8 Van Life Dog Necessities You Didn’t Know You Needed
My two pups and I have traveled cross country, by way of our self-converted van, staying at campsite and a few hotels along the way. When living life on the road, having your furry companions along for the ride can make life so much better. Living life in a van requires necessities for your dogs health and safety.
When I took on my van conversion, I knew I wanted to bring my dogs along for the Van Life journey. I have traveled solo, in groups and a few girl trips for years but when I brought two puppies home I knew I wanted to see the world with them by my side.
We live in Indiana and just recently drove all the way to Washington, Oregon and back. It was over 60 hours of driving and plenty of mishaps and wonderful adventures in between. There are plenty of ways to travel with dogs: short spurts in a vehicle, campers and the way we travel, in a camper van. In an already small space, I discovered a few important and easily over looked items and builds that are needed for happy humans and dogs on the road.
A Kennel or Strap System
When living on the road, the in between of adventure, hiking and time outdoors can add some challenges to the van life living. When driving, it’s important to keep your pup safe and have access to food and water if needed.
One of the van life necessities for dogs is a way to keep them secure. Many dogs have been kennel trained, which can be a great way to take your van life dog along with you. Kennels can have a built in space under the bed without taking up too much of your needed space. My two pups don’t do well in kennels. I had to get creative with my van build. While traveling, my dogs have a strap across the bed that their double leash attaches. This gives them freedom and security.
When deciding how you want to build your van, keep your pets safety in mind. The ability to kennel or strap them in, will keep them from getting up in the driving area and keep them safe on sudden stops or the unlikely potential of being in an accident.
Doggy Entertainment
Another thought on van life necessities for dogs is a way to entertain them. Your pups favorite form of entertainment is a vital aspect of surviving long drives between adventures. I travel with two large dogs, Tiberius and Arabella. They are both who are under two years old, that’s a lot of puppy. We do our best to do something fun to deplete energy before setting off to a new location. However, canine boredom can strike during some inconvenient times.
Food Puzzles
My two van life dogs love food puzzles. While they always have access to a few of their favorite toys, I keep a food puzzle filled with some kibble and high value treats handy. I like to get the same kind of food that they typically eat in a different flavor. My pups eat chicken flavor food so when I switch it up to beef flavored they think they have been treated to something special.
Sniffle Mats
A sniffle mat is great for nose work, stimulating their brain and keeping them busy on their search for hidden treats. One of my go to’s to keep in my fridge is a pack of cheese sticks. My dogs go wild for cheese, but it might be something else for your pup. I cut the cheese sticks into small slices and hide them in the sniffle mat. Not only do they have to find them but they also have to forage to get the treats out of their hiding spots.
Kong’s
A Kong stuffed with frozen coconut oil, peanut butter, puree pumpkin, just to name a few, are a great way to keep dogs busy for an extended amount of time. I have a small freezer section in my fried in my van to keep two in for my “in case of emergency” i.e. the dogs have more energy than I do.
Squeaky Toys
Lastly, we always take a few squeaky toys on the road with us. They seem to be a dog favorite. However, they don’t seem to last long. Even so, my dogs love a plush toy so we bring some sturdy ones along.
A Brush
A brush seems like a standard tool for dog owners to have but it is easy to forget. When thinking about van life necessities for dogs a brush is easily overlooked. My dogs and I recently stopped in Montana for a hike. Besides limited shade, we had an excellent walk. It wasn’t until the end of our walk that I noticed my golden doodle, Arabella, was irritated by the burrs and stickers that her fur picked up along the way. Doodle fur, from my experience, can be difficult to maintain I’m sure there are lots of other breeds that require more grooming. Arabella and I both agree on a slicker brush and a wet brush for grooming.
My Samoyed, Tiberius, has a great deal of hair and sheds most of the year. While his hair is easier to maintain and clean, keeping my van relatively fur free warrants consistent brushing. There are times that you will need a bush even if your pups do not typically need brushed often. Different terrain can contribute to new unforeseen elements and new object to pick up along the way.
Water Proofing
The amount of waterproofing in you van should not be overlooked. I have a water proof flooring, bedding covers, pillow cover and semi-gloss paint for easy cleaning.
The likelihood that you will run into muddy trails, rain or water crossings is always there. The better prepared you are, the more fun you can have with your companion without worrying about what to do with the mess! On our short trips out to state parks for hikes we take a small suv. I even keep a seat liner in there. Waterproofing is not only a van life necessity for dogs but also the comfort or the humans as well.
