Your Disaster-Prep Style with Your Dog: Beginner

Answer the questions to find out which type you are.

• 01

  Starts with the Supplies

  You shape your preparations around what you would take with you. Simply unpacking the grab bag once and swapping things out is a good prompt to check it still suits your dog as they are now. For what to prepare and how much, use your local authority's or the Ministry of the Environment's guidance as a guide. An easy next step is practising going into a crate or cage. Even with everything packed, how calmly your dog can settle inside makes a difference to how easily you can move. The easy thing to miss is the dates on food and water. Whether you are packing a bag for the first time or refreshing it, just write down the date you packed it once, and you can rest easier. How shelters accept pets, and their rules, differ by municipality and by shelter. Even if you can head to a shelter together, you may not be able to stay in the same space. When your home is safe, sheltering at home is also an option. Please check your local authority's guidance once. Even a short trip nearby is a good chance to try out your kit. Where dogs are allowed, and on what terms, differs by venue, so please check before you go. Try searching for venues that fit these conditions. This follows on from "Dog Registration and Vaccination Quiz: Beginner" in the same law, procedures and disaster-prep series. Next time: a quiz on food and care. This diagnosis offers a prompt to review your preparations; it does not judge whether they are sufficient. This is not veterinary advice. Results vary with your dog's age and health, the season and where you live. If your dog has a condition, a therapeutic diet or regular medication, please ask your regular veterinary clinic how best to prepare. If something about your dog gives you pause, do not wait and see; talk to a veterinary clinic early.

• 02

  Starts with Getting Used to Things

  You value the everyday time your dog spends getting used to new places and things. Being able to rest calmly in a crate or cage tends to help both when travelling and when staying somewhere unfamiliar. Practice is easier to keep up if you start with short sessions and pair it with treats and praise. The right pace depends on your dog's age and size; rather than adding new things, it is fine to start by keeping up what your dog can already do. An easy next step is getting a grab bag ready. Keeping it beside the crate turns heading out into a single motion. The easy thing to miss is your own supplies. Just your own water and a jacket are worth checking once alongside your dog's. How shelters accept pets, and their rules, differ by municipality and by shelter. Even if you can head to a shelter together, you may not be able to stay in the same space. When your home is safe, sheltering at home is also an option. Please check your local authority's guidance once. Quiet time at a venue that welcomes dogs is also a form of practice. Even a short outing is plenty. Where dogs are allowed, and on what terms, differs by venue, so please check before you go. Try searching for venues that fit these conditions. This follows on from "Dog Registration and Vaccination Quiz: Beginner" in the same law, procedures and disaster-prep series. Next time: a quiz on food and care. This diagnosis offers a prompt to review your preparations; it does not judge whether they are sufficient. This is not veterinary advice. Results vary with your dog's age and health, the season and where you live. If your dog has a condition, a therapeutic diet or regular medication, please ask your regular veterinary clinic how best to prepare. If something about your dog gives you pause, do not wait and see; talk to a veterinary clinic early.

• 03

  Starts with ID and Clues

  You put weight on the clues that would help someone find your dog if you got separated. Checking that the contact details on the ID tag and the information registered to the microchip match your current address and phone number makes your preparation that much more solid. Keeping recent photos of both the face and the whole body also helps. An easy next step is agreeing things with your family. Talking once about how to get in touch and where to meet if you are separated tends to make it easier to act. The easy thing to miss is the time after moving house or changing your phone number. Just check your registered details once each time that happens. How shelters accept pets, and their rules, differ by municipality and by shelter. Even if you can head to a shelter together, you may not be able to stay in the same space. When your home is safe, sheltering at home is also an option. Please check your local authority's guidance once. An outing somewhere green is also a good chance to take photos. Even a short outing is plenty. Where dogs are allowed, and on what terms, differs by venue, so please check before you go. Try searching for venues that fit these conditions. This follows on from "Dog Registration and Vaccination Quiz: Beginner" in the same law, procedures and disaster-prep series. Next time: a quiz on food and care. This diagnosis offers a prompt to review your preparations; it does not judge whether they are sufficient. This is not veterinary advice. Results vary with your dog's age and health, the season and where you live. If your dog has a condition, a therapeutic diet or regular medication, please ask your regular veterinary clinic how best to prepare. If something about your dog gives you pause, do not wait and see; talk to a veterinary clinic early.

• 04

  Starts with People and Connections

  You think about preparedness through your ties with family and neighbours. Having people to check on each other with in an emergency, and somewhere your dog could be looked after, is a support that means you need not carry everything alone. Walking the route to your evacuation point once also tends to reduce hesitation on the day. An easy next step is reviewing identification such as ID tags and registered details. Combined with letting people around you know your dog's features, it adds reassurance. The easy thing to miss is the circumstances of whoever would look after your dog. Just ask once about the conditions under which they could take them. How shelters accept pets, and their rules, differ by municipality and by shelter. Even if you can head to a shelter together, you may not be able to stay in the same space. When your home is safe, sheltering at home is also an option. Please check your local authority's guidance once. Getting to know a venue as a regular is also a way of connecting with your community. Even a short outing is plenty. Where dogs are allowed, and on what terms, differs by venue, so please check before you go. Try searching for venues that fit these conditions. This follows on from "Dog Registration and Vaccination Quiz: Beginner" in the same law, procedures and disaster-prep series. Next time: a quiz on food and care. This diagnosis offers a prompt to review your preparations; it does not judge whether they are sufficient. This is not veterinary advice. Results vary with your dog's age and health, the season and where you live. If your dog has a condition, a therapeutic diet or regular medication, please ask your regular veterinary clinic how best to prepare. If something about your dog gives you pause, do not wait and see; talk to a veterinary clinic early.