Best crate for most dogs
MidWest Homes for Pets
MidWest iCrate Double-Door Folding Dog Crate, 36"
4.6
🏆 Best Overall Crate
Tradeoff: Determined escape artists can bend the wire.
Traveling With a Dog
An unrestrained dog in a car is a hazard to itself and to everyone else in the vehicle. Beyond that, most travel trouble is preparation trouble: get the crate or carrier out well before travel day, so it is familiar rather than the thing that only appears before something stressful.
Start here
- A harness clipped to a seatbelt is the low-effort baseline; a secured crate is sturdier if you have the space.
- Crash-test standards for pet restraints are voluntary rather than regulated, so claims in this category vary in what they are worth.
- Airlines set their own rules and change them — check the specific airline for the specific flight rather than any general guide, this one included.
- Plan stops more often than you would for yourself, and never leave a dog in a parked car in warm weather.
- Bring water your dog is already used to, and enough of its own food for the whole trip plus a day.
Buying guides & comparisons
- Boarding Kennel vs Pet Sitter vs Friend: How to ChooseCompare boarding, in-home pet sitting, and asking a friend on cost, stress, and reliability, plus the questions to ask each one.
- Crate, Harness, or Barrier: Which Car Restraint Should You Buy?A secured travel crate, a tested harness, and a cargo barrier solve different problems. How to choose based on your vehicle, your dog, and your trips.
Learn
18 guides on travel, grouped by what you're trying to work out.
Car travel & restraints
Harnesses, crates, barriers, car sickness, and the dog that hates the car.
- Are Dog Car Harnesses Actually Crash Tested?Pet restraint crash testing is voluntary, not regulated. Here's what a real test looks like, what marketing language hides, and what to ask a brand.4 min read
- My Dog Hates the Car — How Do I Fix It?Car refusal is a learned association, and it responds to short, boring, pleasant trips. A step-by-step plan plus the mistakes that keep dogs stuck.4 min read
- Short Car Trips: How to Build a Dog Who Travels WellThe cheapest travel insurance is fifteen short car trips before you ever need a long one. Here's the schedule, the destinations, and what to measure.4 min read
- Where Should a Dog Sit in the Car?The back seat or cargo area, restrained, always. Here's why the front seat and the driver's lap are the two worst options, and how to pick between the rest.4 min read
- Why Does My Dog Get Car Sick?Most car sickness in dogs is an inner-ear problem in puppies or a stress problem in adults. How to tell which one you have, and what actually helps.4 min read
Flying with a dog
In-cabin versus hold, carrier requirements, paperwork, and breed and season restrictions.
- Should Your Dog Fly in the Cabin or the Cargo Hold?In-cabin is safer and simpler, but it is limited by size. Here is how the two options really differ and what to weigh before you book a cargo flight.4 min read
- What Do Airlines Require From a Dog Carrier?Cabin bags are judged on under-seat fit; cargo crates on rigid construction and ventilation. Here are the categories of rule and the questions to ask.4 min read
- What Paperwork Does a Dog Need to Fly?Health certificates expire, rabies rules are set by the destination, and some countries need months of lead time. Here is how to sequence the documents.4 min read
- Why Airlines Refuse Flat-Faced Dogs and Hot-Weather FlightsBrachycephalic breeds and summer cargo embargoes are the two most common reasons a dog is turned away at check-in. Here is what drives each rule.4 min read
Road trips & lodging
Planning stops, packing lists, dog-friendly hotels and rentals, and camping.
- Camping With a Dog: What to Plan ForLeash rules, tie-outs, wildlife, ticks and night temperatures decide whether camping with a dog works. Here is what to check before you book a site.4 min read
- How Often Should You Stop on a Long Drive With a Dog?Roughly every two to three hours for most adult dogs, more often for puppies and seniors. Here is how to plan the stops so they actually help.4 min read
- How to Find a Genuinely Dog-Friendly Hotel or RentalPet-friendly listings hide fees, weight caps and alone-in-the-room rules. Here are the questions to ask before you book, and how to leave no trace.4 min read
- What to Pack for a Road Trip With a DogA packing list built around the four things that actually go wrong on the road: water, waste, restraint, and paperwork. Plus what to keep within reach.5 min read
Getting a dog travel-ready
Crate conditioning, short practice trips, vet records, and anxiety.
