Have someone who travels with their dog on your holiday gift list? Or, maybe you’re the one who brings along your fearless canine. Either way, here’s Part 1 of Solo Travel Girl’s nifty dog travel accessories. How did I find these fun gadgets for wanderlust pooches and their people pals? I walked the floor of the Global Pet Expo in Orlando last March. It’s the pet industry’s largest trade show and is presented by American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA).
The pet industry is big. I mean, HUGE. During the trade show, APPA announced overall spending in the pet industry for 2013 was at an all-time high of more than $55.7 billion, which reflects a 4.5 percent growth over 2012. Spending for 2014 is estimated to be $58.51 billion.Let me tell ya, long gone are the days of putting any old collar on man’s best friend. These days, Fido can go hiking with a backpack, keep dry with a raincoat, and dress to the nines for a night on the town.
My career(s) doesn’t grant me a consistent schedule to have a dog, which is why I have cats. For all you dog lovers, there is no shortage of fun and functional products and I’m a bit jealous! Here are four of my eight favorite travel products for dog-loving travelers from the show floor.
Bike Safely with Your Dog
Want to safely bike while giving your dog exercise? Bike Tow Leash may be the answer. It’s a 1.2 lb dog-cycling bike attachment approved as a safe dog-biking product from the American Pet Association. It extends out and away from the bicycle with a clip to attach to your dog’s collar. The technology replaces potential tipping, which can occur when strapping a leash to your seat or handle bars, with a forward motion.
Lock Up Your Pooch
You lock up your bicycle, how about your puggle? I recently learned more than 2 million dogs are stolen annually and many are used in dog fighting. That’s just WRONG! When properly used, the SafeSpot Locking Leash can prevent your dog from being stolen because the leash has a lock feature and steel cable reinforcement making it difficult for would-be thieves to cut. It’s ideal when you need to briefly lock your dog outside to a fence, bike rack, etc., because he can’t join you inside an establishment such as a store, eatery or museum.
Calm Fido’s Nerves with Essential Oils
Do car rides make your pup anxious? Dog Fashion Spa recently launched Essential Calming Oils to help nervous canines settle down. This natural way is a blend of pure essential oils that include lovely scents as bergamot, tangerine peel, lavender, and rose geranium. It’s also supposed to be good for relieving separation anxiety, plane travel and fear of thunderstorms. It also sounds like something I’d personally use!
How did our dogs function before all these goodies?
Keep Your Pup Afloat
If you take your dog out on the water, consider outfitting it with Kyjen’s Outward Hound H2GO Life Jacket. I recently had an incident where this would have been really handy for a friend’s dog that went overboard and struggled getting out of the water. I was scared! The H2GO Life Jacket was designed for increased mobility and features include an easy top-grab, top handle, quick-release buckles, and waterproof neoprene fabric accented with reflective strips.
Stay tuned for Part 2 with four more nifty dog travel accessories I found at the Global Pet Expo.
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