"Find It " Train any Dog to Find a Person or Missing Family Member

" Find it " 

Train any pet dog to find family members in case the person goes missing

You can use your dog to find children, elderly or family after earthquakes or floods.


Only do this trailing/tracking lesson with your dog 1 or 2 times a week. Skipping a week is okay because we do not want your dog to get tired of playing this game. 


If you haven't already, read the first lesson of  "Getting Started" and the Scent Articles  continue as instructed after the overview.


This lesson can be done indoors or outside, with a dog on leash or loose depending on the dog and where you want to practice. I often start this lesson indoors with a loose dog and a child playing hide and seek for the first few weeks.

These guidelines should be followed indoors as well as outdoors for the best results.


Start with a person your dog knows and only do this lesson with that person 2 to 4 times each session once or twice a week. 

After 2 weeks, if your dog is finding the person fairly easily then you can change people and scent articles and only then use a different person. If you change people or scents to early your dog could get confused and lose interest. 


If your dog ever loses interest then stop and play with them for a few minutes. Then do the lesson again step by step so your dog understands. The steps for this lesson will be posted on a separate page for easy reference.


Overview


Hold your dog by its collar as the person slowly runs and waves at the dog to a hiding place that is easy to find and only one turn away. 

Hold the scent article, the person's sock, to your dog's nose, say "Smell" and then turn your dog loose and say "Find so and so" use the person’s name, follow your dog to the person. More about the scent article below.

Your dog, no matter what age will attempt to find them.

If the dog does not start searching for anything and only stands there looking at you to find the person then encourage the dog to go with you and show the dog with excitement how fun it is to find the person. 


When you and your dog find the person, praise, praise, praise by you and have the person shower this dog with attention. Your dog will be so happy to do this again, you'll hardly be able to hold him.

Repeat the lesson a few times each day.

"Find It " continue on with this in mind..

It's okay for the hidden person to give your dog a treat if your dog is more inclined to work for food then love as long as you remember to replace the food with love in a few lessons.

Read lesson 6 " Making Trails" ( in the menu above you will find a lesson links page to this and all the lessons) to learn how the person should hide and how your dog will find them before your person hides to often. The dog can be easily confused and refuse to work if you ask them to think to hard at first or do to complex of a trail.


If you dog ever refuses to find a hiding person, go back to previous lessons and retrain until the dog is more confident and understands exactly what you are asking. Some dogs catch onto finding people right away and others take a little more encouragement.

Your dog must always find the person. 

Important

After your dog has found the hidden person a few times, sometimes with help from the person calling out or making a noise then have the person be very quite so the dog learns to work people who are unconscious.

Even if your dog passes a hidden person let the dog go on until it stops on its own to turn around, they usually will turn around and find the person if given the time to move out of the air scent cloud they are working. This scent cloud can be far from the person and the dog has to learn to work out the scent cloud for later search experiences. 

 Never let the dog think it has not accomplished this and it will always lead you to them in a real life emergency. You must learn to Trust your dog's natural ability to find its pack.

Your dog is always right.

If he led you to a blanket and then goes to the closet to find the person, then the person has at one point or another touched this blanket.

Period.

Trust your dog and follow him and he will lead the way. After all, didn't you notice him standing there next to you wondering how he can help?

After a couple of weeks of playing hide and seek inside and outside, you can have the person stay hidden for a longer amount of time.

Start with the person hiding for 3- 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, gradually go up to 30 minutes. 


Once your dog finds a person who has been hidden 30 minutes, you can have the person hide without your dog seeing the person run away to hide. Give the dog the scent article, say "smell" and "Find 'em" the dog will go find the person using only the sock and trail left by the subject. More on this in later lessons. (look at the lessons link page above)

Always praise.  


Even if you had to lead the novice dog to the person. 


Never ever scold the dog during this training or he won't want to help you. 
This is one area of training we can not make a dog do, they can refuse and you don't want them to do that !

