The beauty of having a small dog, as in a very small dog, like my Chihuahua named Chewie, is that you can take him wherever you go, even when pets are not allowed. Having your dog with you is great, although it does take some adjustments in the way you travel and other things you do, just as traveling with small children would. But nothing makes a hotel room seem more like home than to have your best canine friend with you. Here’s how to make it happen with the least amount of hassles.

The Small Dog Bag
Invest in a Sherpa dog bag. Created by a woman who wanted to carry her small dog around with her, this sturdy bag comes in an array of solid colors and various shapes and versions. Some models have strong mesh sides which make for a very airy carry bag. However for most travel, this see-through bag isn’t ideal. I opted for a blue Sherpa bag with one solid canvas side, two mesh ends with flaps that can be rolled up like shades, and a mesh side which I keep against my body. No one ever guesses I have a dog in the bag—it looks just like a gym bag.

Stealth Restaurant Maneuvers
I place two hand towels on the bottom of Chewie’s Sherpa bag for cushioning, which come in handy in a number of travel situations. The towels also make good coverups when I sneak him into restaurants. I place the bag under the table, unzip it, reach in and pull him up onto my lap. Using the tablecloth as cover, I spread a towel over him and then place my napkin over the whole bundle. No waiter has ever noticed his presence, which is also a tribute to his mellow attitude. The towels are also good for sudden weather changes to keep him warm and dry.

Packing For Small Dog Travel
On a recent road trip I took with Chewie to Pennsylvania for a conference, I brought:

Canvas shopping bag I usually find that the dog’s things don’t require an extra suitcase but a plain plastic grocery bag doesn’t really do the trick either because it can tear. I get canvas shopping bags at almost every conference I attend. They are sturdy, roomy, and light.

Foam dog bed I picked one up at K-Mart. It is cheap foam with a fleece and polyester cover. The bed is flexible enough to be stuffed into the canvas bag, leaving an entire pocket of space for his other essentials.

Small two-in-one plastic dog bowl A two-in-one bowl saves space and is easy to carry. One compartment for water and one for food, and it is smaller than the one I keep at home for him.

Ziplock plastic bags I brought big and small bags. These are perfect for storing an array of doggie items, keeping them separate, dry and clean. In the bags, I put doggie treats—Chewie’s faves are Baa Baa Qs, crispy bacon (cooked fresh the night before we left), and Nancy Anne’s Pampered Pet Treats in Cheddar flavor. I also took doggie meds: vitamins, doggie aspirin, etc. and poop baggies. These shouldn’t be the Ziplock kind but Hefty sandwich baggies. Pull them off the roll and fold them into a Ziplock bag.

Toys I bring a plastic toy, a real bone, an old sock in a ball for Chewie’s enjoyment.

One section of a newspaper Just in case, I lay it out on the hotel floor even though it is iffy that Chewie will use the paper. If I find him in mid-poop, I can always shove the paper under his bottom and catch it before it hits the hotel carpet.

Plastic kennel I use the plastic kennel if the hotel allows dogs. In Pennsylvania, I stayed at a hotel that didn’t allow dogs so I used the Sherpa bag to carry Chewie in and out of the hotel several times a day and at night to walk him down the block and out of sight of the hotel.

Towel I include two dry towels in addition to the ones in his Sherpa bag

Flask of water I bought a little plastic flask in the drugstore where they have travel bottles for shampoo and soap. It fits nicely into the pocket of his Sherpa bag and is good for emergencies, especially in hot weather. You can also buy a very small bottle of water at the supermarket or deli, but the round shape makes it harder to fit into tiny pockets.

Portable canvas water and food bowl This is a handy item that you can fold up and unfold to give him water outdoors. Plus, it’s easy to rinse off.

Plastic medicine syringe This is not a syringe with a needle but the kind of syringe you use to give babies medicine. I keep one in his Sherpa bag for moments when he needs to drink but I can’t take him off my lap and put water in his portable bowl.