On the anniversary of 9-11, Family Disaster Dogs was formed with the mission to provide free of charge online dog training for families and individuals to teach their family pets how to come to the aid during a disaster. One of our biggest fears and chores during a disaster is losing or finding a loved one and every dog has the ability to find its family members or friends.
As a seasoned dog trainer, I understand that dogs do these incredible feats on their own everyday without us noticing. As a retired Search Dog trainer and handler I want to continue to help and Family Disaster Dogs gives me a way to help everybody train their dogs for rescue work. My dream is to have every family dog in the world ready to assist their owners if a family is lost or injuried.
Teaching your family pet to come to your or another family member’s aid during an emergency is not as difficult as one might think because our dog’s are usually very willing to offer a helpful paw whenever we need one. All we have to do is learn how the dog can be helpful in unusual or disaster situations. This is were Family Disaster Dogs comes in to help show everybody how our dogs can be trained in the comfort our homes with only a couple of days a week play time.
Included on the website are helpful training tricks and tips that will help you teach your dog manners and obedience in a non-threatening and encouraging way which makes training easier for all.
These lessons take into consideration that family dogs come in all sizes, shapes and personalities just like the families they are a part of and each lesson is tailored to fit into a family setting instead of the show dog classroom.
Your dog can learn what Search and Rescue dogs learn to help save your life or find a lost loved one. You dog can be assisting you while you are waiting for outside help to arrive. This training will help you know what to do when you are waiting for help and you knowing what to do can be of great help to the rescuers when they arrive.
Search dogs have to think on their own just like family dogs do which makes a family dog the ideal student for search dog purposes. Search dog handlers have to learn to work with a dog’s natural ability and most of the training involves learning how to read the dog’s actions and how to have the dog show us what they find. House dogs can do this without becoming obedience or police dog candidates.
Family Disaster Dogs was formed by the author as a free service to honor fallen heros and search dogs of 911. The author, Amber Higgins is a retired Search and Rescue Dog Instructor/handler, Bloodhound and German Shepherd Dog breeder. Additionally, she has over 30 years experience as an all-breed master groomer, show and obedience dog trainer, kennel operator and specialist of working dogs and pets.
Let’s pay attention and “Follow that Dog” to Family Disaster Dogs.