- Dog Travel Anxiety: What a Vet Can Actually Help WithWhen travel nerves stop being a training problem and become a vet visit, what to bring to the appointment, and why sedation for cargo flights is discouraged.4 min read
- How to Get a Dog Comfortable in a Travel Crate or CarrierA four-week plan to turn a travel crate from a scary box into a place your dog chooses, plus how long it takes and what to do if you are short on time.4 min read
- Leaving Your Dog Behind: A Pre-Trip Checklist for the Weeks Before You GoA week-by-week checklist for arranging care, paperwork, and supplies before a trip where your dog stays home.6 min read
- Update Your Dog's Microchip and Records Before You TravelA microchip only works if the registry has a number you will answer. Here is the ID and records check to run in the month before any trip with a dog.4 min read
Boarding & leaving them home
Kennels, sitters, daycare, and what to hand over to whoever is looking after your dog.
Gear for travel
Researched picks from the categories this section covers.
Best crate for medium breeds
MidWest Homes for Pets
MidWest iCrate Double-Door Folding Dog Crate, 30"
4.5
🐕 Best Crate for Medium Breeds
Tradeoff: Get the weight range right — this one caps out around 40 lb.
Best crate for large breeds
MidWest Homes for Pets
MidWest iCrate Double-Door Folding Dog Crate, 42"
4.4
📏 Best Crate for Large Breeds
Tradeoff: Costs about double the 36", and it is a two-person job to move assembled.
Best for air travel
Petmate
Petmate Vari Dog Kennel, 40" (Large Dogs, 70–90 lb)
4.3
✈️ Best for Air Travel
Tradeoff: Airline-shaped, but confirm your carrier's current rules — plastic fasteners are a common sticking point.
$140–$185Check Price — Best for air travel
Best starter bowls
Amazon Basics
Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Bowls (2-pack)
4.3
Stainless is the vet-default: dishwasher-safe, chew-proof, and doesn't harbor bacteria like scratched plastic. This non-skid 2-pack costs less than lunch.
Tradeoff: Basic looks — it's a steel bowl.
Best soft travel crate
EliteField
EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate with Bed
4.2
🧳 Best for Travel
Tradeoff: Fabric — not for chewers or escape artists.
What to know about travel
Car restraints, airline rules, and road-trip logistics with a dog. An unrestrained dog in a car is a hazard to itself and to everyone else in the vehicle, and a harness clipped to a seatbelt is the low-effort baseline; a secured crate is sturdier if you have the space for one. Note that crash-test standards for pet restraints are voluntary rather than regulated, so claims in this category vary in what they are worth. Airlines set their own rules and change them, and those rules differ by cabin versus hold, by carrier dimensions, by breed, and by season — check the specific airline for the specific flight rather than trusting any general guide, this one included. For road trips, plan stops more often than you would for yourself, never leave a dog in a parked car in warm weather, and bring water your dog is used to. Get the crate or carrier out well before travel day, so it is familiar rather than a thing that only appears before something stressful.
Travel questions owners ask
What is the safest way for a dog to travel in a car?
Restrained, in the back. A crash-tested harness clipped to a seatbelt or a securely anchored crate both work; loose in the cabin and unrestrained in a truck bed do not. Note that pet restraint testing is voluntary rather than regulated, so look for a manufacturer that publishes its actual test results.
Can my dog fly in the cabin with me?
Usually only if the dog plus its carrier fits under the seat in front, which in practice means small dogs. Every airline sets its own dimensions, fees, breed restrictions and seasonal embargoes, and they change — confirm with the airline you are booked on rather than relying on a general guide.
How often should I stop on a road trip with a dog?
Roughly every two to three hours for a toilet break, water and a short leg-stretch, and more often for puppies and seniors. Keep the leash on before the door opens at every stop — an excited dog bolting into a service station car park is the classic road-trip incident.
Should I board my dog or hire a sitter?
Boarding suits sociable dogs that cope well with noise and other dogs, and it has staff on site. A sitter in your own home suits anxious dogs, seniors, and anyone on medication, because nothing about the routine changes. Whichever you choose, hand over your vet's details, written feeding and medication instructions, and a spending limit you have agreed in advance.