What you bring to the dog park will depend on your dog and the park, but it’s always best to keep these items in the car. Especially, if the dog park isn’t the only place you take your pet. Some parks offer these items, so don’t feel like you have to spend a fortune to prepare for being a dog park visitor.
If you do decide to purchase items like these, you’ll find yourself using them just about everywhere. I keep a small rubbermaid bin in my trunk to hold my pet related items. This keeps them from rolling around the back of my car. I try to take as little as possible into every dog park, so I just grab what I need when I need it.
My Dog Park Must Haves
Water & Water Bowl. Most dog parks provide water, but it’s a good idea to bring some just in case. There are plenty of portable water bottles and bowls to choose from. Here are some I see a lot at the dog park:
- Top Paw™ Pet Sports Bottle
- Portable Handi-Drink for Dogs On The Go
- Popware Expandable/Collapsible Travel Pet Bowls
- Outward Hound 40oz Dispose-A-Bowl
Toys. I keep a few spare toys in the car just in case the dog park doesn’t have any. However, I usually only bring them out if we are the only ones there. Dogs can get protective over toys, especially if they’re new to your dog. I stick with frisbees and tennis balls, because if they get dirty (or damaged) I just leave them there or toss them out.
Poop Bags. Again, most dog parks will provide poop bags and a trash bin… but if they don’t, you always need to pick up after your dog. I recently bought a bag dispenser that attaches to the leash and it was a great $10 investment!
First Aid Kit. It’s a good idea just to keep a small first aid kit in your car. You won’t use it every time but when you need it, you’ll be glad it’s there. I’ve been to the dog park and got a splinter, so I needed the kit for myself. Another time a fence scraped my dog and I had to clean him up. You can make a kit yourself, but they also sell pet first aid kits like these:
- Outdoor RX People and Pet Kit
- AKC Pet First Aid Kit
- Organically Correct Pet Trauma Kit
- 21st Century First Aid Kit for Pets
Buddy Boo Boo. I swear by this stuff! It’s basically Neosporin for dogs. Any time my dogs get a scrape, cut or sore, I use Buddy Boo Boo. I keep a bottle in my first aid kit and have another at home. It’s not in every pet store, but you can buy it online.
Towel, Wipes & Blanket. You never know what the terrain will be like at a dog park. It could have dry grass, wet mud, sand, dirt, rocks, huge puddles or any combination of them. My dogs usually smell like a baseball field when they’re done at the dog park, so I put a blanket in the backseat to keep the car from getting dirty.
Once I have them leashed and back at the car, I rub them down with a few of these wipes. It makes them smell so much better and gets rid of any dirt they picked up at the park. I know my dogs love the rub down!
I also keep I keep some old towels in case I need to dry them off. I have even seen some people with shammies.
Let’s Go Shopping
If you need to stock up on some of these items, these sites offer great products at reasonable prices.
Outward Hound
This website offers tons of products for any dog on the go. They have great portable food, treat and water bowls that you can purchase online or at your local pet store.
Healthy Pets
HealthyPets is dedicated to helping and strengthening the bond between humans and animals by providing quality products that are EPA and FDA approved.
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