Dog Walking 101: 14 Items You Need in Your Bag!

Walking your dog twice a day means establishing a routine–not only for when and how long you walk but also for what you’ll carry with you. Sure you’ll grab the leash but what else should you carry on your dog walk?

The answer depends on where you’re walking, the time of year, and the weather–but some essentials such as “in case of emergency” information (see below on easy ways to carry it) should ALWAYS be with you.

Emergency Card for Your Dog Walking Bag

I keep this card in the clear sleeve of my dog walking bag–and a version on card stock ships with every one of our new bags.

Set Up Your In Case of Emergency (ICE) Contact Info on Your Phone

In case of an emergency, EMS can’t unlock your cell phone–but they can access the emergency contact information that you have set up.

I have an iPhone so emergency contact info is in the “Health” section; it includes drug allergies and John’s name and his cell phone number.

Emergency personnel could reach this information even if I were found unconscious and unable to unlock my phone.

To set up your ICE contact information on your phone, here are instructions for setting up both iPhone and Android devices. It only takes a minute and it literally could be a life saver!

What to Carry In Your Dog Walking Bag

Here’s a list of some dog walking essentials to consider for your dog walking dog:

1. a spare leash/collar in case yours breaks. (I’ve also put my spare leash to work a time or two when I found a lost dog!)
2. your cell phone preloaded with emergency numbers including your vet. I designed our CALL OF THE WALK bag with a dedicated clear phone pocket so I could check calls without stopping my walk.
3. dog treats broken into training treat size.
4. dog waste bags. I used Earth Rated poop bags because they are heavier and I don’t have to worry about breakage–or leaks!
5. YUCKY PUPPY wet bag for dogs. I clip our new machine washable wet bag for dogs on my dog walking bag and use it to tote the full poop bag–so I’m no longer waving at neighbors with a full bag of poop dangling from my wrist or from the leash.
6. hand wipes or tissue.
7. clicker if your dog is clicker trained.
8. photo of your dog (probably on your phone!) to show others in the immediate area if he gets lost.
9. collapsible water bowl and water for your dog. I carry this Popware bowl clipped to my bag (with a water bottle in the bag).
10. if you’re in the city, taxi fare/credit card/Uber app in case you suddenly have to make a vet visit.
11. flashlight, reflectors if you’re walking at night. I also like small lights that clip on your bag (or your dog’s harness). They’re great to use in addition to lighted dog collars and leashes.
12. pepper spray, if permitted in your state. I recently added citronella spray to my dog walking bag; it’s used for preventing a dog fight and is far kinder than pepper spray. It’s basically just a deterrent, a scent that dogs don’t like but doesn’t cause harm.
13. some form of identification and emergency number of person who should be called if something should happen to you on the walk. Your cell phone is a great way to store that information; although emergency personnel can’t unlock your phone, they do have access to an Emergency section that you can fill out. Below you’ll find information on how to put this information on your phone!
14. emergency card with an indication of how many dogs should be with you and their descriptions along with a person to contact if you are incapacitated. We include one of these cards in each of our CALL OF THE WALK dog walking bags but you can also download a free card here.