What to do if your dog is lost: useful tips where and how to look

Finding a lost pet is a painful process for every owner. If the animal did not have a GPS tracker to track its location, the search is carried out blindly. Dog lovers have developed a simple algorithm of actions that works in 80% of cases. Read on to find out how to find a dog if it has run away.

How to find a dog if it has run away

Action plan for the loss of a dog

Dogs belong to the category of active pets and, unfortunately, often get lost. There are many potentially dangerous situations - from the banal pursuit of a mongrel or a car to getting lost in the forest while walking. The last circumstance is especially relevant in the warm season. With the arrival of spring, barbecue season opens, and owners prefer to take their four-legged friends with them. Rejoicing at the freedom they have been given, many dogs run far from their owner and do not find their way back.

Or, for example, an inadequate reaction to fireworks. There is even a special term for watchdogs who are frightened by the sound of gunfire - “May”. In order not to get into trouble and take action in a timely manner, we offer a reminder on finding animals.

Joint outdoor recreation is dangerous due to loss of control over your pet

Step-by-step instruction

Even the most responsible owner is not immune from losing a dog. In order not to get confused in such a situation, take advantage of the successful experience accumulated by many dog ​​lovers in finding pets.

Step 1. Inspection of the area

First of all, you should return to where the pet was last in the owner’s field of vision. If it is not there, you need to walk around the nearby area within a radius of several kilometers. Many frightened animals hide in secluded corners, hidden from prying eyes. Therefore, you need to constantly call the dog loudly by name.

Useful places to look for a dog:

• daily walking area;
• entrance;
• play areas for dogs;
• markets and transitions.

Often lost animals are picked up by strays or beggars. It would be a good idea to go around nearby metro stations, markets and other gathering places for people without a fixed place of residence.

Pets are looking for an owner in the territory they have marked.

According to statistics, first of all, the dog returns to familiar places that it has previously marked. Not finding the owner there, she can go looking for him again. Therefore, it is advisable to check the areas familiar to her several times.

If your dog is lost in an unfamiliar area, the best option is to stay put and wait. In most cases, he returns to the place where he last saw his owner.

Step 2. Attracting helpers

After discovering that your dog has been lost, you should find his photo on your phone and show it to everyone you meet along the way during the search. There is no need to reject help from passers-by. Children and those who spend a lot of time in their grandmother’s yards can be companions in this difficult situation. They are curious about everything that happens around them. Therefore, there is a chance that a well-groomed dog wandering unattended will not go unnoticed by them.

Interviewing passers-by is an important part of the search

In addition, it is necessary to interview dog walkers walking their pets in nearby areas. If you have business cards, you need to hand them all out to passersby. People may only remember seeing a lost dog after some time. A contact phone number at this moment will not be superfluous.

Volunteers never refuse to look for four-legged friends. In addition, there are groups of “breeds”, such as the “taxomanda”. Members of such associations specialize in finding dogs of certain breeds.

Purebred pets are more often returned to their owners. This is due to the fact that more attention is focused on them. A well-groomed dog with a collar walking around unattended is more memorable than a stray dog. In addition, explaining to passers-by that a Rottweiler has gone missing is much easier than describing a mongrel.

Purebred dogs are found more often

Step 3. Explore the surrounding area by car

If you have a car, you can stick missing notices on the rear side windows and drive around the yards. It is advisable to use A4 format and print a large color photo of your pet.

The likelihood of finding a pet decreases every hour

Step 4. Calling shelters

There are several authorities you need to call after the loss or theft of your four-legged friend:

1. Shelters. If a dog gets lost in a large city, it may be caught and taken to a shelter. When calling a shelter for homeless pets, be sure to specify the date of capture. If it coincides with the time the pet went missing, you should proceed to a detailed discussion.
2. Breeder. If you lose a purebred dog, you must inform the person from whom it was purchased. There is a possibility that if experienced dog lovers find the dog, they will be able to identify the breeder by the brand.
3. Curator. If the pet was adopted from a shelter, its loss must be reported to its curator. Activists looking after their wards have ample opportunities to find lost pets.

After making all the necessary phone calls, you should contact one of the most effective sites for finding animals.

