The 10 Best Dog Carriers of 2023

Best Overall

EliteField Soft Sided Pet Carrier

5

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This doggie tote is approved for air travel and has a built-in leash for extra security. The removable support board and fleece bed cover help maintain its shape while keeping your pet comfortable during both short and long trips. The stiff bottom provides solid footing for your dog, and structure for the bag, making it roomy enough for small breeds. It has duffle-style carrying handles and a padded shoulder strap, and when you’re in the car, you can strap a seatbelt to the exterior belt loops.

The EliteField Soft Sided Pet Carrier also has a side zipper, allowing you to quickly access your pooch, along with two accessory pockets. It comes in two sizes and is also available in six different colors. It’s notably lightweight and waterproof, while the mesh netting on the top and sides provide breathability and natural light for your pet. Plus, EliteField backs this carrier with a three-year warranty and a 100 percent money-back customer satisfaction guarantee.

Price at time of publish: $29

Best Hard-Sided

Petmate Two-Door Top-Load Pet Kennel

4.8

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The Petmate Two-Door Dog Kennel is our favorite dog carrier for short errands like car rides and veterinary appointments. In addition to the standard latched, wire front door, the Petmate Kennel has a top that also opens. This is especially useful for veterinary visits, since it will allow for your dog to be lifted out from the top. It also makes the Petmate carrier easy to access for cleaning.

While we have stress-tested the Petmate Two-Door Dog Kennel—pulling 33 pounds of force against the carrier’s door—and found it to be a durable traveler, it’s nevertheless only appropriate for small dog breeds. While the 24 by 17 inch footprint is relatively roomy, the carrier is only 14.5 inches high, which may not provide enough room to stand for even many small dogs. That makes this carrier best for temporary trips, rather than long travel times. Correspondingly, the well-ventilated plastic frame feels surprisingly lightweight and maneuverable for this type of carrier.

Price at time of publish: $45

Best for Public Transit

Roverlund Out-And-About Pet Tote

4.9

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Roomy and lightweight, the Roverlund Commuter Pet Tote is made from sturdy, 1200-denier polyester, which is waterproof. The handles are made from climbing rope, and similarly beefy. This tote comes in two sizes, and the larger is appropriate for medium-sized dogs up to 30 pounds. It’s built tall, encouraging your dog to stand and stick their head out of the neck scoop opening in one side. It’s got a canvas-covered padded bottom, that’s suitable for lying down, but also provides enough structure for your dog to stand on it. 

While the tote can be zippered shut across the top, it’s easy for a dog to push their head back against the zipper, opening it again. Instead, your dog is kept most secure by the deep design and the interior leash attachment clips. The tote also includes a zipper storage compartment on the outside, but it’s a little narrow and is unlikely to be an all-day storage solution for all of your pup’s gear. 

The Roverlund Commuter Pet Tote has reflective trim for visibility. It’s available in two sizes and five color combinations.

Price at time of publish: $149

Best Commuter for Small Dogs

Béis The Everyday Pet Tote

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The Everyday Pet Tote by Béis is designed to let you not only transport your small dog in fleece-lined comfort, but bring along with you everything you might need for a work day. Despite its compact size, this pet tote includes a padded laptop sleeve, several pockets, and a key leash, in addition to the leash on the inside front for attaching to your dog’s collar. The removable, washable fleece liner is especially cozy, and rolls down when you open the zippered front to form a little pillow-like spot for your dog’s head. 

Price at time of publish: $128

Best Airline-Approved

Wild One Travel Carrier

4.2

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Another stunningly designed option, the Wildone Travel Carrier is made specifically for travel. It fits underneath most airline seats, and even features a slot for sliding it right onto the handle of your suitcase for super-easy transport.

This airline-compliant duffle-style pet carrier is incredibly stylish, making it a great option for gifting (either to yourself or to your friends with pets!). The carrier can accommodate dogs (or cats!) up to 16 pounds, making this a perfect pick for small to medium pets. It’s sized perfectly for most airlines, and features a convenient strap-to-leash feature which is handy for switching things up immediately once you’ve landed. 

