As an animal lover, traveling with pets is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Lucy and Ernie, my fur babies, have ridden in my truck’s passenger seat for years now, making the best company! Spending years trucking with my pups and talking with other drivers has helped me learn exactly what is needed to successfully travel with pets, specifically dogs.

Here are my top 6 suggestions:

1. ID Tag

This one may be a no-brainer to you, but I’m always surprised by the amount of pet owners who haven’t tagged their pets! As much as us owners hate to think about it, your pet could run away. If this happens, you will be kicking yourself for not having bought that $15 tag. Considering your dog will not be able to tell their finder who you are, going tag-less is risky to say the least.

2. Chip

I highly recommend you chip your pet. This is also an alternative to having the ID tag mentioned above. Home Again is what I got for my dogs at the vet, but I’m sure there are a bunch of options out there to choose from. Home Again is a microchip that goes beneath your pet’s skin. Before you freak out, it’s the size of a grain of rice and does not cause your fur baby pain. The chip is used to contact you and reunite you with your pet, if they run away. The most important part is remembering to register it once you buy it.

3. Pet Light

I pick these lights up at truck stops and turn them on for our walks in the dark. There are numerous reflective and lighted items for your pets that will keep their cute selves visible at night. It’s a fairly cheap purchase that I highly suggest.

4. Step cover

This is another item that I highly recommend for drivers traveling with pets. Not only can you keep your feet clean, but it’s nice for helping pets step into the truck. For example, Lucy tends to fall out on the top step, but these covers keep her claws from getting caught in the holes or hurting her paws.

5. Nozzle

This one I picked up has helped in keeping my floors, seats, and bed clean. I have one dog that will walk around the world to stay out of a puddle. Then I have Lucy who walks through any and all puddles, since mud is just fine with her. This handy, soft, screw-on nozzle works great for washing mud off grubby paws. I do have wet wipes, but sometimes you need that extra squirt!

6. Pet “Emergency” Bag

Excuse the worn look, but I have had this “go bag” in the truck since 2012. Of course, any bag will do. In my bag, I keep bowls for food and water, food, emergency meds, copies of all records (shots, home again records, etc.), a potty pad and poop bags. You can customize the contents to suit your pets needs, they may want a t-shirt or sweater if your pet is cold-natured. It’s truly handy for grab-n-go situations. I got mine from Sue Weise of Operation Roger!

Hopefully these tips are useful to you as you hit the road with your pet. For even more help, I highly recommend joining the Trucking Fur Babies group on Facebook. I have gotten good advice there and they are a very caring and helpful group. Please travel well and safe with your pets!

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