Homeless dogs end up in shelters twice a year

Step 5. Posting an ad on the Internet

Information about the missing dog should be disseminated on social networks and personal appeals to animal lovers should be created. The wider the audience reach, the greater the likelihood of finding a pet. Reposting an ad online is an effective tool.

It is also necessary to place publications on the following specialized sites:

• claws.msk.ru;
• propalasobaka.org;
• lostdog.ru;
• hochusobaku.ru.

It wouldn’t hurt to ask popular bloggers on Instagram for help. As a rule, they have a large number of subscribers and readily respond to such appeals.

The global network is a powerful resource for finding lost pets

Step 6. Posting advertisements

One of the most effective methods. The emphasis in the ad should be on a color photo occupying half an A4 sheet. You should approach writing text wisely. A person’s interest in transmitting information depends on correctly selected words.

The advertisement must indicate a fixed amount of material incentives

Table 1. Rules for composing an advertisement

The more advertisements are posted, the faster a pet will be found. Leaflets must be placed in files and secured with a stapler. This will help prevent the paper from deforming when exposed to snow or rain. In addition to public transport stops, poles and front doors, they can be attached to pet stores and veterinary clinics. Every day you should visit places where advertisements are posted and, if necessary, hang new ones.

In addition to paper ads, you can use wide-format ads by placing a large banner

A piece of paper hanging on the fence

The next important stage of the search is print ads .

“Ideally, the ad should contain a photograph of the animal, a description of the area where it was lost, a nickname, and appearance features (this is especially true for mongrels; such a dog is more difficult to identify). Tear-off pieces of paper with telephone numbers should have the inscription “lost dog”, maybe again a mini photo of the animal, because people can rip off a lot of advertisements and forget what the number is. You need to hang them literally everywhere - entrances, bus stops, shops. Distribute to dog lovers and neighbors,” advises Anastasia Shukaeva , who worked for a long time as a volunteer at one of the Moscow animal shelters.

Anastasia Shukaeva, volunteer at one of the Moscow animal shelters. Photo: facebook.com

Should I offer a reward in my ad? That's a moot point. “It seems to me that it is desirable,” says Anastasia Shukaeva. – Somehow people are more willing to pay attention and look around if they offered money for the dog. I was lucky, though, the people who found the animal themselves refused the reward.” “The issue of remuneration is always personal, sometimes it’s motivation so as not to pass by,” confirms Oksana Dubinina.

Yes, you can become a victim of ransomware. If active people call you demanding money for information, you need to make sure in any case that the dog has actually been found. It is also necessary to avoid the wording “reward for any information” in advertisements. Any information can be news - yesterday I saw a similar dog running through the window.

“In our country there are a huge number of dogs whose owners will never give any money when they call with an offer to buy a dog, so a stable business based on single advertisements with the promise of a reward cannot grow. But there are, of course, “empty” and outright fraudulent calls, when you understand that your interlocutors want to get money for false information about a missing dog. And if the extortionists managed to get money in this way once, they may “get excited” about the idea, explains Oksana Dubinina. – Therefore, record conversations with a voice recorder, make an appointment to make sure that everything is okay with the dog. Call the police in advance - if you hand over money for the dog, you can detain the extortionist. This is, of course, the ideal option. As a last resort, I would ask my friends for help in such a situation, and it would be better if they were dog-loving friends.”

Where to look for a dog's old owners

Every self-respecting person should be puzzled by finding the owners of a found pet. If your dog doesn't have a collar with a contact phone number, you need to look for a brand. If this identification mark is missing, it would be a good idea to take the animal to a veterinary hospital. Perhaps it is chipped. According to the information contained in the microcircuit, it will not be difficult for a clinic specialist to find its owner.

Operating principle of chipping

How to find a dog by chip? Read in the special article.

If there is not a single identifying marker, the action plan echoes the plan specified in the step-by-step instructions. Posting advertisements on the Internet and posting leaflets around the city are the most effective tools.

If the owners cannot be found within 1 month, you should look for a new home for the pet.

An animal hotel is one of the options for placing a found dog

What are the statistics

How to find a cat if it has run away or is lost on the street

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.

Dog owner identification

Over many decades, a multi-stage system for checking owners has been developed.

