Whether you are traveling with a puppy, a dog that is not fully potty trained, an anxious peeer, or an incontinent senior dog, it’s a good idea to bring a dog diaper bag.
UPDATED: July 7, 2021
Bringing a doggie diaper bag is important because you never know when your dog may make a mess in a hotel, or friends house, or when they might roll in the mud (or something really stinky. Yikes!)
Having everything you’ll need to address those kind of situations as they arise makes them easy to deal with and gives you peace of mind.
When you put together your own kit and keep it packed, it will help make sure you don’t forget anything important and will make getting out the door easier.
Your hosts will really appreciate your attentiveness and immediate response.
The items in a dog diaper bag may also help you avoid hotel or Airbnb damage fees.
So let’s get started putting together your dog’s travel kit.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links (Amazon Associate or other programs we participate in). As an affiliate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
What Kind of Bag to Use
While there are some specialized bags that advertise themselves as dog diaper bags, I’m personally not impressed with any of them.
If you want to go that route though, here are two inexpensive ones that are highly rated:
Personally, I went with a diaper bag made for human children because I liked all of the pockets.
The design of the diaper bag I purchased – the Skip Hop Duo Diaper Bag – has changed a little but I still think it’s a good one.
However, it’s certainly not the cheapest option out there.
Some diaper bags come in a lot of fun prints but I love the adventurous feel of the Lekebaby Diaper Bag Tote in Arrow Print.
If you want a backpack style diaper bag, something like this is a good choice.
Really, any kind of bag will work but I prefer one with more individual pockets to help me organize supplies.
What to Pack in a Dog Diaper Bag
Believe it or not, you’ll bring approximately the same amount of stuff in your doggie diaper bag whether your dog is was small or large.
There is a base list of items every dog owner should bring though.
Once I list what I pack in my dog’s diaper bag, I will touch on some extras you’ll need for special situations like traveling with a puppy or senior dog.
Two disclaimers before we get started though:
1) This is not an exhaustive list of everything I bring with us on trips. This is intended to be a pre-packed “emergency bag” that I can grab to bring with me at a moment’s notice.
2) This dog diaper bag packing list may have to be modified if you will be flying with your dog because of space and liquid restrictions.
For All Dogs
These are the items I pack in my dog’s travel kit.
For first aid/medical:
- Copies of vaccination records
- Small pet first aid kit plus a roll of cohesive bandage (like Vetrap)
- Id tags
For protecting and cleaning up messes on the floors, walls, and upholstery:
- Pet carpet cleaner – two of my favorites are Natures Miracle Advanced Formula Pet Stain & Odor Remover and Biokleen Bac-Out Pet Stain Remover (I sometimes put it in a smaller bottle)
- Glass cleaner (to wipe dog nose of your car window if it gets to be too much, the hotel window or the window of a friend’s house)
- Odor eliminator spray (to spray the dog stink of furniture, dog beds or out of the air) – my favorites are Pure Ayre for Pets and Biokleen Bac-Out Pet Odor Eliminator (these definitely go in a smaller spray bottle)
- Roll of paper towels
- Lint roller
- Dog potty pads – My favorite is Hartz Home Protection Odor Eliminating Pads – to place in the hotel room hall or in front of the door….because if they are going to mark inside, that is where they are going to do it (these absorb an adult dog’s amount of pee)
For cleaning a dirty dog:
- Microfiber bath towel (camping kind)
- SKOUT’S HONOR Probiotic Deodorizer (spray on bath replacement for the potty “accidents” like poop where it shouldn’t be)
- Small bottle of dog wash (currently loving SKOUT’S HONOR Probiotic Pet Shampoo & Conditioner)
- Pet Grooming wipes (brands vary but I like the Nature’s Miracle Ultra-Cleanse Coat Wipes)
Other Random Items
- Two extra rolls of poop bags (in addition to what I normally bring)
- Dog Paws Lotion Bar – or rough, dry or cracked paws/noses (since we ARE going somewhere hot and dry)
- Nail clippers/Dremel (depending on what your dog prefers)
- 2 Dog Toys
- Small, portable AM/FM radio or a rechargeable speaker that accepts a flash drive with pre-loaded music (ie. a separate radio than your phone so you can leave it in the room to drown out outside noises.
- Belly band – if you have a male dog that likes to mark.
Additions for a Puppy Diaper Bag
If you’re packing a diaper bag for your puppy, you’ll manage perfectly if you only bring everything listed above.
However, a couple other things that I brought along when I had a puppy are:
- An extra leash and collar (because puppies might chew theirs up)
- Puppy safe chews to keep your dog occupied (since you can’t walk as much with a puppy to tire them out)
- A used blanket (not a clean one so that your puppy can be comforted by a familiar smell)
Additions For a Senior Dog Diaper Bag
Some senior dogs don’t have any special needs so you may not need to pack anything extra for them.
But some do.
Here are some extra things I packed when I traveled with my senior dog:
- A few extra of any medications – in case you forget them or run out
- Calming Supplements like HempMy Pet CBD or VetriScience Composure – senior dogs are more likely to get anxious in unfamiliar surroundings
- Dog diapers (if your dog is incontinent) – I found these disposable male wraps, and female dog diapers, fit my dogs the best and are the most convenient for travel.
Final Thoughts
Whew! Just writing that list made me tired. Clearly I like to be prepared for anything.
Surprisingly this stuff doesn’t take up much space – just the space of one small to medium piece of luggage.
I keep this pre-packed dog diaper bag stored in our gear room in the basement.
Once I pack all of the big travel items – ones that vary a lot based on what we’re doing or where we’re going, unlike what I keep in this kit – I keep it stored in the basement so it’s easy to grab and go.
