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Irrational Rationalizations for Not Spaying or |
EMERGENCY TRAINING
With hurricane season here once again, I’ve been thinking about last year’s brush with Hurricane Rita. That experience brought home in an especially practical way the importance of a well-trained dog- not just obedience training but all the other training that dogs need. Here’s a quick run down of some of the training that proved so important last year.
Potty Training-
A potty command such as “Go now!” or “Hurry up!” proved invaluable. As the winds picked up, it was nice to take the dogs out to a sheltered spot and give the command so we could get back inside as quickly as possible.
I had brought along towels and plastic garbage bags to place on the floor in the women’s bathroom. If the storm had gotten bad enough, I would have taken the dogs there to do their business. The potty command would have let them know that, despite the strange place and circumstances, it was okay to go.
Crate Training-
Crate training is more than just putting a dog in a crate; it’s teaching your dog how to behave and relax in one. Whether you plan to use a crate on a regular basis or not, all dogs should be crate trained. The evacuation helped people realize that there may be unexpected crises when a crate is needed.
If you went to the pet stores right before the storm, you may have noticed that the crate isles were bare. People knew from Katrina that shelters and hotels often take dogs only in crates. One of my clients contacted me after the storm for help with crate training. She went to a hotel with crates bought just for the hurricane but was very worried that her dogs barking and whining while in the crate would cause a problem.
Obedience Training-
A well-trained dog can be taken anywhere and anywhere was where people were trying to get. Dogs who are trained are focused on their owners and obey commands even in new surroundings. I had two reports of dog slipping their leads. (Note: a British slip lead is much safer and more comfortable than a traditional collar and leash for dogs because they unable to slip out of them.) One returned when called; the other had to be chased down. Which would you rather deal with in an emergency?
Obedience is also a great way to calm dogs. Dodger had difficulty dealing with our temporary move. He began to whine at the door of the small room we were in, scratch, pace and pant. I used a down/stay to help him focus on me and to keep him away from the door. Within a short time, he wasn't worried about the door and quietly settled in.
Play Training-
Playing games with dogs is a good way to give them mental and physical exercise in small places. Many games, including fetch, need to be taught to dogs. Owners often overlook this aspect of training. It takes just a few minutes a day to teach a dog games that both of you will enjoy for the rest of your lives.
The office building where we stayed had long corridors with a maze of hallways going off in both directions. This was perfect for not only fetch but also Hide and Seek. Roxi was even able to do some tracking as a variation of Hide and Seek when I got lost several times. I could let her go, give her the command to “Find Abba!” and she'd smell my daughter out.
Another play command I have for the dogs is “Go get ‘em!” This starts the dogs chasing each other and wrestling around. Between the games, the chases and the fun, both dogs were ready for a peaceful night’s sleep by the time evening rolled around.
It’s Never Too Late
Training is a life long process and it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Contact the trainers at Pup Scouts to find out how we can help prepare your dog for the next “Hurricane Rita”.
Copyright 2005, Holly Furgason . All rights reserved.
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