After claiming your pet, you should request the following information:

1. Photo. Real owners should have a large number of photographs of the dog. Only high-quality, non-blurry photographs depicting the pet at different ages are taken into account.
2. Nickname. Each dog responds only to its own name.
3. Distinctive features. A detailed description of the pet's appearance will help in identifying the owner.
4. Inspection of the apartment. If an animal lived in the room, traces of its presence will be visible everywhere.

When meeting with owners, you need to observe the dog's reaction. If she willingly makes contact, you can be sure that the search for the owners will be successful.

A dog should be shown to prospective owners only after a thorough telephone interview

Prompt search is the key to saving lives

Finding lost dogs is, one might say, a science; you need to take into account the maximum number of factors and all the characteristics of your ward. Service dog breeds have a certain independence and their chances of returning home in their own tracks are much higher. Decorative quadrupeds are not so courageous and collected, they can panic, run without looking back, in addition, they do not have such a keen sense of smell and territorial memory.

Important! The best prevention for pet loss is a collar with an address tag or GPS device.

In the city, not far from home, almost all pets will move in the direction of the house, but the following may get in the way of the four-legged animal:

• Cars - quite often frightened animals run under the wheels, suffer serious injuries or die.
• Doghunters are bipedal creatures who enjoy the suffering and death of animals.
• Trapping - almost all cities have public services that trap and kill animals. Some cities have municipal shelters and quarantine sites where the lifespan of animals is limited to 10–14 days.
• Cruel teenagers - sadly, thousands of animals die in agony every year just because children are interested in trying their hand at the weak.

Quite often, dogs do not return home because they die from poisoning. You need to understand that after 3-8 hours the pet will begin to suffer from thirst and hunger, instinct will force the dog to look for sources of food, and this can lead to:

• Poisoned Baits – Utility companies often distribute poisoned baits (although illegal in most countries) to reduce the number of stray dogs and cats. From hunger, a dog may begin to hunt rodents. An inexperienced hunter will only be able to catch an already poisoned rodent.
• Food poisoning – again, hunger can provoke a dog to eat missing food, for example, near garbage cans.

During the prosperity of cynology in the USSR, every dog ​​owner taught his dog to fight, or rather, to defend himself. This approach was considered absolutely normal, since fights among four-legged animals could happen even in walking areas. Today it is believed that teaching a dog to “bite” is bad because its skills can affect people. However, what will such a “toothless” pet do when it encounters a larger stray dog ​​or pack of dogs? No, this is not a call to action, it is a reason to think. Any dog ​​must be able to protect itself, and if its character is too constrained, the danger of its being on the streets is extreme .

but also cats are dangerous . It is important to wean your pet from chasing purrs while still a puppy. Of course, many cats will be afraid of the dog and will run away, but among the street tabbies there are also fighters. Cats that know how to fight do not run from a dog, they attack, and brutally and desperately. If you've ever seen a cat in anger, it's easy to guess that the purr will not hesitate to rush at the dog's face, damaging its eyes or causing other serious injuries.

Unfortunately, danger factors include not only animals, but also people. Intentional cruelty is a mental disorder, but even among healthy people there are greedy, envious individuals. If your pet is an expensive or popular breed, it may be picked up and deliberately not returned. This can be called theft, but no... you yourself lost the dog, and whether to return it or not is a matter of decency.

Advice: if you know that your dog has been picked up and is not going to be returned, try to get in touch with the “captors” and offer a very substantial reward or a gift in the form of a puppy of the same breed, most often it works.

What to do with a found dog

If it was not possible to find the old owners, or they refused to take the pet back, you need to start finding a new family for it.

The search mechanism is as follows:

1. Close circle. Inform friends, acquaintances, and family members that the dog needs a home. The information will be disseminated and possibly reach its addressee.
2. If living conditions or other obstacles do not allow you to leave your dog at home, you can contact pet hotels. This service is paid, but the pet may be accommodated on preferential terms. In some cases, it is possible to agree on payment after finding the owners.
3. It would be a good idea to write to thematic groups created on the Internet and inform volunteers about the four-legged friend you have found. They will quickly be able to find a temporary or new owner for the dog.
4. If none of the options worked, you can keep the animal. However, for this it is necessary to calculate all possible risks and the material side of the content.

