# Dogs



## rhiana (Aug 5, 2013)

I have three small dogs, with no intention of ever leaving them behind. 

Any suggestions for what I should do to prepare for them?


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Food, kennels, water, dish's, papers from the vet on vacs, any meds, pictures a each dog. Leash's, tie outs an nylon muzzles. That should get ya a good start.


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

I would prep for them just like for a small child.
They probably can't walk long distances so figure out a way to pack them.
Maybe look into some protection for their feet.
They will need the same things you need.
Food, water, shelter, first aid.
They could be a liability if you need to hide out undetected.
I'm like you, I will not leave them behind.
Small animals will become prey for larger animals, including hungry people.
We have 2 small yapping dogs but they are as much or more important than most of the family. 
Mostly those on my wife's side.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Depending on what you mean by small dogs you could get them each a pack they can carry. My 26lb mutt is considered small because she is short. But at 26lbs she can still carry a pack with 20-30% of her body weight in supplies.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Our mini pin has his preps ( food, water, toys, first aid kit, blankets). He's not big enough for a pack and we are the BOL for our group so its all in a tote.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

My smallest dog is only 95lbs. We call her the Fury Baby because she is so small and cuddly. 

There is a lot you can do to prep for your dog, Old Coot hit on a lot of them. You will need a bug out bag for each dog or a large one that will cover all three. Just like people they will need food, water, medicine / first aid, shelter, etc. You should figure out what the minimum amount of food & water they will each need per day and then decided how long you are going to provide for them. Then you can prep accordingly. Some dogs can gather _some_ food and water from nature (some will be food FOR nature). Dogs have an enzyme present in their saliva that acts like an anti-bacterial agent, so they can eat things and drink water that would make us sick (or kill us). But that enzyme is not fool proof, so they will still need some purified water and packaged food. But as WE struggle to find food, there will be less and less "scraps" left over.

While probably not the advice you were looking for; the best thing you can do is to prepare yourself mentally to let them go. I have 3 Rottweilers and they are a huge part of the family. The kids won't even go to bed without hugging and kissing them goodnight. But if I have to bug out and I have to choose between carrying food for them or food for my wife and kids, the dogs will lose out. As long as they can haul their own supplies (and they can) and hunt for their own food (and they can) then they will bug out with us. If they become a burden or can't pull the load anymore, then they will either be set free or put down. In a post SHTF world we will all have to make some hard choices. Accepting that reality now will make it less of hardship if that day ever comes.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

People have already posted much of what I would say, so I'll just add a couple random thoughts. 

I once saw a couple with a dog with one of those packs on him. He was so impressive, the way he handled the pack - he was clearly well trained. Your dogs are smaller, but I would think they could still carry some items (medicine, muzzle, some water). Ever since I saw that dog, getting packs and getting my dogs used to the packs has been on my to-do list. It just plain seems like a good idea.

As for food, I often can food for the dogs. For example, when dehydrating potato slices/dices, there's always some that come out with some black on them. Doesn't make the potato bad, but it doesn't look appetizing, either. But the dogs don't care. I'll cull those out and vac seal them for the dogs. Or if I'm canning meat, I'll cull out the less attractive stuff and can that for the dogs. All the stuff I put aside for the dogs is safe for human consumption, just less attractive. But the dogs don't care, it's still food, and it's a way of putting away a little something extra for them.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

We keep several months supply of feed on hand for our three, but we supplement their feed with raw meat from predators like ***** and possums. They have even enjoyed fresh roadkill. We also give them eggs when we have an over abundance (except the Pyr, who's developed an egg allergy). We've even picked off a few crows that were pulling up seedlings from our garden, and the dogs loved them. The point is that you may have to think outside the box for feeding them, if they can't catch their own. I know that we'd do the same for ourselves, if needed.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

To eliminate the need to carry our infant new born granddaughter and leave our hands free to handle weapons, we have constructed a carrying pouch that our Rottweiler ,( "Spike" ), wears on his back.

We are breaking him in, to carry our six week old granddaughter.

His training is going well with the exception of a couple of times when he rebelled and ran off . It took several hours to locate him but, don't worry! 

Our granddaughter seemed to enjoy it when he ran and jumped the fence. It was kind of scary when he ran across the highway in front of the eighteen wheeler but he just squatted down when he saw he was not going to make it and the truck passed right over him without touching him or our granddaughter. 

We think it was the unbalanced load that spooked Spike so we are adding another pouch on the opposite side of the pack to carry his food.

Hopefully he will not get confused about which side is his food and which side is our granddaughter, ( ha ha).


