Traveling with your four-legged friend can be tons of fun. You throw your pooch in the backseat, roll down a window, stop every few hours for a bathroom and water break, then get right back on the road. However, if you’re like me and have two 150 lb Rhodesian Ridgebacks (one of whom has an unparalleled passion for throwing up in cars), traveling isn’t always so idyllic… especially when it’s a 14 hour car ride from New York to South Carolina in the blazing July heat.

Our annual road trip usually looks something like this: Zen, our now 11 year old male Ridgeback, cautiously climbs into the back of our suburban (which we’ve already spent hours covering with old blankets, dog beds, and towels and stuffing full of bulky dog food bags and toys) while Zara (the “puker”) forces us to lift her shaking and deceivingly heavy body into the car. For another 10 minutes, we’ll struggle to get the poor, anxiety-ridden pup to lie down; and as soon as we do, we’re off!

After the first stressful 20 min, during which we anticipate the familiar noise emanating from the back, we settle in…even though Zara will continue to puke every few hours, Zen will get bored and start to chew on the seats, one of the two will start to smell really, really bad, and both will force us to pull over what seems like every 5 minutes for a bathroom break. If you can’t already tell, our road trip is essentially a dog and owner’s nightmare.

Recently, however, Mrs. Sizzle stumbled upon some truly fantastic products that serve to make traveling just a little bit easier for both man and dog. For starters, we’ve suggest SOJO's freeze-dried dog food (yes, you read that properly). Made with all natural ingredients, this super slim and chic packet of food is great for overly stuffed cars or suitcases—and when your pet is ready to eat, just add water! My dogs love it and I’m sure yours will too. Make sure you have a few Top Paw travel dog bowls for easy feeding and drinking.

We’ve also fallen in love with earth rated’s doggie waste bags, a real life saver for when your dog decides that the middle of the gas station parking lot is the best place to do his business. Additionally, I personally recommend bringing along some of WildWash's Fragrance No. 3 doggie perfume: it’s entirely natural and ensures that you’re not left with a stinky car or crate for the trip. Lastly, one should always pack a Nina Ottosson’s toy to keep the furs entertained!

Toss in (excuse the pun) these new balls from that will keep your dog happy when you finally get out of the car and play fetch when you arrive at your destination.

These products have made traveling with my dogs infinitely easier so perhaps you should try a trick or two yourself!

Aleksa Lambert