Unforeseen Importance Of Dog Training!

The unforeseen importance of Training our pets, especially our dogs.  In the height of this hurricane moving in on us, and planning for my own furry little babies I realized just how fortunate I am that all my pups have basic obedience training, crate training amongst other things.  Although my dogs know “crates” as “house” some sleep in them at night of their own choosing and they all go to them and wait for dinner to be served.  It reminds me of a story I told at a group training class when  a client said “I really don’t see the importance of crate training” so here is how the story goes.

One night, when I still lived out in Brooklyn I was cooking some lamb chops. I placed them in the oven and set it to broil, now I do hover when cooking but I had gone into the living room to turn up the music, just gone from the kitchen for 5 seconds. All of sudden I noticed my little pack on the couch all huddled and shaken, they are Chihuahua’s & Min Pins so I did not think it was any big deal if you know what I mean.  Will let me say it was a big deal, when returning to the kitchen the oven window was engulfed with flames and by the time I looked up the whole apt was filled with smoke. Quickly, I turned off the oven ran to the back of the apt for the phone, dialed 911 reported the fire hung up and went for the dogs leashes and collars.  Then it dawned on me, running around in my panic I did not have time to leash up five dogs or even just one, the kitchen was burning.  Training,training, training thank God for you, I looked at the dogs and said “to the room” they all ran and once in the room I gave the command words “In The House“.  All of them got into one big dog crate I zipped them up and took them out of the apt, probably less than three seconds in all.  There was no time to chase them around the house in their fear panicked state of mind or for that matter in my state of mind.  How many times do owners loose there pets in fires if not their own life going back in to look for them.

Natural disasters happen every where and having your dogs trained or should I say LOVING a crate or certain commands as part of every day life can save lives.  Hearing all the forecast today about going to shelters with your pets and that is if you are lucky to go to one that allows them, requires they be in crates.  This is an added stress on a dog who is not use to being crated in an already stressful situation; I urge all of you responsible pet parents to please do some basic training with your dogs it can save a doggie life, if not yours.  Most dogs love their crates they feel as if they are in a cave and have their own special space to rest or when the house just gets to busy.  My little Miniature Pinscher Joaquin sleeps in his crate ever night and just loves it, I no longer close the door on it but he still goes in it and  when there is a house full he takes a brake and finds his way to his cozy little “House”.

Since the fire, my dogs will not go in the kitchen when I turn on the oven ,I guess that is something they all learned on their own:)

Stay safe and check your local shelters for emergency procedures for all your fur babies.  Here is a link to  Pet Safe Coalition a great organization for animal and awareness “Leave No Animal Behind”