Whether you’ve got a dog, cat, or other furry creature, these pets can help see us through the toughest of times.
We can bring our pets with us to share the load. However, it’s crucial for us to prepare for them ahead of time to make things easier for everyone in the long run.
Whether you’ve already got a furry friend that you plan on bringing along, or you’re getting a new pet soon, these animals require a lot of responsibility and maintenance in a crisis. That’s why it’s helpful to know about…
Prepping For Your Pets: Tips To Get You Through A Crisis
Tips For Pet Shoppers: Best SHTF Dog Breeds
Dogs are the most popular animals to bring with you when you’re bugging out. That’s why we want to show you some of the best breeds to get to help prepare you for the worst. (Keep in mind there are many more great breeds for SHTF situations – these are just a handful):
- Bernese Mountain Dog: Perfect for the outdoors. Love to stay active and stimulated – need a “job.” Sturdy, good-natured, calm. Great family dog. Can be very protective of the family, and was bred to protect livestock. Can pull carts weighing 10x the dog’s weight. Very smart, like learning new things. Strong, eager to please, and affectionate. Needs constant challenges. Only typically lives 6-8 years.
- Alaskan Malamute: Wolf-life. Strong, powerful, large breed. High levels of intelligence, endurance, and energy. Resilient, and adapt to new situations easily. Engages in heavy-duty activities. Expert climbers, diggers, hunters. Independent spirit, but friendly with strangers (not a guard dog). Excellent for hunting. Lives 12-15 years.
- Border Collie: Extremely high energy and stamina – can run up to 50 miles/day. Ideal working dogs. Natural herding abilities, and receptive to commands. Very easily trainable, as they are very willing to please. Very intelligent and sensitive. Lives to work. Average Lifespan: 10-17 years.
- German Shepherd: Often used by police and military for attacking, sniffing, tracking, etc. Very loyal and gentle with their owners. Can be extremely protective of their owners. Very intelligent and hard working. High energy – require lots of mental and physical exercise. Lives 10-14 years.
- Rhodesian Ridgeback: Bred for hunting large game (lions, bears, boar). Extremely athletic, fearless, intelligent, and strong. Need lots of mental stimulation – otherwise will become destructive. Excellent protector from outside threats – will do everything in its power to make sure its owners are safe. Excellent for hot, dry climates. High prey drive. Lived 10-12 years.
Tips For Existing Pet Owners: How To Prep For Your Pet
Whether you’ve got a dog, cat, chicken, or any other animals, the same basic principles apply for prepping for your pets. Here’s a short video with a lot of things to think about when you’re prepping for your animal(s). Click the “CC” button in the bottom right corner for captions.
Here are some more things to consider when prepping for your pet:
Training: Your pet needs to work FOR YOU – not against you – in a crisis. That’s why it’s crucial to invest in the proper training beforehand. Your pet should be able to come when you call them, remain quiet if you need them to, and stay still. Otherwise, your pets can be a dead giveaway of your location, and can bring you more harm than good. If you don’t feel like you can adequately train your animal (no shame in that), hire a professional. That way you can make sure the training is done right, and you can ask this person all your questions.
Desensitize Them: Many preppers forget this step, but it’s actually crucial to your pets’ success. Gunshots, smoke, flapping tarps, etc. can all frighten animals if they’re not used to them. Take them out to whatever location you’re planning on bugging out at (or heck, just take them out in general) so they can get used to these sights, smells, and sounds. Reward them with treats when they stay close to you, and when they act positively. This will help them enjoy being with you in the new environment, and can help increase their obedience, usefulness, and safety when SHTF.
Use Your Animals: The beauty of animals is that they can be of great use when SHTF. For example, animals like dogs and horses can pull carts, carry people and supplies, and protect the group. Heck, you can even train pigs to defend the home, and can train birds to make noise to protect you from an attacker. Train your pets to be of use when SHTF – this will ensure you’re giving them jobs to do, and that you’re gaining the maximum resources out of them.