With wildfires raging through Colorado front range we are glued the the alert systems. For days the smoke and extreme heat have limited our time outside. Unfortunately in Colorado we are often faced with fire danger. While we as humans adjust what about our dogs and pets? I asked local experts to chime in and give us their top tips to help our dogs.
➡️ Amber Quann from Summit Dog Training offers this advice:
While there is potentially poor air quality from the nearby wildfires, we may need to substitute our dogs’ normal outdoor exercise with some indoor activities focused on mental stimulation and constructive energy outlets. Here are some of our favorite options for indoor mental and physical activities at Summit Dog Training:
🧩 Interactive toys such as puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing balls, and snuffle mats are excellent ways to turn your dog’s normal meals into more enriching times if you already have these on hand.
Or you can easily make your own DIY enrichment activities from what you have already, such as hiding treats around the house for your dog to find, making a snuffle box from an Amazon box plus an old towel and treat crumbs, or setting up an indoor obstacle course with household items like cushions and boxes for your dog to navigate for some physical activity.
Short training sessions, either polishing up old skills or teaching a new trick, or playing together with tug toys (one of our favorites is a flirt pole, which you can make by attaching a light toy to the end of a string to make the toy bounce and move for more fun!) are other options for replacing outside exercise when needed for air quality concerns.
➡️ Jennifer Holmes from K9 Fitness Works offers these tips:
In case your dog gets spooked and runs away, having up-to-date identification can be crucial. Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with an ID tag that has your current contact information. Consider having your dog microchipped as an additional safeguard. This simple step can greatly increase the chances of being reunited if your dog gets lost.
🧘♀️Dogs are highly sensitive to our emotions and body language. By maintaining a calm and reassuring demeanor, you can help your dog feel more secure. If you act relaxed and continue your usual activities, your dog is more likely to pick up on your calm energy and feel less anxious. Your confident presence can make a significant difference in how your dog perceives the situation.
➡️ Beth & Wayne from Canine Companion Consulting suggest:
With the air heavy with smoke and a fire looming nearby, we have been contemplating what might benefit those anxious canine companions if they suddenly needed to leave the comfort of their home?
🏠One of the the first things we put on our list for our “Go Bag” is a kennel. If your canine companion is kennel trained, this can be a small pi ece of home, something familiar you can bring with you wherever you go. This can be especially useful if your dog is even a little uncomfortable in some of the unknown situations that may arise in a temporary living situation.
Having a kennel is a way to keep your dog safe in his environment. We love having that slice of home and familiarity during a time of stress and uncertainty. Even when not faced with an emergency situation, a kennel is a great tool to have to help your canine companion feel safe and secure wherever you go.
➡️ Melissa Bishop from Fun Pup Dog Sports says:
We talk a lot about having a “Go Bag” packed for ourselves in case of emergency evacuations like many people on the Front Range have experienced this week. Normally we would think to pack valuables, important paperwork, maybe some photos or keepsakes, and our prescriptions and phone chargers.
🛄 We don’t always think about what to pack for our dogs and cats in these situations, but we should! What should you pack in a Go Bag for your dogs and cats?
I recommend having a copy of their vaccine records (especially their rabies vaccine). My dogs don’t usually wear collars in the house, but I would have collars with ID tags, leashes and harnesses ready by the door. It is a good idea to make sure your dogs and cats are microchipped and that the information is up-to-date with your contact info as well as your veterinarian’s info in case you can’t be reached.
Other things to pack would include several days’ worth of food, and any supplements or prescription medications your pet takes on a regular basis or might need to take while you are out of your house. I recommend packing some food and water bowls as well as a few gallons of water.
You might also consider packing your pet’s favorite bed if it’s portable. And a crate for your cats.
There are a few other things you might consider in terms of preparedness for emergencies. How does your dog or cat feel about being crated? Many times, emergency shelters require animals to be crated in order to stay there. If you dog or cat is already comfortable traveling and spending periods of time in their crate or carrier, that can expand the number of places you can stay, even if it’s at a friend’s or relative’s house.
You might also teach your dog or cat that it’s no big deal if someone else comes into your house to leash them up or put them in a carrier to take them outside to a different vehicle than they are used to. (Imagine being away from home and someone else has to go into your house to evacuate your pets.)
Because our dogs and cats are part of our family, we would most certainly plan to take them with us in an emergency. Being prepared can make a scary situation less stressful for all involved.
➡️ From Monique:
Big thank you to Amber, Beth, Wayne, Melissa, and Jenn for your sage advice. We here in Northern Colorado love our pets and our natural areas. We are all here for YOU if you need anything. Stay safe.