the first muddy paws.

Coming home

Unload the bag, wash the bowl, and wipe down the leash and the Tire Stack. Brush the back seat and shake out the blanket. Check the treat bag, make sure it is resealed, and put it in a cool, dry place.

If the dog is on a special diet, or you are not sure which treats fit it, ask your veterinarian before you pack them for the next trip.

Road trip questions

How early should we leave?

We leave in the morning and finish the long driving before the afternoon. There is no exact hour, because it depends on where you live.

Can I leave my dog in the car for a quick stop?

No. We plan every stop so the dog gets out with us, as the quotes above describe. A drive-through, a picnic table or taking turns outside with the dog all work.

How often should we stop for water?

We offer water every time the car stops and the dog gets out. There is no number to follow, just the habit of pouring a bowl first.

Do dog treats need a cooler on a road trip?

Not the freeze-dried ones we make. They need no refrigeration, so the bag rides in the console. The label says to store them cool and dry, which is why the bag comes inside with us at every stop.

Should the dog ride with its head out of the window?

We keep the window open only a few inches and the dog in a harness on the seat belt.

What do we bring for the first night away from home?

The dog's own bowl, blanket and towel, plus the treat bag, all carried inside from the car.