Dog Training Archives - Edie MacKenzie

Train Your Dog to Respond to Tornado Sirens

May 15, 2017 by admin 3 Comments

Safety For All and Train Your Dog

Is the safety of your dog, and other pets, part of your family’s tornado response plan? Is your shelter large enough for everyone, including your pets? Does your dog know what to do when the sirens go off? Yes, you can train your dog to respond to the tornado sirens and move themselves to your tornado shelter.

Brush Up on Storm Forecasts and Warnings

Tornado preparedness starts with knowledge and your best protection is an early warning. If you wait until the sirens are going off, it’s too late to prepare; now you’re just reacting.

Pay attention to your local weather, particularly during tornado season, which, here in North Texas, can be year round. If you don’t have one already, I highly recommend getting a NOAA Weather Alert Radio. This enables you to get watches and warnings directly from the National Weather Service. Weather apps for your mobile devices can also alert you to changes in weather conditions.

Next, understand the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning.

Tornado Watch – conditions are ripe for tornadoes to form. Pay attention to the sky and emergency warnings on your NOAA Weather Radio and local television and radio.
Tornado Warning – a tornado has been sited or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Include Pets In Your Safety Plan

This article assumes you have an emergency tornado plan in place for the humans in your family. If you need more information on that, search the phrase ‘tornado preparedness’. There are many government websites to help you, but one of the most comprehensive is published by Dallas County, Texas:
http://www.dallascounty.org/department/osem/safety/TornadoPreparedness.php

What about the family pets?

Sadly, pets are often a tragic afterthought when a tornado strikes. Without a plan for your pets, the chances of losing them rises significantly.

Here is a short check list:

Do you have identification on the collar of your dog and/or cat?
Is your cellphone number on the identification tag?
Is your dog or cat microchipped?
If you have moved, have you updated the information associated with the microchip?
If your home is hit or your dog bolts, can you actively locate your dog?
Do you have a GPS tracker attached to their collar, allowing you to locate them quickly with your cellphone? We have GPS trackers on the collars of both our dogs. For more information, click here.
Do you have a carrier for your small dog or cat?
Is your large dog trained to move to the shelter on command?
If your dog gets anxious during storms, do you have a Thundershirt to keep him calm?
If your pet takes medication, do you have a enough to last for a week or more?
Does your cat go into her carrier willingly? Most cats associate their carrier with going to the vet, so creating positive associations with the carrier is a good thing. I am not a cat expert, so I will refer you to the following article http://www.catster.com/cats-101/teach-your-cat-to-love-the-carrier.
What about your reptiles or small mammals? Have a secure, breathable container for each animal which you can easily move into your tornado shelter. Plastic containers with locking lids are inexpensive, and with the addition of breathing holes and appropriate substrate, can keep your small critters safely tucked in your tornado shelter. If you have multiple small animals, purchase containers which can be stacked in a corner or shelf in your shelter.

How To Train Your Dog To Seek Shelter

The tornado sirens (Outdoor Warning System – OWS) go off at noon on the first Saturday of the month here in our North Texas community (check with your local emergency management office to learn when the monthly sirens sound in your community). The monthly sirens give people and their families the opportunity to practice their tornado emergency plan. It is also a great opportunity to train your dog to move to your shelter.

We are no exception. At the sound of the sirens, both humans and dogs are on our feet, moving. One of us grabs a fist full of dog treats and give the dogs the command, “Bathroom!” They trot behind us to the master bedroom closet. Once in the closet, the dogs move in and back so we can close the door, then they get their treats. The sirens go on for several minutes and we take full advantage of them, repeating the drill to train your dog as many times we can manage.

We have done this every month since 2003.

At the time, we lived in Minnesota. Minnesota is the northern tip of Tornado Alley and often has more tornadoes than any other state in the country. I work from home and took advantage of the first Wednesday noon siren drills. Our shelter was an interior, lower level bathroom. I enticed our dogs Sadie and Sonagh into the downstairs bathroom, using the single command ‘Bathroom’ as I walked backwards, waving the most enticing treat we had, freeze dried liver, in front of them. When we reached the bathroom, they got their treats and liberal praise. Once running into the bathroom was an automatic response to the command ‘Bathroom!’ we withheld the treats for a moment longer and added a hand signal for them to move further in the room so we could close the door.

