Puppy Training Tips: Preparing your dog for Emergency Evacuations

When emergencies happen, are you ready to evacuate with your dogs?? No matter the number of pets it is improbable that you can leave them behind with any assurance of their safety. Plan ahead!! Like the boy scouts say: BE PREPARED!!

Evacuation is a difficult thing anyhow without adding into this the stress of planning for your pet(s) or worse yet having to leave them behind. It is a good idea to have several things on hand or already "prepared" at all times in case this should ever occur.

One of the biggest headaches is trying to travel with a pet in a vehicle that is not "pet ready." Yet there are many folks who buy a dog and wait till it is fully grown bfore realizing that it just wont fit into their family vehicle.! Or perhaps it will fit but there is no way of containing the animal safely. (Many states require that pets be contained while traveling, and all airlines do.) So do equip your vehicle with crate(s) that will fit and that you can safely put your dog into. In many cases shelters will not allow pets BUT if your vehicle is equipped with crates you can put your dogs (cats) into their crates and leave them in the vehicle outside (s long as they have plenty of air).A mini-van is a terrific solution, seats can be removed and there is room for a couple of crates at least. For smaller dogs, crates can even fit on the back seat of a sedan. If nothing else will fit, at least a small fold up exercise pen that can be set up to contain your dog at a rest area or shelter might fit.

Keep dog food and fresh water jugs in your vehicle. Freshen the water jugs (2 gallon jugs at least) on a weekly basis. Water from home is less stressful to a pet when traveling than tap water from strange places.  Bottled water is a good alternative.
Making sure that your dog WILL eat and drink in strange places should be part of the process of training your puppy. This great new book: dogshows101 has a very excellent section on crate training and traveling with your dog.

Traveling in a crate will insure that he will be safe in any circumstance, and will feel comfortable since he has his "den". Keeping accurate records of vaccination records and keeping copies in the vehicle is also important, as is keeping these records at home in a safe place where others can find them should you need to call for someone's help when you are away and your pets are at home. 

In short, having pets and planning for them during emergency situations is as important as planning for your children or members of your family. And, after all, that is what your pet is, isn't it... a member of your family?