SPY Article
Written by Lorraine Wilde
Published on August 21st, 2022
Road trips are always better when you have someone to share them with. Bringing your dog ensures you have a companion, watchdog and adventure partner whether you’re hiking, biking or even living the #vanlife. But having the right products for your dogs can make or break your trip.
My husband Kenneth Kearney is a professional wildlife and landscape photographer so we spend a fair bit of time on the road in Oregon, Washington, Montana, British Columbia and Alaska. California and Alberta are next on our list.
In Spring 2019, we adopted two dogs from the streets of Houston, Texas through two different rescue groups. Kuma, named for the Japanese word for bear, is an energetic 3.5-year-old 45-pound pit bull mix and Ghillie Dhu, named for a Scottish forest fairy, is a calm 5+-year-old 45-pound super mutt. We are true dog lovers—our dogs are members of our family. We want to bring them with us whenever possible.
At home and on road trips, we use pet calming products to reduce their reactivity and anxiety that is so common among rescued and pandemic pets. But on road trips we also use a range of other products for dogs to keep them safe, nourished and comfortable along the way.
Because road tripping with dogs is a learning process, I wanted to share some of the tips and travel pet products for dogs that have made it possible for us to travel in comfort over the last few years. And if you’re heading into the great outdoors with your pups, be sure to check out SPY’s guide to Camping With Dogs.
Native Pet Organic Air-Dried Pumpkin Powder
Just like humans, when you travel, your digestion can get disrupted by changes in your schedule and diet. Dogs especially will eat different foods, stray rodents, garbage and who knows what else that can result in diarrhea, constipation and other digestive upsets.
Both at home and when we road trip, we feed our dogs this organic dietary supplement that helps them stay regular despite the chaos of the road. Made with just three ingredients grown in North America—organic pumpkin, pumpkin seed and organic apple—this shelf-stable powder can be easily mixed with food or water. Pumpkin has long been recommended by veterinarians as a natural home remedy to establish regularity for dogs. The manufacturers also claim that it also helps prevent the scooting you’ll sometimes observe.
Available in an 8- or 16-ounce can, you can save a lot when you buy multiple cans that have a shelf-life of two years. Our dogs love the taste, so they see it as an extra treat.
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