Emergency kit must haves for your wedding day.
We understand that not every wedding has the budget to hire a wedding dog attendant to care for your pup on your wedding day. Regardless, it is without a doubt that you should assemble two bags for your pup on your wedding day. One bag is clearly labeled and specifically geared to your dog’s needs on your wedding day (more on that in another resource post). The other bag is a designated emergency kit, clearly labeled and anyone can gain access to it. Today we are going to focus on the emergency kit.
When we first launched Black Dog Weddings it was one of my top priorities to create an inventory list and develop an emergency kit that was suitable for both dogs and humans when we were on site. That emergency kit is still in use today but has definitely evolved as our needs (and more importantly - client needs!) have changed.
Here are our top 5 recommendations that you absolutely need in your emergency kit - in no particular order.
Sewing kit - it doesn’t need to be an elaborate kit. Needle(s), a few threat options, safety pins, and scissors are key. Without failure, a sewing kit has saved many a wedding day with the Black Dog Weddings team. From repairing wedding dog attire, to sewing groomsmen pants moments with less than 15 minutes to ceremony or safety pinning a bridesmaid’s dress - a sewing kit has been an emergency kit item we will never do without!
Rubbing alcohol - Will your wedding day be in a space that has limited shade or limited access to air conditioning? Or, do you own a senior dog or a brachycephalic dog breed (think French Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Pug or English Toy Spaniel - any pup that has a “flat face”), the heat and humidity could prove deadly. Having rubbing alcohol on hand and applying with a face towel to paw pads, behind the ears, or to their belly can cool a dog faster compared to water. Still, make a point to give your pup water! But make sure to pack rubbing alcohol and have it on standby to help draw heat away from your dog.
Hand towels and face cloths - We use hand towels at every wedding! We often use two different types of hand towels, one for humans and one for pups. Whether you are wiping up drool or eye boogers from adorable dog faces, ensuring paws are clean before having pup approach the wedding party for photos, or handing towels off to the wedding party for sweaty foreheads and palms, having some sort of a small portable towel is a wedding day essential you can’t do without.
Lint roller - Dog hair and suits don’t mix :) Having a full lint roller on hand is very helpful and you should do a once look over just moments before the wedding ceremony, and after you’ve completed photos with your pup. If you have a larger wedding party OR a very floofy pup - double the lint rollers!
Rescue Remedy - If you’ve never heard of Rescue Remedy or Rescue Pet - no worries! I wasn’t introduced to this fantastic product until we started volunteering with a local dog rescue. Rescue Pet is an organic, combination flower essence remedy that you apply as drops into your pup’s water or on a treat. Rescue Pet helps to restore balance in your dog’s behaviour and get them back to their baseline selves. The Black Dog Weddings team has used Rescue Remedy to settle dogs that become overstimulated on wedding days. We always build in time during the day so the client dog can have some quiet time (typically before the ceremony or in-between photography sessions) but if we observe that the pup is having difficulty settling, we will consult with the owner first and suggest Rescue Remedy.
Though the emergency kit we provide to our clients is more elaborate all of these items listed are easy to assemble, don’t break the bank, and can be used beyond your wedding day!
For more helpful tips, tricks, and advice to prepare your pup for your wedding day check out our resource page (it’s our fancy version of a blog) or sign up for our newsletter community!