If you ever have to call in a missing person's report, give the officer in charge your frozen scent article to use with the police or search dogs. They will be impressed that you knew this helpful clue in the investigation and it will save valuable time.

Take the scent articles with you when the family goes camping or on hikes, one never knows when the scent article may come in handy. Don't forget to take your dog camping with you; they could be a life saver if anyone wanders away from camp.

Remember your dog has lived with you a long time, he knows each family member's name so ask him to find them by name, and then if the sock isn't available he can still help you in real life disasters.

Make sure nobody else has touched the sock (scent article) except the person the sock belongs to. This means you too. Pick the sock up using a stick or hanger and place in a Freezer bag by itself. Use one scent bag for each person. Do Not combine two scents.

During the first 2 weeks of training, use only one person a day for your dog to find or the dog may get confused. Once he has the idea, you can change scent articles and people in the next lesson.

 Never ever scold the dog during this training or he won't want to help you and this is one area of training we can not make a dog do, they can refuse and you don't want that.

A scenting dog is not trained by you, they do this naturally. Do not expect them to do so just because you tell them to.

Actually the dog is already scenting and following each new scent that comes their way. 

All you have to do is watch and follow the dog. This is especially apparent during an emergency. Never forget your dog’s unique scenting abilities or their abilities to find their pack members. 

Practice makes Perfect..use the Training Goal Page to judge your progress.


Be careful to avoid K9 Burn Out. ( read the article in the lessons page) 

Just like people who overwork, dogs can experience "Burn Out" and not feel up to preforming the job. 


If your dog loses interest then take a few weeks break and go back to training only one day a week at the most. Working actual tracking courses like discussed above every two weeks works well for most dogs. 


If some dogs are worked to often the fun goes out of the game for them, so the less often they get the chance to play or hunt the more excited they get when the hunt is on again.

Once your dog gets the idea and is finding people you can ask the person to hide for longer time, gradually make the time longer until you can have the person take a walk the night before and ask the dog to follow the person's scent trail the next morning.

For instance, the person is a friend or a child goes to spend the night at a friends, they leave your home the night before to walk to their home and the next morning before people have walked on the same path have your dog smell the person's scent article and start at the doorway to follow the scent trail to the friend's house...Praise the dog well, make this a very happy reunion and your dog will find them every time! 

Good Luck! 

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How to Prepare For The First 3 Days of Storms and Disasters

How To Prepare For The First 3 Days of Storms

With a So Many hurricanes heading for USA, volcanos and earthquakes, flooding and evacuations happening and incidences occurring worldwide  

not to mention Covid19 and Delta!!! raging along with wildfire! This list will help you be ready for lockdowns and evacuating. Let's all share this so we can all survive! I thought it might be a good idea to repost this article as a reminder and check list for everybody.

God Bless, Be Safe and Good Luck!!!

From Family Disaster Dogs

Here is a very good article 

I found online about the First 3 Days of an Emergency from Are You Prepared.com

The First 3 Days of an Emergency

When emergencies strike, there is often no warning. Therefore, it is crucial for every homeowner to have the necessary supplies in case an emergency arises. The first 72 hours that one's family is in crisis is the most important time for survival. Quite often, emergency vehicles and medical assistants have trouble getting through barriers, especially when natural disasters strike. Every family should have a least three days’ worth of survival supplies in an easily accessible area for when the time comes.

The following list is of items that are essential to sustaining life while help is on the way:

1. Water

Humans can survive on water for as long as two months. It is the most important element in being able to survive an emergency. A good rule of thumb is to have 3 to 5 gallons of water stored for drinking. Extra gallons may be purchased for cleansing, but the drinking water is most important.

2. Food

Always make sure to store your food in sealed packages to prevent bug and mice invasions. Ready to eat food pouches are a good way to go for making a survival kit. Foil sealed pouches do not require any opening mechanisms and they can stay fresh until the individual removes the seal to eat. The homeowner should purchase enough of these food pouches to last the entire family at least 72 hours. Larger packages are available to allow for extra time.

