By Nick Simonson

The key to never having to use anything comes from preparing to use it. It never fails that when preparing for a trial or an administrative hearing, the more time I put into the case, the more likely it seems to settle just before the gavel bangs. Planning for the worst in the outdoors follows the same course, with luck favoring the prepared party.  I could pack rain gear, winter gear, and every possible lure that the fish will likely bite on, and the clouds will part (or things will at least be comfortable) and that one tried-and-true bait amidst the dozens packed will be the go-to for the weekend. Hunting is a bit different, as a wide variety of pitfalls and perils can be presented to hunters – from sprains and strains – to those encounters that await our four legged friends. However, preparing for the needs of the latter doesn’t take much, and (knock on wood) so far have paid off without having to use them much in my two decades in the uplands.

Canine First Aid

For those minor dings, scrapes and field injuries that our hard-working companions incur, be it due to a cactus on the ground or the barb of a wire fence while moving from field to field, having a small container packed with gauze, wrap, cotton balls or patches, and some adhesive medical tape to hold things together is a great start in treatment of a minor wound.  Additionally, a small scissors for cutting and shaping those hand-made bandages and a larger tweezers for pulling out those prickly items such as spines, burs and quills are ideal additions to a DIY canine first aid kit.  Vet-approved antiseptic sprays or balms are also a for-sure add to a traveling kit for each autumn.  Add in a few tabs or vials of any medicines your pup takes – such as allergy relief pills, ear infection treatments or pain management doses for older dogs – and the kit is complete; simply customize as needed from there.

Cool It

While it’s often been said that a field dog moves five times as much as a hunter does on a given hunt, it bears repeating.  The activity level of those high-performing dogs far exceeds the effort of those walking behind them as they zig and zag and cover territory in search of scent. With that extended exercise, the demand for hydration increases, and if you’re feeling warm during a hunt, so is your canine companion.  Tote a large jug of water and a small field bottle to help them beat the heat and stay hydrated, even on those cooler days.  Another good idea, when things get unseasonably warm, is to pack a bag of ice in a cooler back at the truck, to help lower body temperatures quickly with colder water or to use in a heat exhaustion emergency.

Make a Record

Finally, put together copies of all of your pet’s vital records, including a collection of vaccination forms and any history from the vet’s office of treatment in recent months. Have your veterinarian’s number programmed into your phone and included in your dog’s first aid kit.  Additionally, locate the vet nearest to your hunting location if you’re headed out on a trip and add that number and address to both your digital rolodex and a first aid kit in case something goes wrong in the field.  As experienced above, if you do it now, you likely won’t need it to look it up in an emergency – but it’s good to be ready, just in case.

We rely on our dogs this time of year for so much in the field. Whether that’s hauling in a heavy goose from the middle of a slough, or chasing up those first roosters of the year, their efforts far exceed ours.  Keep that in mind as you prepare for each hunt, and bank on the reassurance of having everything ready to tend to their needs, even if you never have to use it…in our outdoors.

Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.

Featured Photo: It’s a Long Season.  Being ready for the warmer stretch now, the cold late season and all of the foreseen and unforeseen challenges that a dog faces in the field seems to pay off without having to deal with them.  Here’s hoping that trend continues. Simonson Photo.