The duffle bag comes in three hues—we’re partial to an emerald green color called “Spruce.” The interior of this duffel is ultra-comfy, thanks to its plush, padded lining, which is reminiscent of a luxury foam-style mattress for humans. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you can unzip the duffle and fold out the front flap into a long, loungey space for your pup to stretch out or take a snooze. The materials are extremely high quality, making this an ultra-durable option that’s sure to last for many, many excursions to come. One of the few downsides: this carrier is hand-wash-only, and thus should not be thrown into the washing machine, which can prove pesky if your pet happens to have any accidents. However, it can be hand-washed, which allows for some flexibility. 

Price at time of publish: $125

Best Sling

Cuby Dog Sling Carrier

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Slings like the Cuby Dog Sling Carrier allow for hands-free carrying, but take a little getting used to compared to more traditional carriers. This papoose-style sling bag is super-soft, thanks to its polyester exterior and breathable cotton interior—or you can reverse it. The strap is wide and comfortable, while the sling also includes an easy-to-use safety belt to secure your dog.

The Cuby is available in a wide range of colors, but sadly only comes in one size, suitable for dogs 12 pounds and under.

Price at time of publish: $20

Best for Small Dog

Mark & Graham Buddy Pet Carrier

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Small to medium dog breeds fit perfectly in this gorgeous carrier, which is made with a durable nylon exterior and lined with a cozy faux shearling pad. Suitable for small breeds up to 16 pounds, this duffle is designed to be TSA-compliant, and fits smoothly under standard airplane seats. The shearling is part of an insert, which is removable and thus a breeze to wash if and when it gets grimy. 

This bag comes in two colors: deep navy blue and creamy custard. To add even more aesthetic appeal, there’s brass hardward, and even optional monogramming (making the Mark & Graham carrier a great gift).

For your pup’s security, the bag features a super-secure attachment point for linking up a leash. The side panels flanking either end of the duffel are exceptionally well-ventilated, which allows your pup to breathe easy, so to speak, even during stressful travel days.

Price at time of publish: $179

Best for Large Dogs

SturdiBag Pro 2.0

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Constructed from durable, 600-denier polyester, the SturdiBag Pro 2.0 uses internal rods, like a tent, to form a semi-rigid structure. This combination of soft-sided and hard-sided elements make this a flexible travel option for dogs up to 40 pounds. While manufactured in five different sizes, major retailers like Amazon sell two sizes appropriate for large dogs. 

In addition to the standard leash tether, the SturdiBag also features zipper-locking clips for extra security, allowing you to lock a mesh door zipper in position, for example. In addition to the big hand straps, the SturdiBag also comes with a removable and padded shoulder strap. It’s also got deep side pockets for storing accessories. The internal fleece pad is removable and fully machine washable.

Unfortunately, the XL is too large to be an airplane carry-on, but the large SturdiBag Pro 2.0—suitable for dogs up to 30 pounds—is ready for in-cabin airline travel.

Price at time of publish: $109

Best for Outdoors

K9 Sport Sack Kolossus

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The K9 Sport Sack Kolossus is designed to let you carry a large dog out into the wilderness and have enough storage space left over for your hiking equipment. Since carrying a large dog isn’t a precise science, the Kolossus features multiple points of adjustment, including adjustable shoulder and torso sizes, weight distribution straps, and a modular support pack where you can keep a water bladder, snacks, and more.

It also includes a lot of features for your dog’s comfort, including side cool venting zippers, straps to adjustably support your dog’s lumbar, and a detachable hood for rain or sun.

The Kolossus is available in three different sizes (suitable for dogs up to 80 pounds!) and two different colors. If you’re looking for a backpacking dog carrier suitable for small to medium breeds, check out the K9 Sport Sack Knavigate instead.

Price at time of publish: $265