The Dog Road Trip Checklist

Loading up for a road trip with your dog starts with a bag of freeze-dried treats from our kitchen in Malvern, Pennsylvania. We toss a bag in the car for every trip we take, including the ones with our tester dog Ella, who has ridden along to car shows and trailheads in our red car more times than we can count. This checklist covers what else goes in the car with her, from seat covers to water bowls, so you can pack once and go.

Treats for the road

Our treats are single-ingredient: beef liver, chicken hearts, chicken feet, sardines, cheddar, and more. They are freeze-dried, so they do not need a cooler and they do not turn the back seat into a mess. Pack a bag for the drive and a few extra for rest stops. A familiar treat from home is an easy way to keep the mood light in a new place, whether that is a rest area or a trailhead parking lot.

Covering the seats

Dogs and car seats do not always get along, especially after a muddy trailhead. 4Knines, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, makes rear seat covers, truck seat covers, and door covers, sold through Shopify Collective and shipped directly from 4Knines with its own tracking. Not made or shipped by Sniff and Shift. Measure your seats against the listing before ordering, since fit varies by vehicle and by whether you want a hammock style that covers the floor too. Our dog car seat covers collection has the current lineup for cars and trucks.

Water, bowls, and rest stops

Bring more water than you think you need, plus a collapsible bowl that packs flat when it is empty. Plan a stop every couple of hours so your dog can stretch, sniff around, and take a drink. A short walk at a rest area is often enough to reset a restless dog for the next leg of the drive, and it gives you a break too.

Packing the essentials

Round out the packing list with a leash, a collar or harness your dog already knows, a favorite blanket, and a treat pouch for quick rewards at rest stops. Up Dog Shop's treat pouches clip onto a belt loop and keep a handful of our treats within reach for the drive. If you are shopping for a harness before the trip, 2 Hounds Design makes its harnesses in North Carolina with globally sourced materials, sized by measuring the largest part of the chest behind the front legs and choosing the smallest size that still fits. A martingale-style collar is sized differently: choose the smallest size that still slips over your dog's head. Never leave a dog in a parked vehicle unsupervised. Even on a quick errand, bring your dog in with you or plan the stop for after you get home.

Before you go

Do a quick walk-through of the car the night before instead of the morning of. Check that tags and any travel ID are current, load the seat cover, and set the water bowl and treat bag somewhere you can reach them without pulling over. If you are heading to a car show, a trailhead, or anywhere with a longer stretch between stops, pack a few extra treats and a backup leash. We keep a spare leash in the glovebox for exactly this reason, ever since a car show where Ella's regular leash ended up left at home.

Shop by category

Our road trip essentials collection gathers everything above in one place. Partner items like seat covers and treat pouches ship from their makers through Shopify Collective, while our treats ship from our kitchen here in Malvern.

For a standing supply of treats between trips, our Modified Monthly subscription box sends a rotating mix to your door every month, so you are not digging through an empty bag before the next drive.

Want the whole shelf at once? Explore our products puts every treat, toy and piece of gear in one searchable place, treats first.

Questions

What treats travel best in a car?

Freeze-dried treats travel well because they are shelf-stable and do not need refrigeration. Our single-ingredient treats, like beef liver and chicken hearts, hold up in a bag in the glovebox or console for the whole trip.

How do I pick the right seat cover?

Measure your seats and compare them to the sizing listed on each 4Knines product page. Regular and XL sizes cover different seat depths, and hammock styles add coverage down to the floor for dogs that like to move around in the back seat.

Do I need to stop often on a long drive?

Most dogs do well with a break every couple of hours to stretch, drink water, and get some fresh air. Watching your dog for restlessness or pacing is a good cue that a stop is due.