Dog Gates and Storm Preparedness For Pets

A Little Background

The open plains in Oklahoma can prove particularly nerve racking in the spring months. Loving our dogs like we do, we worry as much or more about them in a storm than we do ourselves. Last spring we were in the direct path of a tornado on 3 separate occasions, one broke up right before it hit us, another went straight overhead, and the third changed direction just in the nick of time. The year before wasn't much better. What struck me the most was how little warning we had before each one. Weather radar has made great strides in the last few years but it doesn't help when the funnel forms right on top of you. In addition, we've found that warning time can be minimal when there are other, larger tornadoes in the region getting most of the coverage. It was time to create a faster emergency plan for our pets. We currently use an interior closet under the stairs for protection, it's only about 4' x 5' with a low slanted ceiling - not a place the dogs would normally run to just for the fun of it. We found we could get them all in the closet, but it just wasn't fast enough. Something better had to be done. A little training and we were set. Now when danger knocks, we can all make it into the closet in under 2 minutes flat!

Finding The Right Dog Gate

Finding the right doggie gate will be one of the first things you'll need to do, they come in several varieties including indoor, expanding, tall, wide, wooden, clear, pressure mounted and swing open. Children's safety gates often double for too. Either way, you'll need a gate that is properly tall or wide and one where your pet cannot get his head stuck between the bars. For this reason we've always stayed away from the bar or slat style gates and chosen the cage style, weave or clear versions instead. Clear Plastic Gate   Clear Wood Gate   Extra Tall   Wire Mesh   Plastic

The Secret to Success

We've always believed in the concept of positive training. Rewarding good behavior can be very powerful. Making the "closet" a cool place to be is the secret to the success of this whole plan.

Initial Training

1. Decide where you want your dogs to go in a tornado or severe storm, then clean it out, making it as accessible and non-threatening as possible. A closet full of hanging clothes and/or junk piled up on the floor can be very intimidating and cumbersome to a dog. You also don't want anything on the walls or shelves that can fall off and hurt them. Make sure you can reach this area of the house quickly and that there is a clear path to the spot free of furniture and obstacles. Most authorities recommend an interior room away from exterior walls. We use a small closet under the stairs. We store a few things in it during the winter months but come March we make it storm ready by emptying it out. 2. Choose a treat that is particularly wonderful, not your ordinary milk bone, but something extra special and hard to resist. I cooked up a little steak. However, you won't want to make them sick, so avoid excessive amounts and/or foods that are bad for them. 3. Start by working with each dog individually one at a time. Show them the treat, make "happy" noises and use the reward of the treat to get them to follow you to the closet, then place the treat in the closet and let them eat it there. If they wish to grab it and run, that's okay at first. Usually, after they get used to the closet they'll start eating it right there. Now your ready for the next step.

Completing the Training

Here's the thing getting them in the closet won't do a lot of good unless you can keep them there once they're in it. However, closing the door and leaving them closed in a small dark space won't help things the next time around either. We use a doggy gate to contain them and only shut the door at the very last minute. If your dog can jump the gate, use two and "stack" them to create a higher set up. 1. Entice your dog into the closet, they should be used to this and comfortable in the closet by now. Then ask them to "stay" and put the doggie gate up. Then give them their treat, but leave them behind the doggie gate. Stand there with them, praise them and pet them for a few minutes. Then give them another treat and let them out. Do this exercise every 2 or 3 days for about a week to ten days. After a few times your dog should be "staying" in the closet just fine while the gate goes up. 2. Next, start extending the time they stay in there to around 10 minutes. Walk away and do other things but go back a couple of times, every few minutes and give them a treat, praise them and pet them. By now the closet should be a very cool place to be. Do this exercise every 2 or 3 days for about a week to ten days. Be sure and make sure your getting into the closet quickly. The faster it happens the better for all, from the dog's view, the faster he gets in the faster he gets his treat. 3. Your pretty much set now. Next, it's time to call everyone in at once. If everyone gets along this should be a breeze. My dogs even got competitive about it, once again, the faster they get in the faster they get their treat. To avoid fights I give "small" treats they can eat in one bite and I hand it to their mouth rather than dropping it on the floor to be fought over. If your dogs fight when treats or handed out or when they are in tight quarters, this plan may not be for you. An alternative idea might be to have more than one safe place. Perhaps the closet for one and an interior hallway for the other. Since you've trained each individually to go to their one special spot, they will hopefully run to their spot instead of the other's. Do dry practice runs involving all dogs as in a real scenario, so each will know where they're supposed to go. Keep in mind it will take a little longer to get 2 dogs into 2 shelters than 2 into 1. You'll also need two or more doggie gates now to handle multiple locations.

Variations

To announce the process, we act happy and say "There's a tornado coming, there's a tornado coming, as I take them to the closet. This takes a little "acting" on my part since a tornado is not a fun thing, but it gives them a catch phrase to know that the going-into-the-closet-for-a-treat process has begun. Keep in mind your emotions will rub off on them, act scared and they will probably become scared too. If you have an underground tornado shelter, train your dogs to go down the stairs with you. We also have one of these for those times when we have enough warning to take each pet down one by one. When the shelter was made we had them weld steel rings to the built in steel bench and we use this to "attach" the dogs via a leash or chain to the bench so they won't try to run out the door when we least expect it. If your going to use one of these be sure and go through a similar training process so they'll go down the stairs quickly. Also, when using an underground shelter don't forget to consider the heat when the weather is hot and humid. There were a few times, even with plenty of warning, where we felt our pets were better off overall inside than in the hot shelter where the heat could potentially make them sick. Also, be sure and have bottled water on hand in case you get stuck or you are in there a while. Make sure that there is a bowl available to pour the water into so the dogs can drink it. If you have enough room, and you'll be sharing the closet with them, keep a chair in the closet and a box with a lid with the proper storm stuff - at the very least, a radio, flashlight and some bottled water. If you have cats or other pets that may not be as trainable as dogs, teach them to be "catchable" instead, and have a carrier ready to put them in. Practice "catching" them often but without putting them in the carrier. Make being caught a good thing complete with praise and treat rewards. I have a pygmy goat but she is very catchable and leash trained as well. What's important with her is to make sure that she is contained (in the 60' x 60' back yard) and close to the house where I can catch her quickly. When a watch is issued I make sure to call her in from the pasture and put her in the back yard. When storms are coming she retreats to her dog house, this is great too because it means I can get to her fast. I put the leash around her neck and lead her inside to an area we've prepared in an interior hallway with a linoleum floor (no she is not house trained). Since goats like to butt when they are mad, we built a way to slide some strong plywood down some grooves and across the hallway to hold her in. She butts the boards and it makes a lot of racket but it keeps her in. It's the leash training and catchability that's important.

An Actual Scenario

When a tornado watch is issued we move downstairs. The goat's area is set up, the dogs area is prepared with the gate close by and treats are kept handy. We also check our storm kit to make sure the radio, portable tv and flashlight work, these items are placed in close proximity to the shelter area. When a tornado threat is about 15 to 20 minutes away, or when the weather man suggests residents in our area take cover, whichever comes first, we go into action. First, the dogs go in the closet, and the doggie gate goes up, we've got this down to under 2 minutes flat now. The dogs are quite endearing actually, as they all stand side by side, heads hanging over the doggie gate and tails wagging while they wait for their treat. Next, when there's time, we go get the goat and put her into her shelter area. Next, we stay close to the closet and listen to the tv or radio. If things get really bad we humans jump over the doggie gate, join the dogs, shut the door, and pray for a safe experience. So far, so good.