10 tips for finding a missing dog

Many owners panic if their dog is lost, but this method (at a minimum) will not give any results. Until your pet returns home, your task is to gather strength and do everything to help him. A lot of dangers await a dog on the street, and the more effectively you search for it, the greater the chance that it will return alive and unharmed. Quite often, four-legged animals find their way home on their own, but this can only be counted on if the pet is lost in an area that is well known to it.

Use a scented item

This is the best tip for finding lost dogs that hunters have used for centuries to find their own lost dogs. Combine this tip with the rest of the tips listed below.

Dogs have an excellent sense of smell: not only can they smell a scent from afar, but their brains are designed in such a way that smell provides the dog with various information. Not only that, but research has shown that dogs have a favorite scent—their owner—which means they will prioritize your scent over everything else.

To use this to your advantage, choose a scent that may be part of your (dog owner's) clothing that you've been wearing for a while - the longer the better. Take this scent to the area where the dog was last seen or where you think it ran away from. You can also bring your dog's crate, toys, blanket, etc.

Leave the scent in this area and come back later that day or the next day. Return to this place every 6-12 hours. Ideally, your dog will end up waiting for you in this area, at some point leaning on your clothes. This is how many owners have found missing dogs.

Note : You can also leave a bowl of water along with a scented item, but do not leave any food so as not to attract other animals. Alternatively, you can select multiple locations and do the same in multiple locations and then keep checking them. Finally, consider leaving a note (especially if you leave a dog crate there) for anyone who encounters these things.

Why a dog can run away from its owners, the main reasons

A dog can go missing for the following reasons:

External stimuli: sudden movements, loud sounds, the appearance of strangers - all this can cause fear. Without a leash, in this case the animal can run and get lost. A harness is especially important, for example, in a forest or unfamiliar area.
Curiosity. In summer there are a lot of different smells, and your pet will be happy to explore them. If the dog is not trained in special commands, it will be difficult to call.
Insufficient physical activity. If you spend little time in the fresh air with your dog, then at any opportunity he will strive to break free.
Display of aggression, possible punishment from the owner. Dogs are sensitive to human moods and emotions. The animal will constantly run away from an owner who is angry or behaves rudely.
Physiological reasons - the period of estrus in females, to which other dogs react.

Whistling and shouting

While some escaped dogs may be roaming around the area, take into account the fact that your puppy could be trapped somewhere. Maybe the dog's collar got caught on something, or the dog accidentally got stuck behind a fence. Your dog may be somewhere nearby, but just can't get home.

Whistling and shouting the dog's name while walking around the neighborhood seems obvious, but for some reason many owners forget to try it. So give it a chance and see if your dog answers your call with his bark. After playing a little Marco Polo, you might just find a missing dog waiting for you to rescue.

Characteristic manifestations

Even thoughts about the possible departure of a partner from your life can be frightening.
If a husband is afraid of losing his wife or a woman is afraid of the possible loss of her husband, then you can often hear about this. But sometimes people do not express themselves directly, but carry their experiences inside or do not themselves realize that they are experiencing such fear. But at the subconscious level this is all reflected. The following manifestations may indicate that you are afraid of losing your loved one:

a strong need to constantly be close to your significant other;
feeling of increased anxiety;
a feeling of strong discomfort at the moment when you need to part with your partner, even if only for a short time;
a state of stress if the partner does not come home from work for a long time;
the appearance of all kinds of thoughts that excite the consciousness;
the need to keep everything under control;
constant calls to your partner, questions about where he is now;
expectation that something bad will happen;
the inability to calmly react to the need of a loved one to go on a business trip;
the appearance of a fainting state just from the mere thought that your partner might leave you.

Somatic signs may include the following:

tearfulness;
insomnia;
severe fatigue;
headache;
in the absence of a partner for a long time, panic attacks may occur;
increased sweating;
dizziness;
tachycardia;
surges in blood pressure.

Check your GPS navigator.

The obvious action to take when searching for a missing dog—if you've taken the precaution of equipping your pet with a GPS dog collar or simple GPS tag locator—is to check and locate your dog. Even some simple fitness/activity trackers may have a GPS locator that you didn't know about, so check to see if you had that option.

These nifty safety accessories often cost a monthly subscription on top of the initial price of the device, but can tell you exactly where your dog has run off to, but also track their activity by monitoring their heart rate. However, not every pet owner has these useful products, in which case additional measures must be taken.

Keep your phone handy

Regardless of the circumstances, the first thing many people will do when they find a lost dog is check that pet's collar for tags and check the tags to see how to contact the owner. Many dog ID tags allow owners to provide more than one phone number, which can increase your chances of contacting the good citizen who found your pet.

When you put an ID tag on your dog, you can also include your cell phone, landline, or your number and that of a family member. When your dog is missing, make sure your phone is always ringing so you will receive a phone call as soon as there are any new developments.

Do some research

Revisit the area where your dog escaped and ran away, and search nearby. A little detective work of your own can go a long way in finding your missing dog. Ask your neighbors if they heard or saw anything. Nearby loud construction or fireworks can cause a frightened animal to leave the area and hide in a quieter place.

Did your dog accidentally leave something behind? Any information you discover will determine the next steps you need to take. For example, perhaps when your puppy burrowed and squeezed under the fence in the backyard, his collar broke. In this case, you will at least know that no one will be able to contact you.

You can also conclude that anyone who happens to see your dog without a collar will think it is a stray and may call animal control, which will lead you to the next step you should take: calling local shelters.

