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Hurricane Preparedness for Dogs: Plan Now, Worry Later

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How to Prepare Your Dogs for a Hurricane

Hurricane Preparedness for Dogs
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Living in Louisiana, hurricanes were unfortunately a hidden worry during the summer and fall. You enjoy the beach, but keep one eye on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Well, hurricane season is among us so it’s time to prepare or refresh your dog’s evacuation kit.

Never leave your dogs behind. It’s not fair to dump a bag of food on the ground and abandon them. You brought them into your lives, and it’s your responsibility to keep them safe. Bring all of your pets with you–there’s no excuse.

So plan now and worry later.

Evacuation Kit for Dogs

Gather these items, pack in a heavy duty suitcase and store in an easy-to-reach closet. When disaster looms in the ocean, your dog’s kit is ready to go.

  • Pet first aid kit plus two-week supply of all required dog medication.
  • Download a pet first aid app for your smartphone. It’s packed with first aid information plus it locates the closest veterinarian when traveling.
  • Flat buckle collar with current ID tags.
  • Microchip your dog and register and/or update your information with microchip manufacturer.
  • Photocopy vaccination records and any other vet information pertaining to chronic illnesses.
  • Snap updated photos and place in a plastic bag. Store in a folder just in case your dog gets lost.
  • Purchase a safety kennel lead for each dog. I recommend Mendota British Slip leads, as frightened dogs can not back out of them. The lead has a leather slip to prevent the loop from opening too wide.
  • Old towels and bedding.
  • Plastic or wire crate.
  • Bottled water (two to three day supply).
  • Dog food (one to two weeks).
    • I recommend canned food due to its long shelf life. It’s also very palatable, which encourages eating during times of stress.
    • If feeding your dogs raw food, keep a small supply frozen in the back of your freezer and switch out as needed to avoid spoiling.
  • Poop bags for cleanup.
  • Waterless shampoo for quick cleanup.

Plan Your Evacuation Route Now

Forced to leave your home within hours is scary. Many times, evacuees are forced to travel further north because pet-friendly hotels fill within minutes so keep a list of pet-friendly hotels within a 60- to 70-mile radius of your home.

Be prepared for traffic jams. It seems everyone decides to evacuate at the same time mostly due to mandatory evacuation per state officials. Your dog must ride inside your vehicle, as it’s unrelentingly hot sitting in traffic jams or just traveling during warmer months. Plan for enough space for your dog to lie down and turn around inside your car or truck.

To Leave or Ride It Out

Oh, this is a frustrating decision. It’s expensive evacuating and then returning home to limited home damage have many people tempted to ride out the next hurricane. As someone who shares her home with dogs, we leave early once we confirm our area is within the path for category 4 and 5 hurricanes! I would rather watch traffic jams from a nice cool hotel room than fight my way through.

Many of us work, and this is usually the last deciding factor on staying or leaving. Speak to your supervisor and ask about hurricane evacuation polices. Many business allow employees several days to prepare and evacuate with their families.

Hanging out and making a last minute decision can be costly. When in doubt, get out and bring your dogs with you.

You may also like: Calming Dogs During Thunderstorms

Walking Two Pulling Dogs on Leash

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Dog Pulling on Leash Tips

Dogs Pulling on Leash
byronwmoore/iStock

Walking two pulling dogs at the same time is very frustrating for both you and your dogs. Instead of grinning and bearing it, take a few minutes and try these tips.

RELATED: Clicker Training for Dogs

Teach Polite Leash Manners Separately

Dogs pull on leash because they were never taught not to. When you know better, you do better. It’s troubling being pulled by your dog and, believe me, I’ve been right there. It feels like a freight train is pulling me into trees. When this happens, it’s time to brush up on polite leash manners. Discontinue tandem leash walks until both dogs understand how to walk nicely on leash.

Using a clicker and lots of tiny yummy treats, leash your dog and practice inside your home. While walking up and down the hallway, click and give a treat when your leash is loose. Now, it’s important to click every time the leash is loose or your dog will become confused and start pulling forward. Don’t be alarmed if you’re clicking and treating every few seconds or so. This actually means you’re doing a good job rewarding each success.