Our current dogs, Wally and Murphy, have been doing drills for years; Wally since he was a 10 week old puppy and Murphy when he joined us at 18 months.

When we moved to Texas in June of 2015 the tone and cadence of the tornado sirens were very different from the ones in Minnesota. It took the dogs a couple of months to associate the new sirens with their old command. I am very happy to report that when the sirens go off now, their heads pop up like a Meerkat, eyes wide, heads swiveling, waiting for the command.

Can I share a proud dog momma moment? When the sirens sounded last month, both dogs started moving towards the master bedroom…with no command given! They are both now ten years old, so it took a long time for this to happen, but it gives me hope that if the sirens sound when we are not home, they might actually go into the closet without us.

Watch a video from a couple of years ago of our dogs responding to the sirens and ‘bathroom’ command on my Facebook page here.

Monthly Outdoor Warning System (OWS) For Active Practice

If you are in a tornado prone area, take advantage of the monthly tornado siren drills for active practice. Repeated practice and preparation are your friends. It is not an understatement to say they can save your pets life, and yours.

Find out when your community siren drills are and put a reminder in your calendar.

Keep high value treats in the house. High value treats are treats your dog only gets at certain times. We use freezes dried liver as our high value treat when doing tornado practice. Our dogs will do anything for it! So much so, we’ve dubbed it puppy crack.

Have small dog and cat carriers in easy to reach. The last thing you want to do when a tornado is imminent is search for your gear.

Clear out the space where you shelter. Even to practice, you need to have enough room in the shelter to bring them in and shut the door. Just taking them to the door and turning around won’t work because they don’t learn they have to actually go inside the shelter to get their treat. You do not want your dog balking at the door. You want him/her to run ahead of you into your shelter.

We use the closet off the master bathroom as our tornado shelter. The laundry basket goes out into the bathtub, clothes on the lower racks are hung on the upper racks, shoes are moved into the corners or put in the laundry basket out in the bathtub. We move treats, leashes, a waterbowl and two dog beds into the closet. If it looks like the storms are going to train over our area, we will add dogfood and a couple of chairs for us – we are too old to sit on the floor for an extended period of time.

Prepping For Go-Time – You Are Under a Tornado Watch

When we get the word we are under a tornado watch, we get busy. This is the time to prep the shelter area and get things ready. Again, this is in addition to your regular human preparations.

Clear unnecessary items from the shelter, making room for any pet boxes or carriers.
Charge the batteries on dogs’ GPS trackers.
Charge cellphones.
Put a fresh the battery in your NOAA Weather Alert Radio.
Make sure all dogs and cats have their collars on.
If the storm system is going to be in your area for a long period of time, get your dog outside to do its business.
Move small animals and reptiles into their boxes and into the shelter. A few hours in the shelter won’t traumatized them, so get this done early.
If your cat is not a fan of its carrier, now is the time to locate them, wrangle them into the carrier and put them in the shelter. Better to do this in the calm before the storm when you have the time to pry them from their favorite hiding spot. They will likely be very vocal about their displeasure, but better to have them safe in the shelter than trying to locate them with a tornado bearing down on you.
Put an extra water bowl (assuming bottle water is part of your human plan) into the shelter, as well as, any dog kennels/dog beds you plan to use.
Have your high value treats handy, both inside and outside the shelter. Once in the shelter, these treats are a great distraction from the storm.
If chewing helps to calm your dog, have chew toys and/or bones in the shelter, particularly if there is chance you will be in the shelter for a while. It is very common for storm systems to train over the same area for long periods of time.
Keep the leashes with the high value treats outside the shelter. While we don’t use leashes during monthly practice, we always leash Wally and Murphy when we are leading them into the shelter during a storm. If it is a particularly loud storm, we put the leashes on before the sirens sound. Why? Two reasons, 1) a leashed dog tends to be a calmer dog because they feel you are in control and 2) if the dog gets spooked it is much easier to just step on the leash than to try to catch them.

Go-Time – Tornado Warning – Sirens Are Sounding

This is where all the practice and planning pays off.

Get all children and elderly into the shelter.

