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When you travel with your dog whether it’s just a day trip, an overnight stay or a full weekend away, you need to bring along your dog gear. Finding the right dog travel bag to keep all of your dog stuff together can be quite a challenge.
There are several dog bags on the market specifically designed to help you organise all your dog gear.
We've reviewed lots of dog travel bags and narrowed it down to the best on the market according to best quality product, best value and design for 2024. We've also reviewed some essential items to pack so you are prepared for the next adventure.
UPDATED : AUG 2024 - Following testing, we've added the Buddy Bottle as as essential 3-in-1 portable dog water bottle, perfect for traveling, long hikes or adventures |
If you are more interested in a bag suitable for a long walk off the beaten track or a lap of the local park, why not take a look at our in-depth test and review of the 4 Best Dog Walking Bags
Note: These bags are not for carrying your dog ! They are designed to carry all their gear and supplies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES TO CONSIDER
The most important thing to consider is what you’ll use the bag for. Some dog travel bags are designed for long days out hiking in the country or a day at the beach while others zero in on full weekends away.
Then there are outdoor-specific backpacks aimed at hikers and dog lovers who cover some serious miles. There's the option of tote bags or shoulder bags for those who simply want easier access to their dog gear than a traditional rucksack offers.
Ideally whichever bag you choose should have multiple compartments so you can organise your dog gear into sections. Nobody wants their towels, toys and leads smelling of dog food!
In our search for the best dog travel bag, we’ve reviewed and compared options from trusted brands like Mobile Dog Gear and Ruffwear.
OUR PICKS OF THE BEST DOG TRAVEL BAGS
1. Best Dog Travel Bag Overall
Mobile Dog Gear
Mobile Dog Gear design a whole range of travel bags, so no matter how long you are planning to be away from home, they should have a bag for you and your dog.
If you prefer a backpack to a shoulder bag, then take a look at this incredibly smart Mobile Dog Gear travel backpack from their patented collection.
This unisex backpack really stands out from the crowd due to its design features. It incorporates 2 removable sealable containers specifically designed for storing you dog's food.
We love the attention to detail this bag offers including a poo bag dispenser along with collapsible silicone bowls and a placemat store conveniently in the front flap.
The main space even has a divider to keep dog food carriers stacked neatly inside.
The comfortable straps are padded and adjustable to fit making this a classy looking dog backpack.
Whereas lots of rivals simply offer a backpack with a few pockets, Mobile Dog Gear takes the design a step further and offers a backpack designed entirely with your dog's travel needs in mind.
We think that this is probably the best designed dog travel bag on the market. If you're looking for something larger, then Mobile Dog Gear offer an Ultimate Week Away backpack too.
Dimensions - 33 x 18 x 40 cm
Reasons to Buy
+ Food storage containers
+ Divided central space
+ Comfortable shoulder straps
+ Collapsible bowl and mat
Reasons to Avoid
- If you're not keen on a backpack design
2. Best Shoulder Dog Travel Bag
Teamoy
Cleverly thought out with some great design features, this shoulder style travel bag from Teamoy is our favourite dog travel bag for a weekend away.
It has multiple storage pockets and importantly includes 2 lined food containers.
We love that all your pups supplies can be kept separate and sealed to stop food and treat smells infiltrating the rest of your gear.
We also like that the design allows easy access to all the contents.
It has well padded carry handles and an additional adjustable shoulder strap. This gives you the option to sling it over your shoulder if you need a spare hand for the dog lead.
To make feeding on the go easy, it includes 2 silicone collapsible bowls and a foldable dog feeding mat. Just add your water bottle, some dog wipes, a couple of toys and a spare lead and you're ready for adventure.
Available in two sizes and two designs - grey or grey dots.
Dimensions - Medium: 20 x 37 x 30 cm | Large: 24 x 40 x 34 cm
Reasons to Buy
+ Lots of compartments
+ Lined food storage
+ Comfortable shoulder straps
+ Two size options
Reasons to Avoid
- If you're looking for a backpack style
3. Best Overnight Dog Bag
Mobile Dog Gear
Looking for a day of adventures or one overnight stay ? The second Mobile Dog Gear bag to feature is this 'Day Away' Tote Bag.
