When Fido Comes Along for the Ride

Sometimes a vacation is just no fun without one’s trusty pets along. They too can benefit from just the right travel gear. Following are neat new items for the well-equipped animal companion. Prices do not include shipping and handling. Some items may be available in area stores.

In the bag: Luggage for dogs may never go Gucci, but it gets serious attention from the folks at Dog’s Life, an Oregon manufacturer of pet products. The company’s Rollover Dog Travel Pack and Bed is a roomy padded mat with vinyl on one side for water resistance and soft fleece (in a plaid dog print) on the other for comfy snoozing on the go. The vinyl side has pockets for stashing the dog’s food, water bottle, bowl and a toy or two. The machine-washable mat rolls up into a compact package, fastening shut via sewn-in nylon mesh straps with quick-release plastic buckles. There’s also a sewn-in nylon mesh handle and removable shoulder strap.

Rollover Travel Pack and Bed in four sizes costs $59.95 to $99.95 from Dog’s Life, P.O. Box 251, Yachats, OR 97498; telephone (541) 547-3464.

Backpacking pets: If a baby can travel on your back, why not a small pooch? Sherpa Pet Trading Co., pioneers in classy dog carriers for airplane use, has introduced a convertible backpack/shoulder bag for toting petite canines (up to about 20 pounds). The sturdy black vinyl bag, which is 17 inches by 9 inches by 12 inches high, has front and side mesh panels for ventilation, a zippered side entry “door” and, on the other side, a “window” that can be unzipped halfway and buckled down so Fifi can poke her head out. The bag has three large external pockets (two of them zippered), a rigid fold-up floor, faux-lambskin liner and leash ring for securing the pet. Adjustable sewn-in back straps also function as shoulder straps. There also is a sewn-in handle and a name tag that accommodates a photo of the dog. The bag is approved on all major U.S. airlines--though a reservation is required for four-legged passengers.

Sherpa Backpack/Shoulder Bag is $75 at pet supply centers. For a store near you, call (800) 743-7723.

Basket case: For secure automobile travel, cats and smaller dogs (up to 20 pounds) can nest in this 12-inch-by-12-inch-by-6-inch-high basket that hooks over the back of the car’s front seat, hanging at window level. The basket has a wood and metal frame covered with simulated sheepskin for a soft ride.

Pet Car Seat (item No. 517375) is $12.98 from Miles Kimball; tel. (800) 546-2255.

Fashion statement: For stylish ramblings, add a personalized pet bandanna in red or blue cotton with a dog-pattern border and the pet’s name embroidered in large white letters. Available in small (24 inches by 11 inches) or medium (30 inches by 15 inches).

Personalized Pet Bandanna in small (63547) is $8.98, in medium (63559) $9.98, from Miles Kimball; tel. (800) 546-2255.

On the water: Dogs may love to splash around, but when they’re riding in watercraft, they need the same level of safety and protection afforded to humans by life jackets. The K-9 Float Coat, available in five sizes, is a Poly-cloth jacket with variable-thickness high-buoyancy cells that hug the dog’s torso, fastening at three points. It has a sewn-in grab handle for lifting the dog, as well as reflective trim for increased visibility, and is cut full to give the dog maximum range of motion for running and swimming.

K-9 Float Coat in five sizes is $41.25 to $72.50 from Ruff Wear; tel. (888) 783-3932.

Gear & Gadgets appears the first week of every month.