If your dog pulls, stop walking and wait. The moment you feel pressure release in your hand, meaning your dog stopped pulling on leash, click and give him a treat. When giving treats, make sure your dog comes back to you for the treat instead of you trying to walk forward and place a treat in his mouth.

Now, practice polite leash manners while walking in the backyard on short walks with minimal distractions, slowly increasing duration (time) of walks. Yes, you have to walk both dogs separately, but it won’t be forever. 🙂

RELATED: Teach Dog Not to Pull on Leash

One Dog Per Person

While practicing polite leash manners, enlist in a human helper for tandem walks. One person walks an individual dog, however, you’re both walking at the same time. Not only does this provide great rewarding opportunities for polite manners, but both dogs are learning to walk calmly together, which is so important.

You’ve probably noticed both dogs insisting on walking side by side instead of one dog leading the way. By having an extra pair of hands, you’re able to teach both dogs that walking side by side is not a race and it’s very rewarding (hence clicks and treats) if done at a slower pace.

After several tandem walking sessions with assistance, ask your friend to tag along while you hold both leashes. This way, if something should happen, your friend can step in and grab a leash.

It’s important to keep distractions to a minimum in the beginning by walking in your neighborhood or a quiet park. Slowly increase distractions. If both dogs become overstimulated, decrease distractions and reward good behavior. In the worst case scenario, you can walk both dogs in your neighborhood, but need a friend to help walk both dogs around distractions.

Try Different Equipment

Scrumptious treats and none-pulling collars are everything. By pairing both of these tools, you’re halfway toward polite leash walks. My favorite no-pull options are front clip harnesses and head halters. Now, this equipment will manage pulling until you’re able to teach your dog that walking on a loose leash pays with hot dogs. The equipment doesn’t fix the behavior.

Another reason I really like these harnesses and head halters is you still have complete control if your dog lunges toward a squirrel. There’s a saying in the dog training world, “If you’re restraining, you’re not training.”

So let’s teach polite manners instead of playing tug-of-war with a leash. 🙂

READ MORE: Walking Two Dogs at Once: Choose the Best Equipment

Dog Day Care Interview Questions

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Interviewing at a Doggy Day Care

Doggy Day Care
Szepy/iStock

Ask dog friends, your veterinarian and, especially, your dog trainer which doggy day care facilities they recommend and why. Then, take a peek at their websites for additional information. Once you’ve selected several locations, set up face-to-face interviews with dog day care staff before bringing your dog. Keep your dog home when interviewing. You need to focus on asking questions and watching play sessions in progress.

Don’t forget to print this article. It provides acceptable answers to questions asked as well as acceptable solutions to common issues during playtime. Lastly, trust your gut. If something seems off, leave. I wish more pet owners trusted their gut. It’s usually always right. 🙂

Remember: dog day cares teach dogs how to play politely with other dogs. This should not be a free-for-all, which teaches dogs to fend for themselves or bully and hurt other dogs. There should be rules and boundaries.

