Tornado / Storm safety drills for pet watch here
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| Do your pets know where to do when a storm is coming? |
I recently presented a thunderstorm phobia - storm safety
plan talk in my community - Tuscola
Illinois. Our town was lucky to escape the touchdown of tornadoes that passed through central Illinois
last November. A few homes in rural
Tuscola were badly damaged, and I thought about this as April approached. I wondered how many pet owners have trained
their dogs and cats to quickly come to the basement, bathroom or into their
crate when a storm is approaching? My
staff and I began to ask clients on every exam how well their pets would go to
a safe place. The results varied with
many clients admitting to not having a plan.
I made it a point at my presentation to include how to train one's pet
to go to a safe place no matter how calm the pet was during storms or
afraid. Here is the information for you:
storm safety plan for
dogs:
First, set up a comfortable storm safe area. For the basement,
put a blanket for them to lay on.
Some dogs like to lay on the concrete or tile and that is fine. There is some theory that this may be
grounding the pet to reduce the electrical charges in the air that they sense. If your dog like the concrete then don't
worry about a blanket.
Second, hang a leash near the basement entry. Use the leash for fun things like a walk, or
going to the park so your dog will like the leash. A 6 foot leash,( not a flexi type) is
best. Using the leash will help your dog to know where you want them
to go, quickly and you will also have a hold of them to prevent escape.
If you have multiple dogs, have a place you can tie the
leash in the safe room as you can gather up the other dogs. This will prevent one from getting out as you get all your pets in. A grab bar meant for showers can be installed
low on the wall to tether them.
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| make the tether spot fun - use a food puzzle |
Here is the drill: Do
not feed them dinner out of the bowl.
Put the food nuggets in your pocket and call your dog to you. Give them a few nuggets for coming.
Walk towards the leash and give them food as you walk to the leash,
attach the leash and go to the basement/bathroom door. Reward as you open the door, every few steps
into the bathroom/basement area. The key
is to keep the dog focused on the reward every few steps . Toss kibble into the tub to get your dog to
jump in. Step into the tub yourself
with your dog and lots of reward here.
You may need to be in the tub with your pets during a bad storm so get
them used to the huddle. If you can have
a cd player that plays heavy rock music in your safe room to calm your
pets. Avoid radios that will sound
alarms which may startle your pet.
Repeat this drill every few days so it is fun and automatic. Then when the big storm comes you will have a
plan that your pet knows and everyone will be
a lot more calm and safe.
Storm safety plan for
cats -
First train them to go to their carriers easily so you can take the carrier
to your safe room. Even in a hallway, the carrier increases the safety for your cats.
Cats don't like their
carriers because they are only used to
go to the veterinarian. The goal is to get your cat to love running
into the carrier.
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| yes, cats can love the carrier |
First, keep your carrier out at all times. Make it a part of the family room
furniture. Put a favorite blanket in
it. Do not put your cat's food out for a
day. Take the food nuggets and toss them
on the floor around the carrier. Make it
a game by tossing just one nugget at a time around and then into the
carrier. This is a great way to play
with your cat. If the dry food is not
enticing enough, then try small bits of tuna or other tasty treat tossed into
the crate.
When your cat will run right into the carrier for a treat, close the door without latching it.
Just close the door and then allow the cat to come out after
eating. When the cat is eating the food
with the door closed, then go to latching it.
Keep practicing calling your cat - tossing nuggets into the crate and
latching the crate door as your cat is calm in the crate. Now you can put the crate in the bathroom,
take it to the basement or leave it in a windowless area.
Watch demonstrations of storm training on my youtube
channel drsallyjfoote. You can get there directly from my clinic home page by clicking the you tube button on the home page.
If your dog or cat is nervous on the storm days, there are non sedating medications available
to calm your pet. If your pet is too
nervous to take a reward, they need anti-anxiety medication or supplement to
help them. Adaptil pheromone collars
help many dogs, lasting 30 days without any side effects. Supplements such as Zylkene, the milk calming
supplement or the Anxitane can also help.
The right product for your pet determined by your veterinarian knowledgeable
in behavior, will help your pet be more calm.
There is more storm information at
my clinic website
www.okawvetclinic.com that may help
you. I also offer consults for storm
phobic dogs and cats to get them on the right medication, supplement, and
safety plan.
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| carrie is all set for storms with her Thunder shirt! |
Thanks Dr. Sally J Foote Okaw Veterinary Clinci Tuscola Il
217-253-3221