It’s also a great thing to have on hand in case of emergency that causes you have to leave your house quickly.
Elizabeth says
Dont forget the dogs! 😉
Wallace and Samuel says
What a PAWSOME post! We LOVE the diaper bag idea.
Bethany says
Great list! I think grooming wipe/baby wipes are essential. I always bring a little hand-held broom for sweeping out the car, tent or entry of where we’re staying. For longer trips, I grab one of our hand-held Dyson vacuum’s for quick/extra tent/car/hotel/host house fur/dog mess clean up. I use guard pads under our water dishes in hotels or in the tent too because the boys are slobbery drinkers (Well, Brychwyn and Huxley are. Wilhelm is not.)
Jessica Rhae says
I used to carry a small whist and dustpan to clean out my car. That was before I had dogs and just gave up on my car being clean. Ha, ha. Our tent is only a two-person tent so it is easy to pick up and shake out.
You get a gold star for actually bringing a vacuum cleaner! 🙂
Small Dog Tails says
And I thought our packing list was long! You’ve given me some ideas for our next trip. In addition to some of the things on your list, we usually bring a soft crate, a long leash (30 ft), and a cooling vest for the summer. During the rest of the year, I bring rain coats and sweaters.
Jessica Rhae says
Good point on the sweaters and jackets. I guess I should have clarified that this “packing” I did was for a place where the weather was going to be in the 80s 🙂 If there was a chance of it being cool or cold I would have brought jackets for sure.
Dachshund Nola and Her Mom says
Wow, you’re way more prepared than I! What about a small doggie first aid kit (with muzzle, vet wrap, thermometer, ect) and Benadryl? And of course the camera. 😉 I also take ear cleaning stuff, toothbrush and tooth paste, small sling type carrier and 3-4 different collars, harnesses and leashes.
Jessica Rhae says
Oh, I have a first aid kit. It’s the second item listed in the diaper bag. It’s a great little kit from Alcott with some stuff added in it. It links to the post I wrote about the kit and what I added to it.
I always have an emergency “sling” with me. It goes inside my hiking backpack (I also wrote about what goes in there before). I carry the REI Flash 18 backpack (inside my regular pack). It works great in a pinch if one of the dogs gets hurt…or lazy/stubborn in the case of Chester 🙂
The camera is a must-have but not something I considered that I pack “for the dogs”. I guess I really do though because that is mostly what I take photos of. Ha, ha.
Maeve says
I’m actually working on a similar post with our “Going to Grandma’s” travel bag! We have pretty similar items except for I only packed for staying at my mom’s. If we were going somewhere that wasn’t exactly dog-friendly, I would probably need a small u-haul trailer. You just don’t realize how many things you actually use on a daily basis or may need. I was so excited to see everything that you packed because there is nothing wrong with being prepared!
Jessica Rhae says
Yeah, if you are going to a house that already has some of YOUR dog stuff there, or has stuff for another dog that you can use, packing this much probably wouldn’t be necessary. Be sure to give me a heads up on your post so I can check out what you pack. You can tweet me the link at @YDWWYW when you post it.
Beth says
I like the idea of keeping a bag packed and ready, too. The only problem I have is that in between trips I tend to “borrow” from the bag so when I get ready to travel I find that the bag is depleted! I bought a similar bag from a vendor at the last dog show I worked at ) – it really helps to be organized! I like your idea of taking along a “pee-pee pad” to put down in case they decide to mark!
Jessica Rhae says
I like the prints of the doggy baggage bags. The duffel one is a good size too. I think I have enough dog crap that I won’t have to touch what is inside the bag 🙂
Jessica says
I think you might officially pack even more than I do. I never thought I’d say that to anyone. As far as the dog is concerned, anyway. His stuff takes up way more room than mine. Traveling with bulky raw food makes it even harder.
Jessica Rhae says
An my dogs are only 20 lbs combined! Ha, ha. I think we pack just as much people stuff or a little more but, since the SUV wasn’t packed to the gills, I think we packed more efficiently this time.
Goose says
Yep, pretty much sounds like my list of goodies too (of course you have to multiply by 2)! 😉 We use a diaper bag for almost everything and it works like a peach! Everyone always makes fun of us, since my suitcase is generally larger than Domeek’s when we go out of town! Hehehe! The life of a pup!!
Jessica Rhae says
I like using the diaper bag because I probably will never get to use one with kids (not having any). It worked really great and I love having a kit I can just grab and go.
emma says
Sounds like my mom, she says that Katie and I need more stuff than she does! We used to keep a ton of it in the car but now that we don’t travel that often, she just packs fresh every time. If you travel often it is great to have most items ready to go and a short list of last minute items that need to be added.
Jessica Rhae says
Well, I envision traveling more than we actually do 🙂 One can dream. Hey, I will be all ready to go if we ever take that 6-month road trip.
Jim says
I had not thought about the diaper bag ideal. We play to take our weiner dogs for a week trip soon and the only thing i didn’t see you mention that I was thinking about taking was a crate. I am not sure i trust them alone while we are dining out. I thought we may create them during that time so stuff doesn’t get chewed up. I don’t need an extra bill at check out lol.
Jessica Rhae says
Yes, a crate might be useful. I can’t leave Chester and Gretel alone in a hotel room because they would bark so a crate was not necessary for us to keep them from chewing stuff up 🙂
Pat says
I love the idea of the diaper bag. How about a small grooming kit, although I’m not sure how you groom a Doxie. I have a mini kit for my dog as he has 2 inch fur and gets knotty arm pits if his not brushed regularly.
Jessica Rhae says
Good idea Pat.I have everything in the kit I need to groom my smooth coat Doxies though – nail trimmers and grooming wipes 🙂