RELATED: Choosing the Best Doggy Daycare

Person-to-Person Interview

  • How are your staff members trained?
    • All staff members must be trained in canine body language, managing groups of dogs, recognizing illnesses, preventing dog fights and so forth.
  • How much experience do they have before managing a play session?
    • Must have at least six months of experience before managing play sessions alone.
  • Is there a limit to the amount of dogs during a play session?
    • Maximum of eight dogs per one staff member.
  • What happens during a pre-screening process?
    • A staff member asks questions about your dog.
    • A staff member meets and assesses your dog’s personality.
    • If all goes well, your dog meets a friendly dog.
    • For the next week, your dog learns to play with a small group of dogs.
    • During screening, don’t allow your dog to jump in and play with eight dogs. That’s scary.
  • Do all dogs pass the pre-screening process?
    • No, only dogs that enjoy playing with other dogs are allowed to play.
  • What vaccinations do you require?
    • Minimum should be rabies.
    • Contact your local veterinarian for required vaccinations in your area. Requirements depend on region.
  • What happens if my dog is injured?
    • Your dog should immediately be driven to a local vet. Ensure the facility doesn’t employ a wait-and-see method. When in doubt, get it checked out.
    • Once a vet examines your dog, then the staff member should contact you. So many dogs have suffered for hours, waiting for a call back from their pet parents. Insist your dog is seen first.
    • The facility must work with a local veterinarian during the day and an emergency vet after hours (after 5pm). Ask for his or her name and location.
    • Will day care reimburse vet bills if caused in their facility? It’s best to find out now.
  • Are staff members certified in pet first aid and CPR?
    • If so, with whom? Red Cross and Pet Tech offer excellent training on pet first aid.
    • If not, why are they not trained?  What happens during an emergency?
  • If my dog is not having fun during playtime, what will happen?
    • Your dog should immediately be removed from the play area.
    • A staff member should call and inform you of the situation (after your dog is removed from the play area).
    • I would highly recommend picking your dog up and not enrolling in play sessions any longer.
    • Ask if there’s a refund if you decide to no longer bring your dog to day care.
  • My dog can be a bully, is he or she allowed to play?
    • No. There should not be any promises of training, socialization or trial periods. Bullies should be removed immediately and not allowed in class.
  • Will my dog have plenty of rest time?
    • Tired dogs get cranky and will squabble so quiet times (naps) should happen at least once per day. Older dogs may require more rest periods.

RELATED: Appropriate Puppy Play

Watching Play Sessions in Progress

When watching play sessions during your selection process, it’s important to observe structure and consequences:

  • What happens when a dog bullies another dog?
    • The bully should be removed from the playgroup.
  • What happens when a dog is tired and lies down for a nap, but other dogs keep pestering him?
    • Place tired dog in a kennel to rest.
  • When play sessions become too rowdy, what happens?
    • A staff member interacts play by walking between dogs or separating them.
  • What happens if a dog yelps?
    • A staff member must thoroughly check out the yelping dog or better yet, remove the dog and have someone check him or her out. Then, let the dog rest before bringing him or her back to playtime.
  • What are staff members doing during playtime?
    • They should be constantly walking around and monitoring dogs playing.
    • They should not be on their phones, only playing with specific dogs or ignoring scared dogs.
    • Honestly, this is not an easy job. They are constantly hustling.
  • Are potty accidents cleaned up immediately?
    • Yes, and all accidents should be cleaned immediately. A mop and bucket should be in the play area.
  • Watch staff members’ hands. They should be gentle and friendly.
    • There should be no hitting, slapping or roughhousing.
    • Staff members should be happy to be there.

Choosing the Best Doggy Day Care

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How to Choose the Best Doggy Day Care

Doggy Day Care
filrom/iStock

It’s not that hard. It just takes visiting several locations, watching and asking questions. Keep your dog at home when interviewing potential doggy day care locations. You’ll need to be focused and ask lots of questions.

Qualified Staff

This is a must, as qualified staff can spot bullies, scared or shut down dogs and ensure dogs are having a positive play experience. All staff must complete training on canine body language, manage dogs effectively, introduce dogs positively and break up dog fights (unfortunately, it happens). Plus, they must have at least six months to a year of experience before managing playing dogs alone.

Thorough Pre-Screening Exam

Oh, this is important too, but only if exams are completed by qualified staff. Your dog must be screened before being allowed to play with other dogs.

During the screening process:

  • Dog day care staff are gathering information about your dog’s play style, personality and health, which is invaluable in ensuring a fun time by all.
  • If all goes well, an experienced staff member may introduce your dog to another (one) friendly dog and then move along slowly. Dogs should be introduced to a small group of polite dogs (two to three) at first and allowed to play under supervision. After a week or so, your dog can meet and play with a full play group.
  • During a pre-screening test, your dog should never be placed in a room full of dogs as a screening test. Information must be gathered with you and your dog alone first. Before this happens, take your dog and leave.

Doggy Day Care is Not for All Dogs

Dogs that are scared, fearful, anxious, growl, snap, bite or refrain from engaging in play should not attend day care.

