How to Keep Your Dog Toys Organized While Traveling

Traveling with your pooch is great, but it most certainly involves a bit more preparation. When you take your dog along for the trip, you’ll need to pack a bag just for them with all of the necessary supplies such as water, food, treats, and, of course, toys. Dogs need treats and toys around to keep them entertained and happy, but our furry friends aren’t exactly skilled at keeping their toys organized and when traveling, it is important to organize the toys according to activity level and type.

Decide what to bring

Before you can organize your dog’s items, you’ll need to decide what you plan to bring.

Dental chews are great for keeping your dog busy and happy for long rides; however, if no one is free to monitor the gnawing activities, include only those chews which present no choking hazards and leave the easily destroyed toys and rawhides at home.

If appropriately sized to your pup, Kong toys are virtually indestructible and can do double duty, as they can be played with as a normal toy, or stuffed with treats to provide a distraction for your dog. Remember to bring a towel or seat cover just in case your dog gets extra slobbery when chowing down on a treat-filled Kong or other chews.

Tough toys such as ropes or textured rubber are great for travel. Stick to toys that your dog will want to chew on or play tug-o-war with, not play fetch with, since you won’t be able to toss around balls in an enclosed space like a car.

Try to avoid squeak toys, at least for the part of the trip when in transit. No one wants to listen to relentless squeaking for hours on end, and again, the chewing of most squeak toys would need to be closely monitored.

Create a travel bag

The last thing you want to deal with as you are trying to get out the door is a missing essential item. Do you really want your excited dog chasing you all around the house as you frantically search under beds and couches for their favorite toy? Avoid last-minute anxiety by packing a convenient carrying case dedicated to your pet's toys and travel needs.  You likely have a bag at home that will fit your needs, but if you decide to search online for options, "pet organizers for travel" provides shopping images of a more specific listing than "pet carriers". 

Ideally, you’ll have doubles of the items you’d like to bring, such as a stash of tug toys and chews, always packed neatly into a bag just for trips. If you don’t have doubles, make sure to pack the travel bag the day before your trip so that you won’t have to do any last minute searching.

Organize dog toys and treats by activity

As we mentioned before, things like squeak toys and balls might not be a great choice for when you and your dog are in transit, but toys like balls and frisbees work perfectly for rest stops and dog park breaks. It’s important to let your dog stretch out, run around, and use up energy in order to limit anxiety while they are in transit. It’s a good idea to pack an easy-to-grab day-trip bag for these outings. Not only will this speed up your exit from the vehicle when your dog is anxious to relieve himself and play, it will also keep the toys more organized. Transit toys and treats in one bag, outdoor adventure toys and accessories in another. You wouldn’t want your dog to hear that telltale squeak while your dig around looking for the rope toy, would you?

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to separate the power toys from the in-vehicle toys, is to use zippered plastic bags like suggested in this Hefty travel tip on Pinterest.  
However, if your tastes lie in more sophisticated solutions, do an online search for "backseat" organizers and you can find pockets that hang from the headrest on the back of a front seat. This setup assures the contents will always be easy to reach and not buried in the bottom of your pets travel bag.

Or, if you are traveling with your folding chair, covering it with Wrapsit™ foldable dog kennel will provide extra, easy to reach, external pockets -perfect for storing outdoor supplies. You can simply grab it and go!

Traveling with your dog does require a bit more preparation and organization, but the extra time spent with your lovable pup will most certainly be worth it and, of course, he's gonna love you for it!