During the warmer months we have done plenty of trails that have required crossing small streams of haven’t dried from the last rain. When thinking about van life or even life in a camper or RV, it is not always convenient to get to a washer and dryer.
On our latest road trip, my dogs and I had to pass through an area where the temperature would be elevated and one of my dogs does not handle heat well. We took the opportunity to stay in a hotel and made sure to find one with a self-serve washing area. After 10 days of long hikes and traveling, it was needed.
The waterproof bedding helped keep the smell at bay until we could get easy access to cleaning the sheets. Keep in mind, you cannot typically take your dogs into a laundry mat along the way. The water proofing of the bed and floors, with the semi-gloss paint allows easy cleaning. I can take a wet cloth or wipes to quickly clean the area without taking much time out of our adventure time.
Extra Towels and a way to Wash off
Unfortunately, you cannot water proof everything, especially your pup. Keeping a few spare towels handy is a must. I can recall stopping at a local dog park to blow off some energy in route to a campsite. Having never been before, how was I to know that there was a large creek running through the park? I always keep a few towels around for myself but without my extra towels we could have had a very wet van for the rest of the evening. You can get a ultra absorbent towel for dogs too that we really like.
Without having an easy way to take care of laundry, having a few extra towels designated for dogs will be something you will thank yourself for later. My van is capable of going off the grid for several days. Because of this, I keep a few gallons of water with me. This particular dog park did not have a hose or clean water source, so the gallons of water were used as a quick wash off before drying off. Consider towels a van life necessity for dogs.
Shower Rig
I also have a camping shower that I can set up on the back of my van with water hook up at an RV camp site. While that shower does have propane heater in it I recently bought a battery powered shower and collapsible bucket. While we have a few options available to clean off, having ample amount of towels should be a top item on your list.
ProBiotic
Although not all dogs will need a probiotic, I like to keep some on hand. My boy has a sensitive stomach but we hate to miss out on a good hike. There are several options out there but I like to get a probiotic powered from Purina ProPlan to sprinkle onto his favorite food.
A long amount of traveling, a bumpy road or a little extra stress can cause an upset stomach but a probiotic can usually get their bellies back in line in a jiffy. My two dogs typically only eat dry food. I have never had a problem getting a probiotic down them when mixed on their favorite wet dog food or some cooked, plain chicken.
Each dog is different, but find a favorite of your dogs and add some probiotic mixed in if you notice any kind of belly trouble while traveling. Our wonderful vet was the first to send me home with a probiotic but you can buy several different kinds at your local pet store or on-line. When thinking of van life necessities for dogs a probiotic is something I never travel without.
Cooling and/or Heating Extras
Cooling Mat
While the weather can be somewhat predicted, I have found having cooling or heating extras to be a van life necessity for dogs and honestly the humans too. We travel with a cooling mat that can easily fold up and be stored. My Samoyed will lay on a cooling mat anytime of the year though.
Fans
Most campervans are rather long and can lack air flow in the back. I typically keep my vent fan on when we go out on a hike but closed when driving. Because of this, I have two fans set up to blow near my dogs while driving after we have been out and about. I’m sure my two would agree that this is a van life necessity for dogs comfort in higher temperatures.
Heater
My winter breed dog may not agree, but a heater is a van life necessities for dogs, particularly with shorter hair.We don’t camp as much in the colder weather but even just a bit of elevation can cause a drop in the temperature. I travel with a small plug in heater and a heavy blanket stored under the bed to stay comfortable. Luckily, with limited space, I usually have two dogs trying to share the bed to help keep me warm.
On one of our trips we were stuck in an absolute down pour. While it was comfortable in the day and especially for a long hike the next day, it caused quite the drop in temperature. The extras that I brought along really helped keep us warm in an unexpected situation. Keep your pets comfortable is crucial to your happiness and theirs.
I have traveled to 6 continents, in many different capacities but traveling with my dogs adds a whole new since of adventure.
Will everything work out perfectly? No.
Will your trips require more planning? Yes!
Will bring your pups make adventures more fun? Absolutely!
There are many ways that you can insure your dogs are taken care of while away but it is easy to see that pups are at their happiest when they are with their humans. Trust me when I tell you, bringing your furry companion along will make your adventures so worthwhile and full of wonderful memories.
I hope this list helps fill in some areas that you not thought of yet. I would love to hear other items you have found helpful or questions that you might have in the comments below.
