10/21/2024
Learning this afternoon about yet another horrific flood, this time in New Mexico. This, even while the folks in Florida and other southeastern states are still struggling to clean up, restore and recover.
Seemed like a good time to re-post this one, a reminder that
_Training IS your Disaster Plan_
Some years ago, when days of rain flooded most of eastern Iowa and forced massive evacuations, a friend of mine -- her house spared by rising water -- volunteered at the emergency animal shelter. After three long days of staffing phones, she called with stories. One central emphasis: if you have ANY hope of emergency crews or first responders being able to safely rescue and/or house your dogs during a disaster, those dogs need to be crate-trained. That is, willing to enter a crate calmly, and remain there calmly and quietly. My friend said, "you cannot imagine how many dogs the crews had to leave behind, because even dogs who would let themselves be caught would refuse to be crated."
Recently, my trainer/friend Liz of Let's Go! Dog Training in Houston, TX wrote this column for our national breed magazine, and graciously granted permission to share it with you. Her perspectives and experience underscore the importance of formal basic obedience training, and crate training.
If you don't train your dog for any other reason, train them to make them 'rescue-able' and 're-locate-able' in a disaster, whether natural or man-made.
Do you love them enough that you can't imagine leaving them behind?
_Then train them enough to make sure you don't have to._
We can help.
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Feeling Thankful After Harvey by Liz Outlaw
Living through a catastrophic event like Hurricane Harvey can force you to evaluate your life. Most of the shelters here in Houston were welcoming to families with pets. First responders were rescuing pets along with people. On the night we were getting rain at a rate of 10 inches an hour and the water was creeping up our driveway and yard, the first thing I packed was my dog bag. I wanted to be sure I had everything I would need for my old girl, Sofi, for several days.
* While I was packing I realized I was very glad I had obedient dogs.
I was thankful my dogs are reliable on leash. I can walk all four dogs on leash together because they don't pull and they don't get in my way. I can use their buckle collars and string if I had to! They are comfortable and relaxed on leash. I can walk them through a crowd and they do the work of staying with me which allows me to look where I'm going. I was not worried about walking them in strange situations. I can also hand the leash to another person and they are ok, they may look where I go, but they won't pull on the leash or whine.
* I was grateful my dogs are happy in crates, whether they are alone or in a crowded noisy place. They will patiently wait until I come and get them without making any noise. I can leave them in a hotel, car, dog show, friend's house or anywhere and they will be content and quiet until I return.
* My dogs are used to being handled by strangers. They stand quietly for exams. They are not suspicious of people they don't know. They also have permanent identification (microchips).
* They all have very good recalls and they respond positively to their names, even if I sound panicked. If I had to call them because the leash failed I am confident they would come, even if they were scared. When they are alarmed, they look for me instead of running away.
* I trust them to hold a position until I release them. If I have to let go of the leash to open a door, for example, I can tell them to sit and they will hold that position until I release them.
They are my companions. All of these skills are taught and practiced until my dogs have a clear understanding of what is required of them. I test the skills with different scenarios and pressures, so they are confident with their job in a stressful situation. Even though Harvey was an extreme pressure, I was sure my dogs would do what they practiced.
On the night that Harvey scared me enough to pack a bag for my dogs I realized how thankful I was to have well-trained dogs. Anywhere I go, they go, and it's a lot easier if I'm not worried what they will do! Luckily the rain stopped before I had to leave my home and though I didn't have to put them to the test, I know my guys would have been exemplary evacuees!
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