By Candyce H. Stapen
When traveling with your best friend, it's important to consider sleeping arrangements, neighborhood strolls and food before you leave. That's why clever canine products make all the difference on a trip with the family's four-footed companion. Pet travel products that do away with lumpy dog beds, refresh a weary pooch, lessen the load on walks, make cleanups easy and provide first aid go a long way toward creating wag-worthy trips.
As longtime dog parents and frequent travelers, my husband and I know hotels and resorts typically provide fluffy dog beds that look nice but often lack enough padding to keep a dog's hips and elbows from sinking to the floor. The resulting achy joints may cause nighttime pacing that keeps the dog and his roomies awake.
Timberdog's RuffRest Ultimate Dog Bed (not the Basic) solves that problem and more. RuffRest's orthopedic-quality mats provide firm support. The multifunction bed, good for hotels, campsites and road trips, is flexible enough to roll up and carry using the shoulder straps, even in the largest size. A comparably sized bed for my 135-pound Newfoundland practically requires a moving company to heave into the back of my SUV. When detached, RuffRest's shoulder straps function as an emergency leash, an important extra.
Unzip the bed's head bolster to unfurl a sleeping-bag-like blanket that keeps a pet warm and cozy. Unzip the sides to find the removable organizer with pockets to stow treats and two foam mats covered in polyethylene vinyl acetate. Those create a moisture-proof barrier, protecting the foam from absorbing pee, poop and puke, liquids that leave a putrid smell. Our only caution: The PEVA makes a crinkling noise when our Newf stretches and rolls. She doesn't mind, but sometimes her shifts awaken us.
Just like their owners, dogs can get dehydrated from plane travel, strenuous hikes and hot weather. Bone broth has long been praised for its rehydrating and rejuvenating properties, but canines can't slurp our bone broth because the onions, garlic and larger amounts of salt can be detrimental to pooches. Formulated especially for dogs, Brutus Broth contains rehydrating supplements and amino acids designed to rid the four-footer of his hangdog look and heavy panting. The company's On the Go packets fit easily into a purse or pocket.
Walks with dogs are fun, especially when owners don't have to juggle water bowls, keys, poop bags and treats while guiding a dog on a lead. StitchLeash, born when the founder's then 6-year-old son asked why a leash couldn't hold all those items, can do just that. Simply thread the included hooks through the leash's reinforced holes, then clip on the necessities. The key-shaped attachment for tying on dirty poop bags is especially thoughtful because who wants to hand-hold that on an hours-long walk? StitchLeash offers both regular and retractable leashes.
Take a curious dog out and she's likely to dig in the mulch, step in mud puddles, collect leaves on her coat and otherwise get dirty. Our Newf has limited patience for brushing and washing, but she gladly sat still for Wondurwipes by Wondurdog. When we put the wearable, glove-like wipes on our hands, my Newf felt like we were petting her. We were, but as we stroked, the hypoallergenic wipes with aloe vera and shea butter removed the mess and made her smell better. So save the car's backseat and the hotel's towels by using these special wipes.
Injuries can happen anytime. First-aid kits for people contain bandages and gauze pads that might suit dogs, but a dog-centric emergency medical bag also includes care items just for animals. Keep>Going's First Aid Pet Kit includes styptic powder for pets, paw cream, an emergency leash, booties (fits small to medium-sized dogs), a collapsible water bowl and a tick remover. Each item is labeled, making it easy to identify in an anxiety-producing situation. After all, who knew what a proper tick pick looked like? Choose from kits containing 60, 99 or 270 pieces.
After a fun adventure, reward the wet-nosed wonder with a treat. For dogs like my Newf with a sensitive stomach and food allergies, hotel biscuits don't work. After a few standard dog treats, she's likely to leave a big soupy mess on the floor. The founder of Marcy's Pet Kitchen suffered the same issue with her Labrador. Frustrated, she solved the problem by creating a line of all-natural, low-glycemic biscuits. Choose from pumpkin, veggie and peanut butter in either 1-ounce single-serve packs or 5-ounce bags. My Newf adores them.
Packing these well-thought-out products eases the next trip with that much-loved furry best friend. Have a pet-loving friend? Consider selecting these useful goodies as gifts for the holidays.
WHEN YOU GO
RuffRest Ultimate Dog Bed: Timberdog.com
Brutus Bone Broth: brutusbroth.com
StitchLeash: stitchleash.com
Wondurwipes by Wondurdog: wondurdog.com
Keep>Going First Aid Kits: keepgoingfirstaid.com
Marcy's Pet Kitchen: marcyspetkitchen.com
Candyce H. Stapen, greatfamilyvacations.com, is an award-winning travel writer, editor, and author. Follow her on Instagram @CandyceStapen, on X @familyitrips, and on Facebook @Familyitrips and Candyce.Stapen. Discover www.HennysKids.org, Stapen's non-profit that brings educational materials to rural schools in Africa. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at creators.com.
RuffRest's Ultimate Pet Bed's sleeping-bag-like cover keeps your dog warm and comfortable wherever you are. Photo courtesy of Timberdog.
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