Grab the high value treats and leash up your dog as you give him/her your shelter command.
Once in the shelter, use your best judgment to comfort your dog.
- For our dogs, it helps if we sit down on the floor and let them snuggle up with us.
- For other dogs it may be a kennel with a blanket over it.
- Use the high value treats as a distraction. If your dog is very food motivated, you can probably run through all their training and tricks, and keep both your minds off the storm.
  Having bones or chew toys in the shelter can help. Chewing is a natural stress reliever for dogs.

Conclusion

Regular practice is key for both humans and pets. We are indeed creatures of habit. You cannot practice tornado drills once or twice then expect animals or people to respond correctly six months later. Spaced repetition saves lives. Take a few minutes every month when the siren drills sound in your community to practice.

I hope you never need to implement any of this information, but if you do, I pray it helps.

Feedback

I’d love to hear your critter tornado plan! Living in Tornado Alley, I’m always looking for better ways to keep my family and critters safe.
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Unique Dog Collars, Is It Good For Your Pet Dog Training?

November 16, 2011 by admin

I was searching for unique dog collars last week and I was stunned to see a whole bunch is sites and places to shop online. Dog collars come many sizes, shapes and forms. They even have designer type collars and harnesses. This is especially good if you need to train your favourite pet dogs. If you are looking for a unique dog collars do not sweat because there is plentiful of places and sites to order online.

When it comes to dog training, you will need a good quality collars and harnesses as the experts would recommend. The variety of these stuffs for their training is almost endless. You can pick and choose whichever you would like to according to your budget. Even whinner dogs can use these dog collars with ease and comfort.

Dog collars can come from the simplest to the most unique and modern type. You will be amaze at the choice and names they have for them. You can find what is called training dog collars, or designer dog collars, accessories, designer jewelled collars, no pull halter, and etc. These products will provide both comfort and safety for your pet animals. On most of these collars and accessories, you will find them to from the best materials and manufacturing.

Unique dog collars are pleasing to the eye and best of all; it is easy on your wallet. Some of these excellent looking collars and accessories are not as expensive as they sound or look. These products can have the potential of being the best in training your favourite pet dog. And most of the manufacturers promise to stand by their products so you are assured of quality. It is basically finding a satisfaction guaranteed.

The good thing nowadays is you can shop and buy online with the sense of security. Because these products are available online and can be bought online, it does save time. Some are even free delivery to your home address. So it is highly recommended that shopping online is one of the best options you have in terms of saving time and hassle.

Training leather collars are mostly designed for larger dogs so the make and construction of these is so extra strength. Another thing is the two dog basic trainer which system features four levels of stimulation designed to suit the pets temperament.

There is also what they call no bark collar with the auto set feature that makes the collar incredibly easy to use. So now you have so many varieties to choose from.

For your designer dog collars, again do not sweat about it. There is an abundance of varieties and choices that you can do. From designer leather collars to designer jewelled collars, you will definitely find what you are looking for.

Even unique dog collars are easy to find. And the best place to start your search is through the internet. By going online, you will find tons of what you are looking for.

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Effective Ways of Responsible Dog Training and Ownership

June 7, 2011 by admin

The golden rule by the great Chinese philosopher Confucius can be applied to practically every single aspect of life. Dog ownership and dog training are no exceptions to this rule. So being a responsible dog owners entails you making sure that your furry best friend does not cause any harm or trouble to your neighbors as much as you would not want your neighbor’s pets to disturb or bother you.

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Dog Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

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Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

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The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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To bring your neighbors and your dogs closer to you, you can do the following tips:

1. Train your dog. To prevent your dog from disturbing your neighbors, you need to conduct some simple dog training such as teaching your pet where to poop, where to sleep, and other simple tasks so your dog will not be a liability as well as a nuisance to your neighbors.

2. Make your dog interact with other dogs and other people. Allot enough time for your dog to socialize with other dogs and with other people. You should also train your pet to know at whom to bark to and whom not to bark to. This means they should be taught not to bark at your friendly neighbors as this could be really rude.

3. Treat your furry pet nicely and properly. Remember that your dog’s character largely reflects how you treat him. So make sure to give him proper attention and see to it that he gets all his needs like food, a safe and comfortable shelter, vaccination, and the likes right on time.