3. First Aid

First aid items are necessary for any injuries that may arise. It may take medics quite some time to be able to access the area, so it is best for the homeowner to put away as many first aid kits as possible. A basic first aid kit consists of bandages, antiseptic wash and towels, sponge dressings, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, and cotton balls and tips. Ace bandages and neck braces may provide additional protection just in case of more serious injuries.

4. Light

Electricity is lost in most emergencies. Candles, light sticks, and flashlights can provide an inexpensive source of temporary power for moving around. People with slightly better budgets can invest in an emergency power source such as an adventure kit. An adventure kit has the capability of charging cellular phones, appliances, and radios. Some adventure kits also have solar panels so they can receive power from the sun during the day.

5. Warmth

The homeowner should store plenty of blankets and sleeping bags so the family can stay warm and get as much rest as possible during this time of crisis. It would also be wise to store a very small kerosene heater for warmth when electricity is not available. Any hooded clothing should also go into the survival kit.

6. Communication

An amateur band radio or CB radio would be very beneficial during this time. This will help the individual to communicate. CB radios will operate on batteries, so the user should be sure to load the devices with batteries before storing them.With these few items, a family should be able to survive the first 72 hours of an emergency. The rest of the survival process involves having faith and sticking with loved ones until the worst is over.

7. How to Reduce Anxiety and Fear

For most individuals, the thought of being thrown into the middle of a natural disaster is terrifying. Unfortunately, the number of natural disasters that occur around the world is quite frightening. Depending on location, natural disasters can range from hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding, blizzards, and even human triggered disasters such as chemical spills. Naturally, the thought of having to be in the midst of such events can leave one with anxiety, fear, and questions of "what if." Fortunately, feelings of fear and anxiety can be decreased by a few simple steps that can help leave families better prepared for a variety of natural disasters.


8. Make a Plan:

One of the most important parts of any survival kit is a plan. Although one may not be able to prepare for all types of disasters, having a firm plan on what to do if something goes wrong can help save lives. For example, if an area is prone to tornadoes, it can be imperative to have a "shelter" or safe place to go underground. No matter what type of natural disaster one's area is prone to, making a plan and practicing it can ease fear and anxiety.

There are a few key elements to devising an emergency plan for one's household:

Know the area's warning signals and shelters: It's important to know what an area uses as a warning signal; most places uses sirens, but signals can vary. Keep in mind that one's family may be at different places during a natural disaster. It can be extremely important to know the warning signal so that all family members are aware of the disaster and ready to take action. Knowing the location and availability of shelters in one's area can help ensure that family members are safe and can provide a common meeting place.

Devise a plan: Sit down with the household and talk about what would happen in the event on a natural disaster. During the discussion, it's important to talk about the type of natural disasters that could occur. Additionally, pick at least two meeting spots for the family. Next, have an evacuation plan. Once the plan is formed, the next step is to practice it: "The plan" needs to be like a fire drill for the household.

Survival Kits:

Although fear and anxiety about natural disasters primarily center on death and loved ones dying, it can also be triggered by not having the right "tools." Thankfully, a variety of survival kits are available.

Food & Water:

Most individuals will have anxiety about food and water sources depleting in the wake of a natural disaster. A fear of dwindling food and water sources is a valid reason for having a storage area for emergency food and water ready beforehand because this could save lives and reduce this fear. Back up food and water should be kept in a place that would be easy to access in the case of a natural disaster.

Most Important; 

Do Not Forget your dog can be your family's very own Search and Rescue Dog!! 

Read these lessons and share them for others to read, so others may live!

Support and Pray for Our Troops Worldwide!!

This book has everything you need to know and I keep it free on Kindle so everyone can read it. If you want a copy feel free to Ask me for one by emailing me or reach out via social media private message. If you do not mention the book or more than one word when you contact me, I will delete the email. I get alot of emails from bots and who knows whos.

Preparing and Making a Base Camp

Why we need to Prepare for Super Storms and Make a Base Camp

Sandy is another wake-up call to prepare for the worst.  Although local emergency response teams were on the scene assisting and doing what they could during and after the storm the damages and the number of storm survivors was overwhelming which left many people without help.

