Search Menu

As natural disasters become more common, it’s important to plan ahead in case you and your dog ever need to evacuate your home.

One aspect of being prepared for a possible evacuation in the event of a natural disaster involves having things physically ready like making sure your dog is microchipped and preparing “go bags” for your pets.

But developing a training plan in advance is equally important. In the event that you need to evacuate your home, it can be helpful to know that your dog has the skills to remain calm and focused on you. This will allow you to put your attention on the emergency and not your dog’s behavior.

Ideally, you’ll have some warning and be able to self-evacuate to a pet-friendly hotel or stay with friends or family outside of the danger area. If not, local government resources and non-profit groups will likely be able to help you access dog-friendly evacuation options. In some instances, you’ll be able to provide care for your dog yourself. But in other instances, dogs will be housed separately from their owners.

Evacuation Training Skills for Your Dog

Some dogs are nervous or uncomfortable around people outside their immediate family, which can make interactions stressful for them. Being comfortable being led away or with a friendly stranger is something that is very challenging for some dogs. However, it’s a skill that’s helpful for all dogs, especially in an emergency situation. Practicing this skill in advance will help your dog be less stressed in the event that a stranger needs to care for them.

If you and your dog attend obedience classes, consider asking your instructor or a fellow student to watch your dog while you go to the car to get something or run to the bathroom. You can also practice this skill with friends and family members at home or at pet-friendly locations. Ask these individuals to give your dog treats or play with them for a few minutes as you leave the immediate area. When you return, stay calm and avoid making an over-the-top fuss over your dog.

Practicing this skill regularly can help your dog be more comfortable if they need to be cared for by someone other than you in the event of an emergency. In addition, being able to calmly stay with a friendly stranger is one component of the AKC Canine Good Citizen Testing.

©dmytrobandak - stock.adobe.com

Importance of Crate Training

Natural disasters are overwhelming, chaotic, and stressful for people and dogs. To help prepare your dog for being able to follow cues during stressful situations, make a regular practice of working with your dog not just at home but out in the world. It will be important to make sure your dog is comfortable being in their crate.

Giving your dog an appropriately-sized stuffable or puzzle toy filled with treats or peanut butter can also be helpful. These safe chews give your dog something to occupy their mind while they’re in their crate.

Be sure to keep your dog’s crate in a quiet part of your home where your dog can retreat for some alone time, but also incorporate the crate into your regular activities with your dog. Play games with the crate by hiding treats or toys in the crate for your dog to find. You can also feed your dog meals in their crate to build additional value and positive associations with crating.

Teaching a Dog To Settle

Having an “off switch” and being able to settle or relax next to you is a helpful skill that all dogs can benefit from. This skill will be especially useful if your family experiences a emergency situation and needs to evacuate. With “settle,” your dog will know to relax at your feet while your attention is elsewhere, such as when you’re talking to someone or filling out paperwork.

To teach this skill, begin at home in a low-distraction environment. Have your dog leashed to you and lots of small treats on hand.

Ask your dog to “down,” or lure them into a down position with a treat. When they do, calmly praise and give a treat. While your dog is down keep praising and giving kibble. If your dog gets up, don’t say anything, and just stop giving treats.

For the next couple of repetitions, ask your dog to down. Repeat the above steps of calmly praising and giving treats while your dog is in a down position. At this time, you can start to add in a verbal cue of your choice like “settle” or “relax.” Next, begin to vary the frequency that you treat your dog as they remain in the settled position, and increase the length of time you ask your dog to settle for before giving your release word.

Once your dog is more familiar with the skill, you can begin training in more distracting environments, like your backyard or on your front porch. Build up slowly to more distracting environments like settling while you talk to someone or at a park. The more experience you can give your dog in distracting environments, the better prepared they’ll be for using this skill in an emergency.

Over time, your dog laying calmly and waiting next to you will become a default behavior when you stop while out walking or in the yard, which is the ultimate goal.

Braque du Bourbonnais laying in its dog bed at home.
Aiste Stankeviciute/Shutterstock

Teaching a Dog To Go to Their Place

An advanced version of the above settle skill is place training. For this skill, dogs will be able to calmly settle on a bed, blanket, or towel near but not always directly next to you.

To teach this skill, you can use an object like a raised dog bed or low training platform. You can also use items such as a dog bed, blanket, or towel. In the event of an emergency evacuation, you may not have access to all of your preferred training supplies, so it can be helpful to train this skill using a variety of objects.

Start this activity in a quiet area with minimal distractions. Lure your dog to the mat or bed with a treat and tell them to “down” or lure them into a down. Follow the above “settle” instructions for rewarding your dog for being on the bed or mat. The goal is to build value in this location. After several repetitions, add in a verbal cue of your choice, such as “place” or “bed.”

To phase out your lure, first stand next to the mat and use your cue to ask your dog to go to it. When they do, treat and praise. If your dog doesn’t “place,” it just means they don’t quite understand the skill yet, and you’ll need to lure them a few more times before moving to this step.

Next, we want to continue to reinforce duration. Similar to how you worked on “settle,” keep praising and giving small bits of treats or kibble while your dog remains down. The goal isn’t to force your dog to stay in a formal down. Instead, you want to reinforce and build value in being relaxed in a specific location.

You can now begin to send your dog to “place” from a bit further away. Next, come in to reward, then walk away, going back and forth to praise and treat as your dog settles on the bed or mat. At this point, you can begin to vary the frequency that you treat your dog as they remain in the settled position. You can also increase the length of time you ask your dog to settle before giving your release word.

If it’s safe to do so, you can also practice with your dog tethered by a short 4- to 6-foot leash. The tether isn’t meant to force the dog to stay in place. Rather, it serves as a backup in case your dog gets up while you’re across the room or a short distance from them when outside.

While none of us like to think about being forced from our homes, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility. If a natural disaster strikes your area, advanced preparation can go a long way in reducing stress for both of you during this challenging time.

Related article: Hurricane Preparedness for Dog Owners
https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
Get Your Free AKC eBook

What to do if your pet goes missing?

If the unthinkable were to happen, are you prepared? Download this e-books to learn what steps to take if your dog goes missing.
*Turn off pop-up blocker to download
*Turn off pop-up blocker to download