Mass media

Submit missing persons reports to local media. The cost of such advertisements is affordable, and the likelihood that many will see it is quite high. Try to get a ticker on your local TV channel. And don’t forget to view the ads yourself.

This is important: When studying advertisements about found animals, you should also carefully read the mating offers. If a male dog has good breed characteristics, then he may well be offered for breeding work. And if the bitch is lost, then after a few months it is worth paying attention to offers for the sale of puppies. You will have to spend a lot of time examining the babies and ask to see the mother. Perhaps you will be able to recognize your favorite in one of the houses.

Ask and notify local shelters

A crucial step in finding a missing dog is to contact organizations that do this every day. Most people who see a dog running away will call animal control, and unless the dog has some form of identification (microchip or tags), they will likely be sent to the local animal shelter.

Call all animal shelters closest to where your dog is lost and explain the situation. They will probably ask if the dog has ID; otherwise, they will ask for multiple descriptions of your animal.

Email the shelter a photo of the dog and some helpful characteristics, such as your dog's age, overall size and weight, coat color and length, and any unique traits such as odd fur markings or scars.

Can an animal return home on its own?

Animals should not be underestimated - the dog can return to its owners on its own. Even if the pet has gone quite far, thanks to its excellent sense of smell, it can find its way. If for any reason the dog gets off the leash and does not respond to the call, it is also capable of returning. But in the latter case, the presence of an emotional connection with the owner plays a significant role - wild animals tend to disappear forever.

On a note! If the animal does not respond well to commands and tends to run away, it is worth purchasing a special GPS collar. Through communication with the satellite, it will signal the pet’s location and speed up the search process.

There are special devices for constant monitoring of your pet.

What to do if your pet is found

First of all, you need to carefully examine him for fractures, wounds and parasites. You can take him to the vet right away. Then the dog needs to be washed, treated, fed and given the opportunity to sleep well. You also need to take the time to delete posts and express gratitude to all the helpers. If desired, pay a reward to the most active participants in the search.

Any owner of a four-legged pet should know what to do if the dog runs away and be prepared in advance for unforeseen circumstances. The initial task is to throw all your physical strength into the search, putting aside all other matters.

Tell others

No matter where you live, neighbors are a powerful resource that can potentially help you find your lost companion and even give you more helpful tips and information on how to find your missing dog.

In rural areas where your neighbors are not easily accessible in the neighborhood, post a missing dog flyer at high traffic businesses such as a popular local diner, post office or grocery store. Many of these commercial buildings have a public board that you can use for free, but if not, you can politely ask the staff if you can use their window space.

What to do if you find a dog: checking the brand and chip

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As a rule, animals walking on their own for a long time look exhausted, weak, and intimidated. Before giving the dog back to the owners, you need to take it in for a while, put it in order, and ensure comfort. First of all, she needs to be fed and also take care of her hygiene.

It is important to pay attention to the following things:

collar (a piece of paper with the owner’s phone number may be attached to it);
address book (on the back there is information about the owner and the animal’s name);
NFC tag if the pet is chipped (contains a QR code that leads to the dog’s profile);
brand (a combination of numbers and letters on the inside of the ear or in the groin area).

Often they are the ones who help identify the owner and return the pet to him.

Count your dog's favorite places

There are many reasons why our faithful dogs may run away, but sometimes it doesn't require much guesswork. Dogs have favorite places. Maybe it's a dog park you frequent together on the weekends, or maybe it's a house a few blocks away that has a doggie buddy they're dying to visit.

Either way, one of your pet's favorite places may be where he has escaped to. If you have no other ways to find your missing dog, the first thing you can do is find it, starting with its favorite places and doing more Sherlock Holmes-like detective work.

What are the statistics

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According to research, owners have the best chance of finding a dog in the first day of its escape. The longer an animal goes missing away from home, the less likely it is to be found. That is why you should go in search of your pet as soon as it runs away, otherwise with each subsequent hour it will become more and more difficult to find it.

Note! Most of the dogs left on the street, if they do not get hit by cars, are simply unable to find adequate food for themselves.

As for the survival rate of pets, the statistics are sad. The very first week of adventures away from their owners and homes ends for more than 80% of dogs with either death or finding a new family. In winter, the chances of surviving outside the home are significantly reduced due to the cold weather. In the summer, when the weather is warmer and there are more opportunities for food, dogs are able to survive for a long time.

In winter, it is important to be even more active, since domestic dogs can freeze

Some of the pets that services perceive as strays are taken to shelters. If you do not return for them within 10 days, the animal will be sterilized. Therefore, if you do not find your pet on the city streets, it is also important to study local shelters.

How to prevent your dog from going missing

Microchipping . Consider using a GPS tracker and always have your dog microchipped and use ID tags.
Provide security . If your dog frequently leaves the house or yard, revisit the area where he escapes from. Regular maintenance, such as replacing rotting wood, can better keep your dog safe. If your dog is good at jumping fences, there are things you can do to prevent it.
Invest in toys . If your dog is often lost, he may be very bored and lonely while you're away. It may seem simple, but purchasing some time-consuming chew toys, especially interactive dog toys or other mechanics designed specifically for dogs, can reduce their urge to escape.
Make your dog famous . If you live in a small town with a friendly neighborhood where others also have dogs, you can all work the same way Neighborhood Watch works. Create a dog business card with a photo of your beloved pet and your cell or work phone number. Share this with your neighbors (and encourage them to share theirs with you).