This simple bag really helps you organise all your dog's supplies neatly. It includes a lined carrier that can hold up to 3 cups of food or treats.
The shoulder straps are padded for comfort and there are an abundance of pockets for toys, bowls and water bottles.
It's incredibly lightweight with a large, zipped main compartment and a separate smaller zipped front pocket for easy access to keys, phone etc.
If the pink is, well, too pink then Mobile Dog Gear offer a slightly larger bag in black.
Dimensions - 40.5cm x 13 x 28 cm
Reasons to Buy
+ Food storage container
+ Zipped closure
+ Padded shoulder straps
Reasons to Avoid
- Aversion to pink!
- If you're planning a longer trip
If you're planning a break in the UK, why not checkout our Guide to Choosing a Dog-Friendly Holiday
4. Best Dog Weekend Bag
Ruffwear Haul Bag
Heading out for a weekend and want to include your canine sidekick in all your adventures ? If you're going camping or 'off-grid' then the performance dog gear company, Ruffwear offer this rugged Haul Bag with enough storage space for a few days.
It's a durable and sturdy design as you'd expect from Ruffwear with a removable shoulder strap.
The bag has a whopping 37L capacity which will let you store a lot of your dog’s gear.
Several interior and exterior pockets along with a wide access zip, let you organise your dog food, bowls, toys and poo bags.
You could team it up with the matching Kibble Kaddie dog food bag. We love Ruffwear dog products and this Haul bag is no exception. Perfect for adventures both big and small it's a stylish waterproof dog bag.
Dimensions - 32cm x 42 x 30 cm
Reasons to Buy
+ 37l storage capacity
+ Shoulder strap
+ Matching accessories
Reasons to Avoid
- Maybe too large for a short trip
WHAT TO PACK IN A DOG TRAVEL BAG?
Buddy Bottle
Regardless of how long your trip is, number one on everyone's list should always be hydration.
The Buddy Bottle packs some nifty features, offering a versatile 3-in-1 solution for water, food, and on-the-go convenience, it's brimming with design ideas.
Admittedly there are lots of dog water bottles available on the market but the Buddy Bottle really stands out from the crowd. Their bottle is a 3-in-1 solution with an insulated 900 ml water bottle plus a nested water bowl and an additional food bowl.
The Buddy Bottle's ingenious nesting system makes it a compact and travel-friendly solution.
In testing we loved that you can use the water for you and your dog as you pour their water into a separate bowl.
With double walled stainless steel to keep the water cold and a durable powder coated finish, this innovative solution is built to last.
On shorter walks where we didn't have a backpack, we choose to leave the bottle in the car knowing it would be cool on our return (see photos).
Let's talk about the leak-proof design - we thoroughly tested this as nobody wants spills or mess. We're glad to report that the design was 100% leakproof.
Measuring 27cm high and 10.4cm diameter it weighs 544g empty and 1.4kg when filled to capacity.
Oh ! and it's worth mentioning that there's a super handy carabiner in the handle which you could attach to a backpack.
Why Choose Buddy Bottle?
In testing we felt that the Buddy Bottle was a gem of a water bottle with some standout features. If you're looking for a plain and simple way to keep your dog hydrated and fed on-the-go, then the Buddy Bottle will certainly fit the bill.
A great product which does exactly what it says on the tin and to great effect.
Available exclusively on the Buddy Bottle website in a range of stylish colours.
Dog Travel Bowl
If the Buddy Bottle doesn't appeal then you'll be looking for a travel bowl to pour water into.
This foldable dog bowl by The Little Dog Laughed is a really handy piece of canine kit. Designed with a square base and a circular top, it's incredibly sturdy.
Other bowls on the market such as the silicone collapsible design, definitely aren't designed to be as sturdy, so you run the risk of your dog constantly tipping over the full bowl of water which isn’t ideal!
The drawstring top is a clever design addition turning the bowl into a bag. Pop your food in the bag and, voila!, it opens into a dog bowl.
