It was just about this time last year when the floods hit Boulder County and other parts of Colorado. Fortunately for us, our little house in Lafayette stayed safe and dry. Hearing how the floods affected other families though, was heart-breaking and a very real reminder that we do need to be prepared for a disaster, including disaster preparedness for pets.
After doing a little research with the RedCross, the ASPCA and Code3, I compiled this list of items to keep stockpiled in case of an emergency. It took me less than a half hour to get everything together. I encourage you to take some time this weekend to make sure your pet emergency kit is updated too!
The List!
- 3-7 day supply of food (I like The Honest Kitchen’s dehydrated food – it’s light and has a long shelf-life)
- at least 2 gallons of water
- 2 feeding dishes (preferably stainless steel)
- extra leash, collar and ID tag (I picked up an inexpensive set from The Happy Beast!)
- (On Pi’s ID tag I listed her name, our address, my phone number and an emergency contact)
- paper towels and baby wipes
- first aid kit
- medications
- poop bags (or litter and litter box)
- carrier for small dogs or cats
- extra blanket
- all of this information sealed in a ziploc bag:
- copy of vaccination records
- your name and phone number
- vet’s name and contact info
- two emergency contacts with phone numbers
- recent photo of your pet
- directions for any medications, feeding schedule, behavior issues (in case you are displaced and your dog has to be boarded)
Be sure to tailor your kit to your specific needs, I also added:
- 1 week supply of Optagest (probiotics in case of upset tummy or bad drinking water)
- 1 bottle of Ark Natural’s Happy Traveler (herbal calming supplement)
- 1 bag of yummy treats (I picked Sojo’s Simply treats. They’re freeze-dried, so they’ll last a long time.)
- 1 super fun toy. (Pi loves treat-dispensing toys, so I picked up an extra Busy Buddy)
Hopefully we won’t be faced with any kind of disaster, but I think it’s important to be prepared just in case. And it’s nice to have these things on hand for those other kinds of emergencies – like running out of dog food when you can’t get to the store!
Stay safe out there and let us know in the comments what else you’d bring along for your furry friend.
Kids, Cats & Dogs
We got lucky with Loki. His demeanor with kids has always been great, but now that we have two of our own, he’s had to learn how to be nagged and pulled and loved even more than before. But in addition to Loki’s usually-calm disposition, we’ve tried hard as parents to teach our kids to know how to get along with our animals and respect their boundaries. After all, the furry ones were here first! Once Loki and our cats saw that the kids were (usually) gentle, and provided even more opportunities for extra food and ear scratches, they started warming up pretty quickly. Even to the point of tolerating a little bit of dress-up time.
If your dog isn’t quite as forgiving, or just needs some training pointers, we definitely recommend checking out these great resources:
And if you’re looking for dog breeds that are typically good with kids, here are a couple more:
You’ve Got To Try This: Frozen Yogurt for Dogs!
Your dog definitely wants to try this – frozen yogurt for dogs – a healthy and fun treat!
The Bear and The Rat’s frozen yogurt for dogs is loaded with probiotics to support their digestive and immune systems and decrease stinky dog breath. The Happy Beast dogs did the taste test and they approve!
Ok, so this froyo is not intended for human consumption, but we had to try the Banana Peanut Barker flavor. The ingredients are super simple- just yogurt, bananas, peanut butter and a few food-based stabilizers. No sugar and nothing artificial. And guys, it’s pretty tasty!
Disaster Preparedness for Pets – Tips for Your Pet Emergency Kit
It was just about this time last year when the floods hit Boulder County and other parts of Colorado. Fortunately for us, our little house in Lafayette stayed safe and dry. Hearing how the floods affected other families though, was heart-breaking and a very real reminder that we do need to be prepared for a disaster, including disaster preparedness for pets.
After doing a little research with the RedCross, the ASPCA and Code3, I compiled this list of items to keep stockpiled in case of an emergency. It took me less than a half hour to get everything together. I encourage you to take some time this weekend to make sure your pet emergency kit is updated too!
The List!
Be sure to tailor your kit to your specific needs, I also added:
Hopefully we won’t be faced with any kind of disaster, but I think it’s important to be prepared just in case. And it’s nice to have these things on hand for those other kinds of emergencies – like running out of dog food when you can’t get to the store!
Stay safe out there and let us know in the comments what else you’d bring along for your furry friend.
Best Off-Leash Dog Hikes Around Boulder
We love hiking with Loki around Lafayette and Boulder, but we have even more fun on trails where he can off leash. Visit Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks website for dog regulations by area and to get information on the best off-leash dog hikes where you and your pup can both run free. You can also check out a full list of Boulder OSMP hiking trails or get other hiking/walking ideas on BringFido.com, which is a great resource for all kinds of pet-friendly travel and accommodations.
Finally, just a friendly remember that to be off-leash in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks you need to have your current dog tags for the voice and sight control program. The program changed in 2015, and now requires a new tag each year. Check out their website for the latest info.
A few of our favorite off-leash dog hiking trails:
Great trail with tons of water that starts at the creek and winds through mostly shady trees until the first steep climb. You can take the Amphitheater Trail for an even more uphill workout.
A Boulder classic known by all. Take the Valley Trail or Dakota Ridge on the North side for a nice warm-up before the main hike or just charge the South side for a rockier, but shadier climb to the top. Just beware the crowds.
A nice, wide service road trail that can accommodate kid strollers as well as energy-filled dogs. A deceiving and consistent climb makes this trail a great choice for a good workout. And because the trail is wide enough for ranger trucks, Enchanted Mesa is also a perfect hiking trail for strollers, even a double-wide one like ours.
We used to live in South Boulder so we may be biased, but this awesome loop trail is seldom crowded and always a dog-pleaser, including a couple of muddy ponds along the way. You can even use the North side of the loop for access to the trails up to Bear Peak.
Right off Baseline Rd. on your way into Boulder, Bobolink is a flat trail that runs right along South Boulder Creek and has plenty of dog-friendly swimming spots. Dogs aren’t allowed south of the gate past South Boulder Road so we typically just turnaround when we get to that point and head back to the Baseline parking lot. Bobolink is a great choice when you’re looking for an easier hike, or don’t want to head all the way to the Flatirons.
Do you have any favorites that we missed? Let us know in the comments!