Top 10 Essential Items for your Dog Walking Bag

Emily Hill from Emily’s Canine Crew shares her top 10 essential items, in her Dog Walking Bag.

1. The Bag!

We can’t put items in our dog walking bag unless we have a bag! I have a Barking Bag Dog Walking Bag, which has many useful sections in it, including a section for dispensing poo bags, mesh pockets on the side for water bottles/drinks, a big main compartment for toys, leads, spare poo bags, treats, keys, phones and more.

2. Spare Lead(s)

Now not everyone would think about carrying a spare lead or two, but you never know when you might need one. Your own lead could break, or you might come across a lost/stray dog, that you’re able to secure safely with your spare lead. So a spare lead or two can come in really handy!

3. Water Bowl and Water

Definitely essential in my opinion. No matter what the weather, it’s always a good idea to have a collapsible water bowl for your dog(s) and some water to go in it. You could use bottled water or tap water in one of your own bottles.

4. Poo Bags

Every dog owner will know that Poo Bags are an absolute ESSENTIAL in our lives! After being a dog owner for over 10 years and a professional dog walker for the past 3 years, I get through a fair amount of poo bags. There are lots on the market and it can be confusing as to which ones to use. I’ve recently made the switch to Adios Plastic Poo Bags, and I can highly recommend them.

5. Toys

Most dogs enjoy playing with toys, whether that be a game of fetch with a ball or frisbee, a game of chase with a fluffy chaser toy, or a game of tug-of-war with a tuggy toy. My own dogs love a game of fetch or tug-of-war, and I use a mix of rubber balls (NOT tennis balls), frisbee, and fleece tuggies which I actually make and you can buy here.

6. First Aid Kit

As a professional dog walker, I went on an in-person (back in 2018), Dog First Aid course with the Dog First Aid Franchise, and learnt all about how to help dog(s) in emergencies, and at the end of the course, I was able to purchase my own Dog First Aid Kits. I carry these with me at all times, because you never know when a dog might get into trouble or gain an injury!

7. Hand Sanitiser/Wipes

Not everyone will carry hand sanitizer/wipes in their dog walking bags, and that’s a personal choice. I’m not including hand sanitizer/wipes because of COVID, but what happens if you put your hand in poo when you’re picking it up… because let’s face it, it will happen at some point!

8. Dog Whistle/Clicker

Having a whistle or a clicker is good, especially if you’ve trained your dog to respond to either one of them. I use both with my own dogs and clients dogs. Different dogs have different whistle commands/calls so trying to remember them all, can be hard at times, but the whistle/clicker can be very handy at times, so it’s always useful to have a dog whistle/clicker in your bag!

9. Treats!

Every dog loves treats, and it’s great if you’re training with your dog to have treats, as it helps to

reinforce the positive behaviours you want from your dog. I use a mix of treats, to keep it fresh for the dogs I work with (and my own dogs), and also not every dog likes one type/brand of treats, so it’s good to have a mixture of treats. My current go-to Dog Treats are JR Pure Pate and Nature Diet Semi-moist Treats.

10. The Doo-Kee

The Doo-Kee is a new product on the dog market, and it’s a poo bag holder, that simply clips on to your lead/bag, so you can be hands-free of dog poop! I’ve recently had mine arrive, and I have to say they are great and now couldn’t imagine life without one. It’s annoying when you’re out on a walk and there are no bins nearby, so the Doo-Kee carries your dog’s poo bag for you!