We were really impressed in testing as it's completely waterproof so can be used equally for dog food and water. It opens out into a sizeable bowl so would be suitable for large breed dogs.
It's a really handy bit of kit, excellent quality and folds up so you can pop it in your backpack or a large pocket.
Available in a range of three bright colours - pink, orange and blue. We think that the Little Dog Laughed pet travel bowl is the perfect piece of kit for any day out.
Best Dog Treat Pouch : Kurgo
Treats are not only great for rewards, they can be the perfect distraction when you’re trying to attract your dog’s attention away from something.
However, the last thing you need are warm, smelly dog treats in your pocket all day.
These bright and fun dog treat bags from Kurgo are available in blue or red.
They have a wide mouth opening so you can reach your treats quickly and a drawstring closure to keep those treats fresh.
The treat bag has an adjustable strap with two strong plastic clips, letting you to clip to your belt. It also features a drawstring closure and an extra zip-pocket.
We recommend Kurgo's Go Stuff It if you're looking for a well designed treat bag that'll stand up to everyday use.
You might be interested in...... |
If the Kurgo treat bag doesn't take your fancy, take a look at our full review. We explore the best dog treat bags including large shoulder bags to carry your poo bags, keys and phone and small belt mounted treat bags - Top 10 Dog Treat Bags |
Travel Dog Towel : DotDotPet
Even if you don’t expect your four-legged friend to get dirty, they always seem to be drawn to large expanses of muddy water.
A dog towel is not only perfect at rubbing them down, but can be useful at wiping your own arms, faces and clothes after the inevitable ‘shake’!
Dot Dot Pet are an innovative, award winning new company offering a capsule range of pet care products.
Everything from the bamboo towels to the shampoos and eco towels (single use and biodegradable) are not only well designed, but great for your carbon paw-print as their whole product range is responsibly sourced and sustainably made.
Headline features include drying hand pockets and a hood, which helps you dry your dog without getting wet yourself. This was a game-changer for us ! We loved the pockets, they made drying quick and easy.
DotDotPet's towels are soft and absorbent which you'd expect but they're also light enough to throw in a dog walking bag for a quick dry after a sudden downpour or dip in the river !
Made from sustainable materials (45% bamboo, 35% polyester & 20% cotton), the towels are available in two sizes, so you have a choice depending on the size of your dog -
🐾 Small 50 x 50 cm (pink & purple)
🐾 Large 75 x 75 cm (orange & purple)
Dog Poo Bags : TuffPets
Scoop the Poop…. Of course! But not all poo bags are created equal. Tuff Pets are a UK company offering two types of poo bags - compostable and biodegradable.
We particularly liked that these black bags were better at masking the contents than the paler coloured bags on the market.
Fancy coloured bags look nice on the roll, but there's no getting away from the fact that black bags really do a better job.
Better still, the bags are on a roll with tie handles so they're incredibly easy to secure. In testing we found that both their bags were strong and thick.
It's worth noting if you use a poo bag holder that the biodegradable rolls have a slightly smaller diameter than their compostable alternatives, so may fit into smaller poo bag holders more easily.
Our testers also felt that the biodegradable bags were the thickest we've reviewed, so if you're looking for extra thick poo bags, these will definitely fit the bill.
Buying Options
Tuff Pets have offered Smart Bark readers 25% OFF their first purchase
Use discount code SMARTBARK25
You might be interested .... |
For further information, read our in-depth review of the best dog poo bags. We bought, tested and reviewed the best dog poo bags - it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it ! |
HOW WE CHOSE
We decided to start off our hunt for the best dog travel bags by analysing top-selling brands and trending bags with rave reviews on retailers like Amazon, Pets at Home, and more. From there, we also considered bags we've tried out ourselves and which features we were looking for.
We then categorised the bags into styles from backpacks and totes to shoulder bags so we could offer a range of different bag styles to suit everyone.
Lastly we explored the best travel products to pack for a day, overnight or weekend away.
Thanks for stopping by and reading our article on Best Dog Travel Bags : Packing for Adventures.
