The new dog prep

No, we don’t have a new dog.  I was following links and ran across this post.  I can’t seem to figure out how to comment there, and it’s something that I think that every dog owner ought to think about anyways, so…..

The questions as listed in that post.

1: what meds to store?

The answer is going to depend a bit.  You need to know what pests are normal in your local environment, and if your prefered bug out location is completely different then you need to know what’s normal there too.  Some areas of the country will need heartworm prevention year round (I prefer Revolution for my dogs, but do some research, there are areas where heartworms are showing resistance to some meds).  Know what kinds of ticks are common locally, there are at least 4 kinds of ticks common in the USA, but not all are found in all areas, and not all preventatives work on all types (I prefer Preventic collars for my dogs).  Know if there are other pests common to the area you’ll need to prevent.  Keeping a stock of a standard intestinal wormer product may not be a bad idea, especially for folks in more rural areas.  Many wormers can be bought over the counter from local pet stores, feed stores, and veterinary supply stores.  A decent anti-fungal that’ll work on both you and the dog isn’t a bad idea either.  Benadryl is another one thats good to stock, bee stings can cause nasty swelling for some dogs, to the point of impacting the airways, and benadryl will help with that.  Standard dosage is UP TO 1mg of benadryl per pound of dog, however I personally recommend starting at half that and only dosing more if the dog needs it as some dogs are highly affected by it.  

2: food?

Most kibble will store for extended periods if you can buy the bags shortly after it hits the stores, but check the “best buy” dates as it CAN go rancid.  Also kibble is a PIA to haul if you have to move quickly.  A gallon ziplock bag’s worth will get you through a day or two, but you’ll want to plan on what to expect after that.  Some folks can up meat and planned dog food using their pressure canner.  Others (like me) try to keep dehydrated meats on hand.  But its something you’ll want to think about.  My dogs are also comfortable eating raw meat and bone, so in theory I could hunt deer or rabbits and they could eat anything I didn’t, but know your resources and what your dog will or will not eat.

3: Purified water?

Your dog isn’t as likely to be affected by the NORMAL bacteria in streams and ponds the way us humans are, however water contaminated by large quantities feces or chemicals can be as much a potential issue for them as it is for us.  If your local off grid water source has the potential to become so contaminated you may want to consider how you’ll purify water for them.  

4: skills?

If you can train your dog to be RELIABLE off leash that is a huge help.  This means that you only have to call your dog once, MAYBE twice, to get them to return to you.  That they’ll stay in a reasonable heel position off leash on command, that they’ll keep a “stay” command off leash reliably.  In ALL conditions.  Neither of mine is off leash safe, and that means I’ll in an emergency I’ll have to be juggling leashes on top of everything else.  Also, a reliable “leave it” and/or “drop it” can save your dog’s life.  A dog who’ll load into the car off leash on command, AND who’ll leave the car off leash on command.  A reliable “quiet” command.  And maybe a reliable “pretend you’re a big aggressive dog” command.

5: what else?

Get your vet to show you how to properly wrap a bandage on a dog.  Dogs can’t tell you if you got it too tight and it might be cutting off circulation, so you need to KNOW.  Add some extra bandage type supplies to the first aid kit, specifically for the dog, consider specialty bandages such as the StopLik.  Know what human meds are safe to give your dog (and which ones AREN’T) and keep those in stock along with what doses to be used on your dogs.  Train your dog to be comfortable in a muzzle and keep one in stock for him.  YOU might know your dog would never bite, but even the best dog can react on instinct if they’re injured, and it’ll make emergency personnel much more comfortable if the injured animal is muzzled.  Consider training your dog to wear booties and stock them, so that in the event of alot of broken glass or other such footings you don’t have to worry about cut up feet.  If your dog is small enough to lift consider having a lifter style harness for them.  Traveling by boat?  Seriously consider a lifejacket, even for the dogs who love water, getting stranded a couple miles from shore is a long swim.  Is your dog big enough and strong enough to carry a pack and have a bug out location that requires a hike?  Consider having him carry some of his own supplies in a pack harness, but be aware that this requires time and training to get him to the point of being able to carry any real amount of stuff.  Extra leashes and collars, bare minimum a quick slip collar leash combo, should be in every vehicle, location, and bug out bag.  Copies of your dog’s rabies vaccination records bare minimum should be kept too.  Ideally copies of your dog’s entire medical file.  Consider also having a ICE specific to your pets, stating who besides you has the right to care for your dogs and make medical decisions for them if you’re not available, not only on file at your vets office, but also in your bug out bag and with any other animal supplies, along with any notes on required meds the dog might need.  

 

I’ve linked to a few products in the above post, some I personally own (in which case I bought them with my own money), some I know of by reviews, but I have received no kick back by linking to them.  I’m using them as examples of what I’m referring to, absolutely look around to figure out what’ll work for you!