If a new family has been found, it is advisable to conclude an agreement on the transfer of the pet. A sample can be found on the Internet. This will discipline the new owners and possibly protect the animal from mistakes in maintenance. In addition, on the basis of this paper, irresponsible owners can be held accountable for negligent treatment of the dog.

How to protect yourself from ticks

Autumn is the time when ticks are active. These insects are dangerous because they carry many serious diseases. So a tick bite is fraught, for example, with encephalitis. When going into the forest, provide protection for your dog as well.

What will help against tick bites?

• Repellent sprays, unlike products that are designed to kill insects on a dog’s body, are less toxic. They are ideal for preventive treatment of a pet before visiting dangerous places, but they do not last long. Sprays are used strictly according to the instructions that come with each product. Their advantage is that they are easy to use, and unlike drops, the spray does not enter the dog’s body. The disadvantages are the short-lived effect, difficult treatment of long-haired dogs, and the risk of an allergic reaction.
• Collars The service life of a special collar is limited. A model that protects against ticks will work for 2-3 weeks. Models for protection against fleas and midges last about six months. The collar can be used as additional protection along with sprays.

Snakes

When encountering a snake, the dog usually tries to grab it. At the same time, pets often get bitten. Therefore, you need to have antihistamines with you. These are first aid remedies for snake venom. Then the dog must be urgently taken to the veterinary clinic. The specialist will inject the animal with a special serum.

Under no circumstances should you hit the snake or try to drive it away. Otherwise, she may switch her aggression from the dog to the person. And snake bites are much more dangerous for people than for animals. Dogs have a higher resistance to viper venom.

If your pet is stolen

If a dog is stolen, there is little chance of returning it. Although there have been cases when animals were found in the same places where they disappeared. The thieves kept the animal and walked with it in the places where they committed the crime. But you need to walk through these places often, calling and looking closely at each similar dog.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to go to the poultry market and look for your dog there, because it could have been stolen for the purpose of sale.

At what age should you take a puppy into the forest?

If you purchased a dog for hunting, then it must be accustomed to being in the forest. At what age can you start walking in wooded areas?

Hunters often take their puppies with them into the forest for 2-3 months when they go picking berries or mushrooms. However, haste in such a matter is inappropriate. A small pet will show interest in various small animals, for example, hedgehogs or rodents. Most often, in such cases, owners tighten the leash and lead the puppy away from the prey. As a result, dogs' hunting instinct weakens. In the future, they are difficult to train for game.

Walking your dog in the forest should begin at the age of 5-6 months. At first, the puppy should be given the opportunity to get used to the new environment, as well as unfamiliar smells and sounds. You can begin full training for hunting no earlier than 8-11 months.

Training

How to properly train a dog in a forest? As already mentioned, such classes should be started no earlier than 8-11 months. The pet needs to be fed 3-4 hours before training. Before classes, you need to give your dog a good walk. Each workout should not exceed 2 hours in duration. Gradually, the duration of classes can be increased.

By the time the puppy goes into the forest for the first time, he should be able to:

• respond correctly to basic commands (“Come to me!”, “Ugh!”, “Nearby!”, “Place!”);
• respond to your nickname;
• walk on a leash.

It is very important to develop the puppy’s ability to stay close to its owner. Then during training you can safely let him off the leash.

When training in the forest, it is necessary to develop the following skills in your dog:

1. Reaction to the command “Aport!” First you need to teach the puppy to carry something in its teeth. Then you need to order the dog to give this item to the owner. If the dog continues to hold the item with its teeth, you need to take it away and then reward the pet with a treat.
2. Retrieving an object from water. The item must be thrown into the water and the dog must be given the “Fetch” command. It is very important to train your four-legged friend to fetch prey from a pond or river. This skill will come in handy when hunting waterfowl.
3. Reaction to a whistle. You can use a whistle while executing a command. In the future, the dog will develop a reaction to the whistling sound. A trained dog will be able to carry out commands when given a signal.

After the puppy has mastered all the commands necessary for hunting, you can begin the next stage of training - working on game.