Move the dog before you move the furniture
A burst pipe brings standing water, sudden noise, and a rush of activity, and your dog should be out of that room before you start dragging belongings to safety. Lead him calmly to a dry room he knows, close the door or fit a gate, and give him his bed, water bowl and something familiar to chew. If water is spreading through most of the ground floor, or the electricity supply may be affected, take him out of the house altogether — to the car on the drive, a neighbour's hallway, or a friend nearby — rather than stepping around him in a flooded kitchen.
Secure the exits while everyone is distracted
The biggest risk to the dog in a home emergency is rarely the water itself; it is the front door standing open for plumbers, buckets and mops while nobody is watching him. Fit his lead before doors start opening, tell every person who arrives that a dog is on the premises and which room he is in, and put a note on that door if helpers will be moving around. A dog who slips out during a repair often goes unnoticed for precious minutes because every adult assumes someone else saw him last.
Water, power and cleaning products
Turn the water off at the stopcock if you know where it is and can reach it without wading through water near sockets or appliances; if there is any doubt about electricity and water mixing, keep people and the dog clear and wait for professionals. Move cleaning products, tools, screws and exposed cables out of any room the dog can reach, and mop up antifreeze, paint or chemical spills completely before he walks through, since even small amounts licked from paws can make a dog ill. If you think he has swallowed a cleaning product, call a veterinarian promptly rather than waiting for signs.
Keep his basic routine running in the middle of the mess
Feed him at his usual time in his temporary spot, take him out to toilet on a lead rather than into a garden strewn with debris or left with its gate open, and keep fresh drinking water available away from any contaminated supply. Short, calm toilet trips and a familiar blanket do more to settle a dog in a disrupted house than constant fussing. If drying machines or dehumidifiers will run for days, give him a room away from their drone, because that relentless noise unsettles many dogs more than the original incident.
If you have to leave the house for repairs
For a short absence, a trusted neighbour who already knows him is usually less stressful than an unfamiliar kennel at no notice. Leave written notes on feeding, medication routines in general terms, toilet habits, and where he sleeps, plus your mobile number and your vet's number. If the house will be uninhabitable for longer, ask your vet and local services for boarding options that can take him at short notice and send his familiar bedding with him.
After the water is gone
Check his paws for cuts from hidden debris and dry him thoroughly if he got wet, watch for stomach upsets if he drank flood or pipe water, and let him re-enter repaired rooms gradually so new smells and moved furniture do not overwhelm him at once.
Handing his care to a helper is smoother when the details are ready to share, and KinsLe helps through its Care Pass, which gives a trusted sitter temporary, clear access to your dog's routine and key details while you deal with the house.