Happy National Dog Day to all dog lovers out there! And also – the countdown begins for Labor Day long weekend. Those of you lucky enough to have a dog, how are you spending this long weekend? If you’re planning to enjoy the great outdoors, check out some of our favorite gear for people and dogs below.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive packing list, but more so a list of items that we have found to be indispensable during our outdoor adventures with Lion!

Reminder: If any of these items pique your interest, please support us by clicking through our links to purchase! 100% of proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.

For Dogs

1. Hands-Free Leash

This is, hands down, one of my favorite dog gear purchases ever! Depending on what you and your pup are up to, you might need to free up your hands to get something from your backpack, hold back a branch, or maybe make sure you don’t fall. This hands free dog leash gives Lion the freedom to explore at a safe distance while keeping him tethered to us.

We’ve had this leash for over a year now, and we love it because 1) It has regular handle loops, which can be used for even greater control, 2) the leash has shock absorbing bungee sections that make “pulling” easier on your and your dog’s body, and is especially great if you run with your dog, 3) the belt clip moves along the waist strap, allowing your dog to comfortably move side to side, 4) although we got this leash for hiking, we ended up using it everyday!

Tuff Mutt hands free leash is $22.99 on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

2. Hiking Shoes

If you love taking your dog to the great outdoors or spend significant time outside together, you might want to consider getting dog hiking shoes. You’ve probably heard of the “five second test” for hot summer days: If the ground is so hot you can’t touch it for longer than 5 consecutive seconds, your dog should not be walking on it. Even if the ground isn’t hot, there are plenty of reasons to put shoes on your pup: to protect the paws from too much wear, sharp objects etc.

I recommend getting a BRIGHT colored shoe, so that they’ll be easy to spot when (not if!) they fall off. Earthy colors can be easily camouflaged by the surroundings, making shoe recovery much harder. My Busy Dog’s shoes are on the pricier side, but you can feel the difference – they stay on well even while Lion runs in them! We own 2 pairs in orange, which turned out to be a great color choice because we have been able to locate them each time they fell off.

My Busy Dog hiking shoes are $35.99 on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

3. Collapsible Water Bowl

Did you know that dogs pant as a way of cooling down? When dogs open their mouth and breathe heavily, water evaporates from their tongue, helping lower their body temperature. So when you take your pup out for a hike, make sure that you bring enough water for them to replenish the water lost through this evaporative cooling!

It is recommended that you bring 0.5 – 1.0 ounces of per lb per day for larger dogs, and 1.5 ounces of water per lb per day for dogs smaller than 20 lbs). We recommend this collapsible water bowl to serve the water. We love it because it collapses to a manageable size, is super light, has a carabiner for more carrying options, and is easy to wash (dishwasher safe)!

Collapsible bowl is $5.79 for two on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

4. Natural Flea & Tick Repellent

If you live in a region with deer ticks, please do make sure that your dog is on some type of tick preventative! We use this spray on Lion as an additional layer of protection when we enjoy the great outdoors, especially in forests or grassy, wooded, marshy areas near rivers, lakes or oceans (most prone to deer ticks). It’s an all natural repellent to protect your pups from fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and flies, and the ingredient list only has natural oils, vitamin E and water – nothing synthetic or toxic, which is super important because you don’t want them licking dangerous substances off their fur. A great bonus is that it has a pleasant, refreshing smell! 

Pet Naturals of Vermont’s Natural Flea & Tick Repellent is $5.79 on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

5. Car Seat Cover

Love your dog, but not the fur trail they leave behind (especially in the car)? Us too! This is why we love this car seat cover. This car seat is everything you need it to be: waterproof, slip-proof, and safe. The cover has seat anchors to hold the cover in place, there are velcro openings to let the seat belt buckle through, and they even include a bungee seat belt attachment for your pup’s safety. Lion loves sitting in this car seat cover, and almost always immediately falls asleep when we put him in there!

Car seat cover is $32.99 on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

For People

1. Foldable Water Bottle

Did you know that it is recommended to bring 1 liter (32 oz) of water for every 2 hours you plan to hike? That’s a lot of space in the backpack dedicated to water and water containers. But fear not, Vapur is here to save the day! Vapur calls itself the “anti-bottle” water bottle, and lives up to its name by being fully foldable when empty.

We have a few of these at home, and haven’t used other water bottles in a very long time. Keep in mind that the bottle material and shape makes it harder to wash than traditional bottles, so I recommend using it to carry water only. There are other similar water bottles in the market, but Vapur’s quality is unbeatable – BPA-free, 3-ply material and dishwasher safe – I highly recommend!

Vapur 1L is selling for $13.99 on Amazon, click here to see it on Amazon!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

2. Lightweight “Tripod” and Selfie Stick

If you’re anything like me, your phone has more photos of your pup than of anything else, and why not continue that trend by taking even more photos of you together? We love this super compact and lightweight remote operated smart phone “tripod” / selfie stick, and it’s also quite affordable.

I say “tripod” only because it’s so narrow and lightweight that if you’re setting it up in a location with anything more than a light breeze, you’ll have to use something to weigh down the tripod legs to hold it up. This tripod is certainly not meant to help you capture the northern lights, but I highly recommend this as a super casual and lightweight smartphone tripod for a short local hike!

This tripod is selling for $13.99 on Amazon, click here to see the product page!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

3. Battery Pack

Have you ever hiked to the most scenic (and grammable) stretch of the trail, only to realize you were low on battery? I certainly have! More than I want to admit. The solution? Always bring a battery pack with you. We have owned many generations of Anker branded battery packs, and this is one of their latest generations –  a good compromise between size and capacity.

Anker battery pack (10,000 mAh) is selling for $25.99 on Amazon, click here to see the product page!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

4. Hiking Shoes

 If I could only choose to wear one piece of hiking attire, I would definitely choose hiking shoes. They not only provide your feet with the necessary support and protection against uneven terrain, but they also spare your other nicer shoes from getting beat up. If you don’t already own a pair, I highly recommend you invest in one for your first hike! Columbia’s Newton Ridge Plus Waterproof Hiking Boot is an entry level hiking boot that I have enjoyed for a few years now, and recommend to anyone looking for something in the $60-70 price range.

Columbia’s Newton Ridge Plus hiking boots is selling for $60 – 80 on Amazon, click here to see the product page!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

5. Powerful Bug Repellent

Although temperatures have now dropped and there are fewer bugs, I still recommend bug repellent. This one specifically is even effective against ticks, which carry the feared Lyme disease. No matter which one you choose, make sure you bring an effective form of bug repellent

Sawyer’s Picaridin Insect Repellent is $16 for two, click here to see the product page!
(We may receive compensation if you purchase after clicking through this link, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to dog rescues.)

Now tell us… What are you up to this Labor Day weekend? What are some of your favorite outdoor gear for you and/or your pup?