The beaches along the shoreline were completely wiped-out and many homes are gone, totally destroyed with everything the survivors owned. People were wearing donated clothing because they could not find their homes or belongings. Many people wandered the streets wondering what to do.

Sandy has raised the need for preparing for survival everywhere. More and more television shows are showing us how to prepare and survive. There are several excellent survival training classes available on and offline which can teach you how to survive a disaster in addition to what you can learn here about training your pet dog to help you.

Every skill you learn, even if it is only one skill from any source, may come in handy one day to help you and your family know what to do so your not left wandering the streets wondering what to do.

How to Prepare for Super Storms

The lessons here can be used to teach the family pet vital skills to use while you are awaiting help to arrive during and after an emergency.

Family Disaster Dog lessons can be taught as part of your daily activity with your dog and family.

For instance, it only takes a few minutes to pack a k9 survival bug-out backpack on your dog before you take your dog with you on a drive in the car. If you do this each time you take your dog then your dog will learn to remind you to get the emergency supplies when you go for a drive. And, having those supplies with you may one day come in handy and save a life because you will have lifesaving necessities with you.

It only takes a few hours a month of training for your family to have a greater chance for survival.

There are many ways you can prepare.

You can prepare by yourself or by forming groups in your neighborhood or in your club and circles of friends. Online social networks and schools are good places to find others who would be interested in learn with you how to prepare for disasters.

You can train as often as you like or groups can meet once a month to train with their dogs as a group. The group can use the lessons here in paper form to hand-out for people to practice at home. Survival and rescue information should be gathered from a number of sources on and offline for educational purposes.

The basic idea is for you, your family or the group to learn how to be self sustaining with  survival and rescue skills.

Another thing you can do to prepare in your own home and on your own time is to pack a 72 hour survival Go-Bag, which is also called a Bug-Out Bag, a Ready Pack or in a dog’s case, a Family Disaster Dog Backpack.

Keep these backpacks near the exit to your home or office and one in the car if you do not take the home go-bag with you each time you leave the house. Many people carry their go-bags everywhere, similar to an over sized purse or book bag.

Also feel free to share the information about Family Disaster Dogs with your friends, family and community. Ask us for Free material for groups, workshops and sharing.

Self Sufficient Means Feeding Yourself. 

Prepare for super storms like Sandy by learning more about food storage. Stock your home and office with at least one week’s supply of food you can eat without cooking. Make sure you can easily open the packages. Include medical supplies and first aid kits. Learn CPR and take first aid classes.

Store an excess of water for cleaning and cooking.  Make sure you have a way to purify the water before cooking or drinking. Find an alternative natural source of water near your home or office, wherever you spend most of the day. You'll feel better knowing you can go get water if the need arose.

Make sure to store your survival food and supplies in an easy to reach location, preferable out of your home but on the property or nearby in a hiding spot you can reach if your home is damaged or you must evacuate.

Speaking of evacuating, if you are told to leave your home or office, where do you plan to go?

Base Camp and Evacuation

It is a good idea to set up a meeting spot up before a situation occurs. Any safe, secure and private location a short walk from home can work as a base camp or meet up spot.

Base Camp can be your home away from home. 

If you live where you can plan a base camp or bug-out location and store supplies at the camp then prepare the camp beforehand by stocking it with supplies. This is where your family will meet if you are separated and without a home.

If you live in the city, you can prepare by finding a clear, comfortable spot in a city park or wooded area near your home. The more private the location is the better. The spot should be big enough to house the people in your group, preferably near a water source but away from danger if possible. Seek high ground if flood is possible, low ground if dangerous winds may prevail without floods.

This public spot will turn into your base camp for evacuation purposes. This spot will not be stocked up with supplies because the supplies will be divided up and stored in easy to carry packs kept with each member of the group or family.

