Preparing for Emergencies

We would highly recommend that all husky and sled dog owners keep comprehensive emergency and Dog First Aid Kits in their homes, and also in their cars or vans. We would also suggest investing in a Pocket First Aid Kit to carry with you when out walking with your husky.

Even just a couple of simple bandages can make an important difference if your husky cuts a paw or is injured while out and about.

It is also worth bearing in mind if you are exercising your husky or sled dog using a bicycle, dog-scooter or dry-land rig that both dogs and mushers can, and do frequently, get injured whilst out 'on the trail'. It is especially important to carry a basic emergency kit on such outings.

We would suggest such a kit to include (as a minimum):

We find a utility-style belt is good for such a purpose. Belts designed for dog owners are available with a collapsible water bowl and water bottle, and have enough space to hold a small flash-light, basic fist aid supplies and a cellphone

Travelling with Dogs

If you are travelling with dogs, it's really important to prepare for situations where you may need to evacuate them quickly from your car or van.

Whenever we are out in a vehicle with our huskies, we always make sure to have dog tie out pins and chains.

A tie out pin is a metal steak that can be pushed into the ground to provide a secure anchor point to hold a dog. We use to metal chains with us, as in an emergency situation the dogs may be stressed and attempt to chew though fabric leashes or ropes.

We carry this equipment in case our vehicle breaks down, or we are in a road accident. In either case, it is likely that we would need to take our dogs out of the vehicle. Having some way to keep them safe and secure is invaluable in such a situation.

A crash on the highway may seem unlikely, but if it happens, the key priorities are to make sure that any passengers and dogs are safe, which may mean moving them away from the vehicle.

An emergency survival blanket is a very useful thing to have when out and about in case a dog (or person) gets injured. We always have one in the car at all times just in case, and we keep a couple in our truck when we are out with a team of huskies.

Further Safety Precautions

We would suggest that you carry a cell-phone at all times when out and about with your dogs. Some owners carry army-style pocket knives to use in case of emergency to cut ropes etc should a dog get in a dangerous tangle.
If you intend to 'work' your husky or sled dog, a very good investment to consider is a set of Walkie-Talkies. These can be used to keep in contact with others in areas where cell-phone reception is limited, as is often the case in many training areas.