Tuuli Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Working as a Firefighter I am continually distressed when responding to house fires where an animal has perished. Once again while working a structure fire the other night the family informs us that they have a dog and cat in the residence. While we always search for people and animals in a primary and secondary search, pets can be hard to locate as they tend to hide during fires. This time we found the small dog, evacuated, and performed CPR and ventilations enroute to a Pet ER. It looks like this dog may survive. Unfortunately that is the exception. Has anyone attempted to train their BC to respond to a smoke detector alarm? The best thing for a pet to do would be to exit the house through a pet door. If not on option, going to the front door and lying down immediately to the right of the openning side of the door. In 90+% of fires we enter through the front door. If a pet were right inside the door we would notice immediately (hopefully). I would be curious to hear your thoughts on this. I think we will start training today! Thanks, Jaime, Eeva & Tuuli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 That's a good thought. Wouldn't work with Zoe though, because she's terrified of strangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Owen Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Whenever our smoke alarm goes off, Bailey barks his head off and comes running to us (where ever we are) anyway. But I couldnt guarantee he'd do that if there was an actual fire in the house as there'd be a lot more going on that just the noise from the smoke alarm. Good idea though, I can see how that could help greatly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Actually yeah... training them to run to you might be a good idea. That way I wouldn't be freaking out trying to find them. (I always said, if there was a fire I don't think I could leave without Oreo. Second floor bedroom... I had nightmares about trying to get her down with me. O.O) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 If you train them to run to you, what happens when they're alone? Or if the fire is inbetween you and them?... I dont know, just asking lol. Riven is terrified of strangers, so I dont think I could get her to just go to someone trying to rescue her either. Dont even get me started on the cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Well if they're alone they're in their crate, so that wouldn't be an issue. Well, it would be an issue, just not in the same way. I never worried about the cats. Of any creature, they're the ones most likely to get out just fine. Besides my cat sees any open window or door and is out in a flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 lol my cat is mean, I'd be afraid of it attacking people outside if it did jump out lol Stupid kitty lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie+Tess&Kipp Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 I don't think my dogs would go with a stranger in a scary situation. When they are alone, they are in their crates. They also sleep in crates (next to my side of the bed). If I am home, they are with me. All the same, I think I will find a fire alarm sound and teach my dogs to bark madly when they hear it, because I tend to sleep through everything. Allie + Tess & Kipp http://weebordercollie.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan's Mom Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Hadn't thought about that...the cats I'm afraid would perish because they would hide without us home. The dogs, Tess is crated and I'm not sure what Keegan would do...something to think about though. I was also wondering, have you known a dog to be a "hearing" dog? I read a story once about a deaf woman and her border collie. My dad is completely deaf without his hearing aids and can hardly hear with them. I keep telling him that he needs a dog (trained dog) in case of a fire or other times when he cannot hear so well. I'm speficially worried about a fire breaking out while he is asleep. What are your thoughts on that issue as well as the topic posted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie+Tess&Kipp Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 There are LOTS of dogs out there trained to "hear" for their owners... Here are some web sites: http://www.ihdi.org/ http://www.sfspca.org/hearing_dogs/index.shtml http://www.dogsforthedeaf.org/ It's just fascinating to me because my dogs alert me to things that they hear and I don't hear them until whatever it is much closer. My husband gets upset, but I just say "I'll go check!" to the dogs and then they settle down. They really want me to KNOW. Dogs that really listen for things and love to interact with people are great at this job. I read a book from the library that talked about the selection and training of a hearing assistance dog and it had stories from people with the dogs. It was really neat. The book was Lend me an ear : the temperament, selection, and training of the hearing dog by Martha Hoffman. Allie + Tess & Kipp http://weebordercollie.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat's Dogs Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Because when we are gone we crate the dogs I put the crates right next to the door in plain view just in case. But because they are in a crate when we are gone, and if we were there well, we would be there, none of them are trained to do anything to the sound. Having been through a fire, I worry about it all the time, and training them to the sound would be a wise thing to do..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Exactly... mine are in crates if we go out so I don't know how that would work. Our pup's are terrified of the smoke alarms also.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan's Mom Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 Thanks for the information Allie!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Owen Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 I didnt have to train Bailey, he just doesnt like the noise of the smoke alarm so he comes a-barking. Personally I think he's yelling at me to make the noise stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INU Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 Thank you for this thread. That's a really great idea! I am going to train mine as soon as I get an alarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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