We often see videos of lost dogs reuniting with their owners, and they are heartwarming. Although, the process the dog getting lost isn’t easy for the owners and the dog either. Many factors might cause a dog to run away or escape; it could be boredom, curiosity, and even loud noises.
If you are reading this and you have just lost your dog, or whatever you might need this information for, we would be sharing the important tips & hopefully, it will increase your chances of finding your pet. We have also considered some scenarios and what to do in those cases.
Tips on how to find a lost dog:
Here are a few tips to help you find your lost dog, take your time to go through them; they can significantly increase your chances.
● Time is of the essence:
You should start searching for your dog immediately you notice they are missing, all that should be on your mind is, “How do I find my lost dog?” Your chances of finding a lost pet after 24 hours get lower, so forsake those appointments and find your dog.
● Check your immediate area, then expand your search:
Most dogs are found in a 2-mile radius where they got lost but don’t start with a large scale search. First, check your immediate area. If you are at home, start by calling out to your dog and asking other family members about it. Next, try shaking the food bowl with treats while still calling out to your dog. Finally, search all the hidden and unlikely places at home.
The next thing to do is to patrol the area with treats in hand while calling out to your dog, make sure you leave no stone unturned. Use all your detective skills, Sherlock Holmes, check pawprints, do everything you can. Areas that might be inaccessible to you are accessible to your dog. Covering a wide area can be impossible for a single person; it’d be better to inform family and friends.
● Speak to family, friends, and neighbors:
We would advise you to talk to your family and friends about your lost dog. Go door to door, and ask neighbors if they have seen your dog. Also, ask neighbors for help to search the area, the more people, the better.
● Print out and post flyers:
A good tip on how to find your dog fast is for you to find the clearest and most recent photo of your pet, and make fliers for people to circulate. The fliers should be placed in high-traffic areas and contain all the information about your dog and the circumstances around the disappearance. It should contain:
- Dog’s name, breed, description.
- A clear picture of your dog.
- Location last seen.
- Your phone number and email address.
People get motivated to help in the search if there’s a reward, so to increase your chances of finding your lost dog, we would advise putting up a nice reward. You should keep as many as possible and share with many people in the two-mile radius of where your dog got lost. Here is a tool to help you create flyers for your lost dog.
● Use social media
Moreover, this is the age of the internet, post information about your missing dog on your social media accounts, and ask friends to share. This will reach more people than flyers and help with your search, although it doesn’t guarantee that you will find your dog. It only takes a post on Facebook, Instagram, any social media website, using the information already on your flyer.
You can also post an ad about your missing dog in online lost & found forums and websites. When you report your lost pet to PawMaw, your free listing is featured on the home page, where more people can see it.
● Visit dog shelters, pounds, and vets:
Visit everywhere people go to return lost pets, which includes shelters, pounds, vets, police stations. While you are there, take posters along for people to see if your dog is brought in at a later date. You should also keep in touch about any new information.
● Special scenarios:
The tips above are general, and if you need more information about some unique scenarios, we have guides for those; how to find your dog at night, how to find your dog in the woods. These will shed more light on your particular scenario.
Why dogs run away?
Understanding why dogs run away can help you in your search, but it’s more of a preventive measure. There are three primary reasons that we would share with you.
● Sexual Tension:
This happens when the dog is unneutered or unspayed; your dog would follow its instincts and go in search of a sexual mate in the area. Many dogs get lost this way. We would advise that you should have your pets neutered if you are not planning to have them breed in the future.
● Fear:
Bright lights, loud noises, other dogs can get your dog afraid enough to run away. You might not think of it, but those things might scare your dog. We would advise you have your dogs tightly on a leash or in a safe area when there are things that would scare your dog off.
● Boredom:
If your dog is understimulated and bored, they can run off to play with other dogs or just to have fun. They might get lost during this process. We would encourage taking out your dog for walks, playdate to keep them engaged and happy.
Once you understand and deal with these issues, the chances of your dog getting lost will be significantly lower. Here are more preventive measures for you:
- Your dog should always have a collar with an ID tag; containing your dog’s name and contact information.
- You could get your dog microchipped. It is a straightforward procedure where the chip is implanted at the back of your dog’s neck. It is a contingency measure in case your dog’s collar comes off. Any vet or shelter can scan it for your contact information. Learn more about how to find your dog with a microchip.
Do these, and you should be able to prevent your dog from getting lost. Here are some more tips for finding a lost dog:
Conclusion
With these tips on the best ways to find your lost dog, we hope that you’ll be able to find your dog, or you’ll know what to do if your dog gets lost, hopefully not. You must remember that you should start the search immediately, tell friends and family to help with the search, visit all surrounding shelters and pounds, finally, don’t lose hope.
To prevent your dog from running away, try to follow the tips we provided, and you should be good. Tell us about your experience finding your lost dog or lost cat? Or what would you do if it happens? Leave a comment below.