4. Keep your dog comfy. To keep your dog a happy one, feed him right and make sure that he is as comfortable as possible by bathing him regularly and providing him vitamins that would boost his immune system to ward off infections and sicknesses. As a dog owner, you should ensure that your dog is free from diseases that can compromise your neighbor’s health and even your kids. If you are having difficulty in bathing your dog, you can have some dog training that could make him unafraid of water.

5. Provide a safe and healthy environment for your dog. Avoid having your dog annoy your neighbors like sleeping on their mats or pooping at their porch. Give him a safe and conducive environment. Make his doghouse well ventilated, clean, and spacious. This way he would always love to stay there and not anywhere else where your neighbors will be disturbed or annoyed.

6. Practice responsible dog ownership. A responsible dog owner will know exactly what his pet needs and will provide them accordingly. This is so his pet will not wander about in the neighborhood barking at the unfamiliar faces or roaming around looking for food and a good place to call home.

As a responsible dog owner, you should know your pet’s basic needs and be able to provide them accordingly. This should prevent him from wandering about in the neighborhood and probably hurt your neighbors or himself. Visit http://www.onlyproductreviews.com/dogtrainingreviews/ and check out how to be a responsible pet owner.

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What Type Of Leash Is Best For Your Dog?

May 28, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

What type of leashes are best for your dog? Well personally, I prefer leather leashes. Nylon leashes have a tendency to cut and burn your hand. They also slip through your hands more easily if your dog suddenly pulls at you. A leather leash gives you more comfortable control. A good dog trainer can look at a leather leash and tell how much the dog owners are working with their puppies. The more they practice, the softer the leash becomes.

Some owners don’t like leather leads because they are more expensive and puppies have a tendency to chew on them during a walk. There is nothing more cute than a puppy carrying his leash while you walk him. If your puppy puts the leash in his mouth during a walk, then let him carry it for a while, but maintain control of it. If he bites too hard on it or really starts to chew, then this is a good time to practice the “Drop it” command. With a firm voice say, “Drop it,” and substitute a stronger motivator to satisfy his needs.

I do not favor chain link leashes. They are hard on your hands when you move up and down the leash to control your dog. The only good purpose to link leashes is if you’re tying your dog outside for a while – dogs can’t chew through them.

I am also not a fan of retractable leads. I feel the owner has little control over a dog or puppy with such a lead. Some owners feel they are giving their dog more exercise and freedom with a retractable lead, since the dog can move ten to fifteen feet ahead of the owner. But accidents easily happen – a biker or runner can quickly go by and if your dog moves toward them, a person can trip on this long lead. Also, it is very difficult to control a dog and gain back the leash quickly if someone is coming toward your dog or if your dog is moving toward them.

A retractable lead is made of wire and you cannot grab on to it. I think the best use for a retractable lead is when you are in a field and want to give some extra lead to your pup so he can run about with a little more freedom. Otherwise, on city streets, I only see it as a nuisance for other people.

Retractable leads also create a problem if your dog gets loose from you. The plastic housing at the end of the lead will bounce along as it trails behind the dog. This can frighten some dogs, particularly noise-sensitive dogs, and they will run that much further away trying to flee from the very sound that they can’t escape.

Dog Training For The Person That Is A True Dog Lover

April 30, 2011 by admin

Anytime a person suggested that I get I pet, I shrieked. The f most important thing that ran through my mind was who would clean up after the dog? Dogs are just dogs, whether its chewing in your shoes, peeing around the house or covering your satin sheets in mud. Well, I discovered there is a clear difference between a dog lover and a dog owner. The owner gets bothered by these behaviors while the dog lover looks for ways to deal with these things.

There is an assortment of systems used to train a dog to behave and I will share with you just a few of them. First it is important to establish who the boss is and it is definitely not your dog. The dog needs to be fully aware of this. The tone in your voice speaks volumes. Speak with authority, much like how our public school teachers spoke when we were not paying attention. And thirdly, you must have a consistent routine in your training.

Master this strategy and you will turn out to be a successful trainer of any dog. I concur that there might be difficulty in disciplining the dog when she stares at you with those floppy ears or if he tilts his head at you. However, this must not deter you from ascertaining who the boss is unless you take pleasure in having your clothes or carpet chewed. Just like you do with your children, lay down margins so they are fully aware of what they can and they can not do.