Forcing scared or aggressive dogs to meet other dogs will make fears worse. They won’t overcome their fears, but they will learn how to fight instead of play. I know you don’t think this can happen to your dog, but this happens every day, if not several times a day. If your dog doesn’t want to play, don’t make him. Think about it this way: if you’re scared of spiders and someone locks you in a room filled with fast-moving spiders, your fear will only worsen.

If a staff member is hesitant about adding your dog into a play session, listen to his gut reaction and don’t push the issue further. Many dogs are pushed into playgroups because pet owners want to socialize their dogs. Don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Invest in a fabulous pet sitter instead.

Limit Amount of Playing Dogs

One staff member for eight dogs is plenty. Staff members are present to ensure all dogs are having fun, playing politely and removing dogs that are tired and no longer having fun. With too many dogs, this won’t happen and it becomes a free-for-all, meaning your dog learns to threaten other dogs to keep them away.

Pushy Dogs are Not Allowed to Play

Bullies are everywhere: at schools, in our workplace and, yes, even at doggy day cares. Pushy dogs constantly pester (pick on) other dogs by pinning, holding a dog in a corner, chasing and rolling, and/or body slamming. Bullies should not be allowed to practice this behavior during playtime. They will only worsen and it’s not fair to other dogs. Bullies must be removed immediately. And if they continue the behavior, bullies should not be allowed to play again.

RELATED: Stop Bullying Behavior

Health Comes First

Potty accidents should be cleaned immediately with disinfectant and free from any odor. Also, dogs must be vaccinated with regular fecal checks, as disease spreads quickly when large groups of dogs are housed together. Lastly, play areas should be disinfected once all dogs have gone home for the day.

Help Your Dogs Adjust to Your New Home

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Adjusting to Your New Home

Moving With Dogs

You’ve made it safely to your new home. Congratulations! Before unleashing the hounds, take a few days and introduce your dogs slowly and carefully to your new home.

Many times, new homeowners or renters contact me within a week of moving into their new home. Most complaints include dogs making potty training mistakes, being nervous and escaping their yard. Here’s what’s worked for us in the past.

First 24 Hours

Maintain your dogs’ eating, sleeping and potty schedules when moving in your new home. Routine means predictability, meaning less stress for both you and your dogs.

Set up your sleeping area until movers deliver your furniture. I highly recommend crating your dogs next to your bedding overnight. This keeps them safe and secured instead of exploring or escaping. Set up soothing music before bedtime and toss in food stuffed Kongs in crates. This keeps dogs busy until they fall asleep.

RELATED: Calming Music for Dogs

For homes with a backyard, I highly recommend bringing your dog potty on leash until you can fully inspect the fence for holes, loose boards, protruding nails and escape routes. On leash walks inside your yard, provide plenty of sniffing opportunities, but slowly introduce your dogs to their new surroundings. Many times, unfamiliar sounds can startle dogs, sending them straight to any and all escape routes–yikes! Keep them on leash at least for the first 24-48 hours.

Keep bed and bathroom doors closed to prevent dogs from sneaking off, pottying on, or chewing new items. If needed, you can section off an area with baby gates.

Week One

Your furniture should have arrived by now. It’s amazing to see the difference in dogs once they smell their own stuff. Most will snuggle right in their favorite chair or snooze on their comfy rug. By now, your dog is romping through his new yard unleashed, but stay close just in case.

Week Two

Everything should be pretty normal by now. Both you and your dogs are familiar with new sounds and surroundings. If your dog should have a few potty accidents, I recommend starting back at square one with potty training. Usually, this issue will be resolved within a few days.

If something should crop up, take a few steps back and follow the tips for the first 24 hours for a few days. This usually resolves most issues. If not, I highly recommend seeking a professional dog trainer in your area to provide suggestions and answer any questions.

Enjoy your new home!

You may also  like: 4 Tips for Moving With Your Dogs

Dog Training Nation is a dog training blog for pet owners and dog lovers. We cover a range of topics from puppy socialization tips to dog aggression to dog health. It is our hope you share our content to make the world a better place for dogs.

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