Show everyone the meeting spot and explain you will all meet there in an emergency. Every person can bring supplies to help set-up camp using what they can carry, at the time of evacuation. Each person should bring extra items along with their own Go-Bag and each dog should carries supplies.

When the call comes to evacuate, everybody will know where to go and what to bring which will give them a sense of security. Even if a person is not able to carry much, they can do a part to help get a base camp location set up and comfortable.

Your group will stay at this location until rescuers or outside aid from the police, fire department and rescue teams reaches you.

In most disasters you will be cut off from outside aid for hours to days.

Be prepared to be out of electric, heat and water for many days by learning how to use alternative energy methods for cooking and heating. Make sure the methods are safe for indoor use.

Teach your pets and children what to do if they are separated from you. They should learn how to go to the meeting place on their own, how to stay warm and how to remain in one spot when people are looking for them. Teach your children to Hug-a-Tree.

In the event of an emergency or disaster you are advised to prepare and move to a location away from your home for your safety because of the possible dangers and damages to collapsing structures, also the loss of power lines can cause fires and natural gas leaks can cause explosions.

Disasters occur very quickly and in minutes devastation can surround you. Dealing with this fact can be overwhelming to even the strongest individual. Evacuating to a safe spot beforehand can save a person from some of the trauma and emotional impact of being left without knowing what to do or where to go when all is lost.

Survivalist and Rescuers agree the safer and more comfortable option in a disaster is to move or evacuate to a comfortable camp spot where you can wait it out with friends and family instead of overburdening the resources that are overwhelmed during these events.

Churches, hospitals and shelters are full and short on supplies because so few people are prepared to become self-reliant and tend to themselves in these situations. Churches and shelters are there for us yet outside aid is usually cut- off due to roadway damages creating a lack of resources.

The more self-reliant we are then the less of a burden we are. This makes us more able to survive ourselves and gives the way to those who need more help.



Base camps plans can be comforting.  It’s a nice feeling knowing you have someplace to go. Camps can be made quite comfortable and much more like home then a shelter or church hall.

Everybody can have a few personal items at camp or have a few personal items ready to go to camp to decorate with. A special picture or blanket will be a great comfort to you when the city is dark.

If you are caught off guard and without any help or supplies during a disaster, remember every town or city has a park or wooded area where a base camp can be chosen. During a disaster you will be able to camp just about any place you find that feels safe away from damaged structures. Go find a spot as far away as you can walk, make the best camp you can from what you find along the way, then stay put and survive.

If you know what to do then you can Do IT!

Instead of standing there wondering what to do.

Why suffer when you can go camping instead?

Be prepared, be safe and be there tomorrow.

Family Disaster Dogs News

     

Update

Family Disaster Dogs News 

Along with working on the Family Disaster Dog manual which is almost finished, Amber's been putting together and planning for Free Community Family Disaster Dog  Meets here on the Oregon coast. 

9-11 Rescue Dogs and All War Dogs Tribute 

This Month is 

National Disaster Preparedness Month in America

In Memory of Sue

From the CDC;

Preparedness for All Hazards

Emergency preparedness requires attention not just to specific types of hazards but also to steps that increase preparedness for any type of hazard. The resources at CDC site are intended to help people take an all-hazards approach to preparedness.

In Memory of Jed Clampett's Remmington
Thank you Pam Andrews

Sire to many of the author's Wrinkledpups Bloodhound line of Search Dogs

Stay Informed

Being prepared means staying informed. Check all types of media – Web sites, newspapers, radio, TV, mobile and land phones – for global, national and local emergency and survival information. During an emergency, your local Emergency Management or Emergency Services office will give you information on such things as open shelters and evacuation orders. 

Learn how your dog can help you survive during emergencies and disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes,tornadoes and floods. If a family member or loved one is ever lost, your dog can find them if you know how to ask your dog. 

Learn how on on the lesson page 

Our Disaster Dogs come in all sizes

Advanced Alert to Danger

Advance or Follow up Lesson

 Teaching your Dog to Alert you to Danger

In Search Dog terms "Alert" and "Indicate" have the same meaning.

