What does your dog need in a bug out situation, and can your dog carry their own gear bag?
If for any reason you need to evacuate, and a dog is a member of your family, there are things you’ll need to consider. You don’t want to be scrambling last minute if you’re not prepared. You don’t want to put yourself in a position where you’re endangering yourself, your family, or your puppy. With foresight and planning, you can avoid that though.
What Do I Need to Bug Out With My Dog?
You heading out the door to evacuate and you grab your pup on the way out. Do you have what they need? You’ll probably start by thinking about the day to day things- food, a leash, etc. There are additional things you’ll want to consider as well so you can take care of whatever needs you or your dog may have as you’re bugging out. We’ve separated out the list of gear and things you’ll need to bug out with your dog into the following.
Gear Categories for Your Dog’s Bug Out Bag
- Food
- Water
- Tools
- Medicine and First Aid
For people and families I add several categories. Check out our full bug out bag checklist.
Dog Bug Out Bag List
You will want to either add this stuff to your own bug out bag, or make a separate bag just for the dog. You might already have some of this stuff, but ideally you’d want separate gear for a bug out situation. If you need to evacuate quick, the less you need to pack the better. It could mean the difference between life and death for you or your dog.
Food for Your Dog Bug Out Bag
Jerky
Have a treat that your dog likes if you need to reinforce behavior. Bugging out is stressful, and your pets might be more tense and less obedient. Having a treat will help. I would also recommend having a treat like jerky that you can eat as well if need be. People point out that humans can also eat kibble, but I’d rather eat jerky. If you prefer kibble, knock yourself out.
Dry dog food
Wet dog food is heavy. Just like you don’t want cans of wet foods in your pack for yourself, you don’t want the water weight for your pup either. Dry food allows you to carry more, and to carry it easier. If your dog can’t eat dry food for whatever reason, make sure you’ve thought of how to carry the extra weight.
Water for Your Dog Bug Out Bag
Water filter
If you’re planning on a life straw for your own water filtration, how are you going to get clean water for your pets? Yes, dirty water can kill a dog just as easily as a human. Our recommendation is the platypus water filter. This system is extremely durable, and is a gravity flow system, so it’s very easy to use. It’s our go to water filtration system 99% of the time, for pets and people.
Dog water bottle
Stay mobile with a dog water bottle. This dog bug out bag essential has a bowl built into the bottle, requiring one less piece of equipment. We love these for bugging out, and road trips, but remember, you want a separate one just for bugging out with your dog.
Tools for Your Dog Bug Out Bag
Strap leash
I prefer a retractable leash for walking a dog, but I’ve also had those leashes break. A simple, solid strap leash is not as convenient, but they’re solid. I’ve never had one fail on me. They’re also lighter and more compact.
Poop bags
Sanitation is so important. Keeping poop away from water, food, and away from your shelter in general is so important. If there’s an evacuation, there are often large groups of people in evacuation centers. Being able to bag your dog’s waste will also help make sure you’re not separated from your pup while bugging out, so put the bags in your bug out bag.
Medicine and First Aid
I’m not going to give any specifics here, because it varies by your dog. Having a first aid kit that works for a person will cover most first aid needs for your dog as well, you just might want more of it. Additionally, having some antibiotics and some flea and tic treatments is also advisable in your bug out bag. In an evacuation or bug out situation, you’re the vet.
Pre-made dog bug out bag
You can actually buy a bug out bag or evacuation kit for your dog. This kit comes with most everything mentioned. If you just want to have a good enough solution and your primary plan is to bug in instead of bugging out, then you might just want to buy one of these, throw it in the same closet as your other bug out bags, and not worry about it. If your primary goal is to bug out, or your dog has specific needs, you’ll want to build your own kit from the ground up.
Additional Considerations for a Small Dog in a Bug Out Situation
Carry Vest or Wagon
I’ve got relatives that have a smaller dog who’s getting older. They go on walks, but the dog is done getting his exercise before the person is. Because of that, they’ll often take a wagon with them. They also have a carry vest, similar to one of those baby carrier backpacks, they’ll sometimes use. If you’re planning to bug out, and your dog can only walk a mile, you’ll want a solution. We recommend a collapsible wagon. If you’re bugging out in a vehicle, its compact and easy to haul. You’ll be able to pull it out of a vehicle and carry you pup, along with any gear you don’t want on your back, and you’re moving down the road.
Dog Carrying a Bag
Before you strap all your survival supplies to your dog, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself. How reliable is your dog? Does he listen? Does he have a history of running away? If so, don’t rig him with what you’ll need to survive. If he’s obedient, even under stress, then you’re on to the next consideration.
Secondly, can your dog carry the weight of the gear? I used to have a Yorkie that could barely carry a sock across the room. A full grown lab or other larger breed can carry a fair amount of weight. If they’re a medium sized dog, you’ll need to determine if and how much they can carry. Additionally, you’ll want to be prepared to adjust that amount as the age and condition of your dog changes. A 3 year old dog can probably carry more than a 9 year old dog.
Muzzle
Many dog owners hate the idea of a muzzle, but having a muzzle for your dog is important in a bug out or emergency situation. A dog’s bark can be an excellent tool to alert you to danger, but it can also be a liability if you don’t have control over it. It can also mean the difference between getting into a shelter with other people, or not. If you want to keep your dog under control, especially in a stressful situation, then you need to have a muzzle on hand. If you are worried about your dog biting someone, then consider getting one of these muzzles from Amazon. It’s lightweight, comes in pretty much all dog sizes, and its the most popular muzzle on Amazon right now.
Soft Nylon Dog Muzzle
Should you bug out with a dog?
Are they family or are they a tool? Our dog was a family member. My uncle raises cow dogs, and those are tools. Their name is either dog or spot. He wouldn’t bug out with his dog. It’s a tool. I figure most people reading this have a pet that’s a member of the family. If they’re family, make sure you’re prepared to take care of your family.
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