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

I would also suggest a few "doggie sweaters" and booties. Small dogs especially tend to get cold and if you have to be out and about in the winter or even have less than usual heating in the winter the small dogs will get chilly. A nice wool or knit sweater along with some booties for their feet will help them tremendously. I would also suggest getting an old wool blanket and cutting it to make a small cape like over coat. You can fix an elastic strap to go across the chest and belly to keep it in place. This will add an extra layer for the little guys when outside and wool maintains its insulating properties even when wet.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

BillM said:


> ...(snip) We are breaking him in, to carry our six week old granddaughter...(snip)


_Please_ tell me that you are just joking.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

If they have long hair at all, you are going to want booties for them in case of snow. And it helps keep their feet from getting frozen or cut up. A small pack could hold a couple pounds of food, also. Just make sure to get them used to the stuff before heading out.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

k0xxx said:


> _Please_ tell me that you are just joking.


Absolutely !


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I knew he was joking when he said that the Rottie ran off. My Rottweilers would not chase a squirrel with a steak tied to it if it meant leaving the family behind. When the little ones go out to play on the swingset at least one Rottie will go out with them and just sit there and stare the entire time they play. Unless someone pulls out a soccer ball. We go through about 25 cheap soccer balls a year.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

I thought (hoped) that it was all in fun, but it wouldn't be unprecedented, and these days you just never know.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> I knew he was joking when he said that the Rottie ran off. My Rottweilers would not chase a squirrel with a steak tied to it if it meant leaving the family behind. When the little ones go out to play on the swingset at least one Rottie will go out with them and just sit there and stare the entire time they play.


This makes me want a Rottie.


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

It is sad to think but most people will just abandon their dogs. During the real estate crash of 2008 I read a story about a real estate agent who exclusively dealt in forclosed homes. She said that numerous times she would enter an abandoned forclosed house and find a starving dog inside. The dogs would eat the drywall and sometimes insulation and drink the toilets dry. She stated that she started carrying dog food with her for the mutts. Apparently jackholes who lost their home would pack up and leave Rover in the home. And that crash was relatively minor compared to what I think is headed our way. There is much suffering and misery for man and beast ahead I fear.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

I agree with those above...prep them to carry as much food and water as they can by themselves...any left over bones and off meat from any survival kill can be used to supplement them...my dogs are hunting dogs that will be very useful to me but I won't be able to carry them all with me if I have to hit the road so I have one old hound that will be going with me while the rest will be turned lose...the old hound will tree just abt anything and will run deer and hogs...she would be a great all around animal to have besides she is my daughters so she has an attachment to her...


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We don't have to bug out - we're already here. We keep two years of canned dog food and one year of dry dog food (we're careful how we store it because a few years ago we had bugs out the wazoo). We also have the knee bones from PetsMart and assorted chewies for the dogs. 

We have an accommodating vet and keep two years worth of heartworm meds (watching expiration dates) as well as systemic treatment for ticks and fleas on hand at all times. Any time we get something from the vet, I double it. Aloe shampoo for their itchiness during allergy season. Ointment for eye infections.

We keep lots of Benadryl on hand because humans and dogs use it during allergy season.

<off topic: Grimm.... she just keeps getting cuter by the day!)


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

I love my dogs, but if it came down to not being able to take them with us or abandoning them, I'd have to put them down. Dogs turned loose will eventually form into packs and turn feral, and they'd be a menace to anyone they came across. Also, there are a lot of dogs that could make it on their own, but a lot that couldn't and starvation is a terrible way to die.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> This makes me want a Rottie.


They are a lot of work and require a lot of training (if you want them at their best and don't want any issues with obedience). But the reward is well worth the effort.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

This is why, if I could no longer care for them, I would rather put my dogs down than to just turn them loose.

50,000 abandoned dogs roaming streets of Detroit in packs

*"The city says there were 903 reported dog bites last year, including a woman who had her scalp bitten off by two strays.

Attacks have become so prevalent that the U.S. Postal Service has temporarily halted delivery to some of Detroit's neighborhoods after 25 carriers reported being bitten by dogs from October 2012 through July 2013, the story notes."*

One can only imagine the problem in a real SHTF situation.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

k0xxx said:


> This is why, if I could no longer care for them, I would rather put my dogs down than to just turn them loose.
> 
> 50,000 abandoned dogs roaming streets of Detroit in packs
> 
> ...


Wow ...

I had not seen that report before. (thanks for posting)


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

BOB for dogs...


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I would have a year's supply of food for the dogs. Now would be a good time to keep track of how long one bag of food will last.

We have two cats. My stepson and his wife have two cats. We have 12 big bags of cat food plus 360 cans of wet food. The bags last for more than two months for two cats. 12 bags has to be more than a year's supply of food.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug (Jan 27, 2009)

Sentry18 said:


> They are a lot of work and require a lot of training (if you want them at their best and don't want any issues with obedience). But the reward is well worth the effort.


rotten rotties are a life time commitment....they will challenge you at ever level almost daily and to me are considered the finest dog to have for to have for the protection of yer family, especially for yer lil' ones , noone will ever harm my children as long as our rotties are around-period...........ours have so much training and certification its crazy, but well worth the money spent to have such loyalty amongst our pack....:beercheer:


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## drgnhntr37 (Apr 13, 2012)

You have 4. I have 1 and you are right he is a challenge daily. But I would never give up the loyalty and protection he provides.


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