Moses finds man in water

This lesson is a follow up to the two previous lessons that teach your dog how to alert you to danger, such as fire or smoke, an earthquake and when the emergency warning sirens sound off. In the previous lessons we went over how to teach your dog to wake you and other family members whether they were sleeping in bed or unconscious under pretend rubble.

In this lesson you'll learn how to teach your dog to "Alert" you when you are awake and how to continue improving these skills and use these lessons with other disaster or survival dog skills.

After you have read lessons 26 - 27 and  followed the instructions you will continue to work with your dog whenever possible and in different settings or locations. With each different setting change the material you use to make the training set-up look like a disaster scene or rubble pile. 

Get creative, bury yourself under cardboard boxes or let your children make forts out boxes when your dog is sleeping or outdoors then let your dog in to find you or the children. Use the garage next time or a friend's house. Each time you play these games it teaches you and your dog new skills and scenarios.

Encourage your dog to paw and wake up the pretending to be unconscious person in different locations and times of the day.  When your dog does respond in a way that attempts to move or nudge the person, praise them to do it again.

Use your dog's toy and treats to get them motivated and looking for the person. After your dog is looking and has the idea then gradually use the toy or treat less and less until your dog no longer uses the toy or treat to find the person or you.

Replace the toy or treat reward with talking and petting your dog when they do this incredible feat. Always trust your dog and guide them without punishment and with praise.

Teaching your dog to alert you to different odors and items is the same as teaching them to find a person, except you use the odor as the scent article and the odor in a container as the hidden item in training.  You can read the lessons here at Family Disaster Dogs about training your dog to trail and track or area search for a lost person for further details.

When you are working with your dog to find the hidden person or odor, you can teach your dog to go ahead of you and look for what you seek then return to you when they find the scent by teaching them "Refind" which will be covered in the next lesson. This is like sending a scout ahead of you.

You can also teach your dog that you will be following them to the missing person on or off a leash by going along with your dog each time. If your dog moves to fast or slow then talk to your dog to slow them down or speed them up and develop a speed of working which is more comfortable for you as a team.

With each lesson you and your dog will find a pace that is comfortable for both of you. When you reach this point in training you will feel a great satisfaction in knowing your communicating with your four legged best friend.

This feeling is the bonding you often hear of search and rescue dogs sharing with their handlers. It's a natural teamwork sense of confidence that comes with practice. Practice makes perfect.

Once your dog is going to a person and pawing them or waking them, then you do the same lesson but you are the person hiding so your dog learns to alert you to danger by waking you up.

After your dog is waking and alerting a sleeping person then your dog is easier to teach how to to alert a person who is awake by simply asking your dog to go to the person and paw or bark or sit at that person to alert you of the person. Again this is similar to your dog finding the person but the dog makes sure to "alert" you with pawing, nudging the person or barking to "Indicate" which search dogs also do.

By using the person's name the dog learns to go and alert on that person only. 

This is helpful in case the person is somebody you know who is buried under rubble or missing.

To teach your dog to alert you when you are awake and not in rubble or a dangerous situation but pending danger you will ask your dog to alert by coming to you and barking,pawing,rubbing on you or however your dog likes to get your attention. Some dogs will come and sit to look at us, this is the dog's "alert" to you.

Learn to "Read" your dog to find how they naturally alert you to what is going on. Many dog's nudge us with a nose to get us to notice something they see. Use this as an indication or an alert by encouraging the behavior when the warning sirens sound or when the weather turns dangerous and whenever you can do a fire drill with your pets and family.

When you feel danger or get the chance to practice this, then you'll include your dog running to you by you calling "come" and say "alert" or "speak" or "give me your paw"..whatever..then praise your dog and go together to do the evacuation plan that is in place. 

By doing this over and over you'll teach your family dog to do this for you when the time comes.

Good Luck and Be Safe!