By keeping the consistency of your tones, gestures and words expressing discontent and approval, you will be helping him comprehend commands by correlating them with the way they are uttered. Issuing conflicting commands confuses your dog more as compared to one who has learned the same commands over and over.

Remember of course to shower him with love and affection once every task is successfully completed. Reward him occasionally when he behaves in a desirable manner because just like a child it needs to be cherished and shown praise. Leash training is also so important, especially for large dogs. Failure to do this could result in all sorts of tribulations especially if they get off the leash around young children.

dog training is an ongoing process that is eventually very gratifying. You will eventually end up creating an unbreakable bond with your pet. You will have a loyal companion for life and a friend forever. A well trained dog turns out to be a joy to own and to be around. So, take these tips from me and you will end up being a contented, experienced dog lover.

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Dog Training – Discover What Training Is The Best Way And To Accomplish Your Goals

April 29, 2011 by admin

There are many different styles of dog training, and finding the one that works best for you is important for creating a dog that is a talented, loyal and faithful member of the family. All successful methods of dog training work to reinforce the relationship between dog and handler, and the foundation of any successful training program is getting the respect of the dog. Fortunately, dogs are wired by nature to seek out leaders, and to follow the direction of those leaders.

Both leash/collar training and reward training have been around for a very long time, and they have proven their effectiveness over time. The type of training that works best will vary from dog to dog, and from breed to breed. It is important to remember that each breed of dog has its own unique qualities, reinforced by hundreds of years of selective breeding.

The leash and training collar is the most basic piece of equipment used in training a dog. Using the lead and training collar properly is vital to successful dog training. The training collar is designed to apply a specific amount of pressure each time the leash is tightened. The amount of pressure put on the leash controls the amount of pressure placed on the training collar, and the pressure can be adjusted according to how the dog responds.

Of course personalities of individual dogs vary quite a bit, even within established breeds. You, as the owner of the dog, know better than anyone which style of dog training will work best, so it is important to work with the trainer you choose to achieve your goal of a willing, obedient and friendly dog.

Leash and collar training is the best way to accomplish many types of dog training, particularly in situations where the dog must have a high level of reliability. For instance, dogs that have an important job to do, such as rescue dogs, police dogs and guard dogs, generally benefit from leash and collar training.

The first part of training with collar and leash, of course, is to purchase a quality, well made training collar that will fit your dog properly. There are many types of training collars and leashes on the market. The most important thing is to choose one that is sturdy and well made. The last thing you want to do is chase your dog down after he has broken his collar.

The length of the collar should be approximately two inches longer than the circumference of the dogs neck. It is important to accurately measure the dogs neck using a measuring tape. In order to get an accurate measurement, you must make sure that the tape is not tight around the dogs neck.

In a collar and leash based dog training program, first the dog is taught a particular behavior, generally with the leash. After the dog has demonstrated that it understands the command, the leash is then used to correct the dog if it disobeys, or when it makes a mistake. The leash is the main form of controlling and communicating with the dog in leash and collar training.

When using leash and collar training, the dog must be trained to trust the handler and accept his or her directions without question. In order for the dog to be fully trained, the handler must demonstrate the ability to place the dog into a posture or position he or she does not want to take. This does not mean using force, but it does generally require some level of physical manipulation. This manipulation is most easily and safely done using the main tool of leash and collar training the leash.

The well trained dog is one who will walk at his owners side on a loose lead, neither dropping behind nor charging ahead.

The well trained dog will also vary his pace to meet that of his handler. Under no circumstances should the handler be forced to change his or her pace to match that of the dog.

If the dog does begin to charge ahead, it is important to correct the dog promptly by giving a quick tug on the leash. This will give the dog a good reminder that he needs to change his pace. It is important to quickly relieve the pressure as soon as the dog responds. The training collar is designed to relieve pressure as soon as the leash is loosened.

Most dogs will immediately respond to corrections by a good, properly used training collar. If the dog does not respond as directed, it may be necessary to apply greater pressure. This can be especially true of large dogs or those who have preexisting behavior or control problems. If you are still unable to get a response from your dog, it is possible that you are using a training collar that is not large enough for your dog. If you think this may be the case, be sure to ask for expert advice before proceeding.

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