Lesson 27: Alert to Danger-Part 1

Alert to Danger

Fire, Earthquake,Tornado

Dig up or Wake a Person

Part 1 of 2

Teaching your family disaster dog to alert or wake you up in dangerous situations and weather conditions can mean the difference between life and death. Survival might depend on your dog waking you up at the right moment or alerting you when they feel the floor shake.

This lesson will be in 2 parts in order to cover the various alerts that can be taught the same way.

Part 1; Understanding the Alert

Part 2; Set-Up with Pictures click to read

Understanding the Alert 

Daisy checks for a Person

Teaching your dog to alert you to possible dangers before and when a danger happens can be lifesaving. Bloodhound Daisy always wakes me if she thinks there is any danger. During storms or if she smells smoke she comes to me and paws me to wake me or get me moving. 

I encourage her behavior but not to the point of her becoming over protective and waking me at the slightest sound.

One thing with dogs we should always keep in mind is that they try very hard to please us and some dogs will go overboard in the attempts to do so if we encourage them to much. There is often a fine line between motivation and encouragement that can be crossed which results in a dog that has issues understanding what we ask. 

For instance, teaching a dog to bark for an alert can make some dogs bark all the time or anytime they want something. Another example is teaching a dog to dig at a certain time then one day he digs the whole yard up for no reason except it was fun and he remembers the day you said it was okay to dig. 

To avoid this problem, always associate what you ask the dog to do with a command, situation or action on your part. Then they learn to do their part and you work as a team. 

Any other time, when they are not under command or in the situation or action with you and they are not suppose to bark or dig, tell them to stop. Don't encourage them to bark or dig.

I like quite dogs and teach mine to sit or paw me for alerts. In this lesson we are going to use our dog's natural instinct about impending weather to save a pack member by alerting us to danger.

Many people have noted how their dog has behaved in unusual ways before an earthquake or serious storm. Dogs, like other animals, often react before a major event by taking cover or grouping up for safety.

Native Americans, farmers and outdoors adventurers know to watch animals for signs of weather changes. When the geese fly north we know a mild day is on the horizon but if they fly south we know to watch out for bad weather.

Our animals know long before we do and it stands to reason if we show our dog what to do when they feel the changes coming then we can be prepared ahead of time.

Teaching your dog to be a family disaster dog or survival dog is similar to learning CPR or becoming a Doomsday Prepper because you will not be able to actually perform these skills in a real situation unless an emergency occurred.

Similar to CPR-we want to have the use of these skills but hope to God we never have to use them.

Your dog can save your life or the life of a loved one.

To teach your dog to alert you to danger, such as smoke and weather conditions you will need to set up a pretend or mock training opportunity where you can practice what to do. 

Here we have a person pretending to be unconscious
 under Blankets and Small Furniture

As you practice, the training becomes like doing a fire drill where your family and dog learns what to do if they smell smoke or hear a tornado coming.

If you have an emergency warning system in your town or location that sounds off on the television or radio regularly that you can hear then you can use this to as a signal to your dog to alert you. 

If not, then we can rely on the dog’s natural ability to know when doom is pending by teaching our dog’s to show us when they get the urge danger is coming.

To use the National Warning System as a clue or command for your dog to wake you or alert you then you would do the training sessions at the time when the warning sounds on your radio or television. You will have to plan ahead to have the session set up and ready when the warning goes off.

If you have a burglar alarm or other alarm on your home or car, your dog can be taught to alert you to these sounds as well. You can make your own alarm with a horn or loud noise maker if you want the extra advantage of a noise alarm that helps to wake everyone.

If you’re in an area of the county that has earthquakes or tornadoes, use these opportunities to work your dog in a drill or session so when the big one comes your dog will alert you first.

Setting  a training session or drill to teach your dogto alert you can be as easy as having a person hide under a blanket or as complex as making a pretend pile of lightweight rubble from cardboard boxes, newspaper or whatever furniture you can think of that makes the scene look like a disaster happened.

This set-up gives your dog a reason to react because the scene or person does not look normal, thus the dog realizes something is wrong.

Setting up Sessions and Instructions are covered in detail 
in Part 2...next.  

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