Lost Dogs: What to Do and How to Prevent it
It’s every dog owner’s worst nightmare: your dog has escaped and is now lost.
With warmer months, dogs are outside more, doors are open more often, and there is inevitably a spike in reports of missing pets. Here’s how you can prevent that, and what to do if your dog does get lost.
Preventing Your Dog from Getting Lost
Always keep your dog leashed outside. Unless you’re in a fenced-in area outdoors, keep your dog leashed. This includes public parks. There are any number of reasons to keep your dog leashed in public spaces, but one big one is that you simply cannot trust that they won’t get spooked and run. A well-trained dog may be able to ignore pleasant distractions like squirrels and other dogs, but it’s much harder to rely on your pet not to run away if they get scared. There are very long training leashes available if you want to be sure your dog has some freedom to roam outside.
Choose the right leash, collar, and harness and inspect them regularly. Different dogs require different equipment so make sure you have what’s right for your pup. For instance, dogs that tend to plant their feet and stop walking can sometimes pull loose from most collars and harnesses, so martingale collars are best for them. The same is true for greyhounds and other sighthounds who have narrow necks and heads. Strong dogs that pull forward do better with harnesses. There is no one kind of collar or harness that is the best - there is only what is right for your pup. The important thing is to make sure whatever you choose fits well and is in good condition. Leashes, collars, and harnesses are subject to a lot of wear and tear and can easily fray. Buckles can also loosen and carabiners can get bent. Collars and harnesses naturally loosen over time and should be checked regularly and tightened to make sure they fit properly.
Use secure fences. A lot of dogs escape from their own yards by tunneling under or jumping over fences. Make sure your fence goes at least 6 inches down into the ground to reduce tunneling, and check the edges of your yard for holes regularly. Your fence should also be tall enough to prevent your dog from jumping over. Keep in mind that many dogs can jump up to 3 times their height! Also be sure to check your fence regularly for loose areas and latches that don’t close fully.
Train important commands. Training for as little as 5 minutes a day can help keep your dog safe. Practice “come,” “stay,” and “wait.” A dog that knows to stay is less likely to run off. A dog that knows to come when called is less likely to get too far away if they do run off. And a dog that knows to wait for your command won’t bolt out of the front door unexpectedly. Speaking of which…
Secure your door. An open door is irresistible to some dogs, and some living situations make it much more likely that your dog will take advantage of it. Homes with kids or multiple roommates are far more likely to have outer doors opening and closing without someone paying attention to the dog each time. If you can’t be sure your dog won’t head outside next time they see an opportunity, cordon off the area with baby gates so your dog doesn’t have direct access to the door.
Spay and neuter your pets. Bob Barker is right. A dog that is spayed or neutered is less likely to go chasing after the opposite sex.
Make Your Dog Easy to Find
The absolute best way to make sure your dog doesn’t stay missing for long is to make it easy to identify. That means getting them chipped and making sure they’re always wearing a collar and tags that display contact information.
Collar and Tags: The number one way that dogs and owners are reunited is through contact information on the dog’s collar or harness. There are countless ways to make sure your dog always has your contact information handy. If you don’t like the noise traditional tags make, just search “silent dog tag” on Etsy and you’ll find thousands of options. Some of these can slide onto a harness. You can also get your dog’s name and number embroidered directly onto their collar or engraved on the buckle. We’re linking to Etsy searches but a quick google search will show you even more options. The bonus of wearing a collar: If your dog is loose and wearing a collar, it makes it easier for people to hold on to it and attach a leash.
Chipping: Microchips are small electronic chips that are injected between your dog’s shoulder blades. The chips are about the same size as a grain of rice, so it’s a quick and easy procedure. Many rescue groups chip their dogs before adopting them out. If your dog isn’t chipped, your vet can take care of it easily. There are very real benefits to having your dog chipped: dogs with microchips are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owners. But it’s also important to know the limitations of your microchip. For one thing, there is no actual information about your dog stored in the chip—all it contains is a unique identification number. Microchip manufacturers host registries where you can tie that identification number to your contact information so if your dog is found and scanned a shelter can reach you. It’s your responsibility to add your information to the registry and keep it up to date. There is also no universal registry for microchips, unfortunately. But the American Animal Hospital Association has created the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool which will at least tell you which manufacturer has produced your chip, and thus which registry to search in.
Your Dog is Lost: What to Do
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our dogs simply get away. Here’s what to do when your dog is missing.
Make posts and posters about your dog. Detailed information is key here and your post should include the following:
Photo
Description and identification
Whether or not your dog is chipped
Contact information - share a few ways for people to reach you.
We have put together templates that you can edit in Canva below—feel free to use these to get started.Share widely. The more people keeping an eye out the better. Share on neighborhood forums, social media sites, and put hard copies up around the neighborhood. Tag @dcdogmoms in your Instagram story and we’ll try to reshare it as soon as we see it.
Call local shelters. When someone finds a loose dog, often the first thing they do is call or visit the local animal shelter. In DC, your best bet is the Humane Rescue Alliance. Check back regularly.
Enlist help. Ask friends and family to help search your neighborhood. Make sure everyone knows NOT TO CHASE your dog. Even if your dog is incredibly friendly, chasing them will only make them run faster - they’ll think it’s a game. Bring some tasty treats to help encourage your dog to come to you.
Lost Dog Alert Templates
POSTER TEMPLATE - This is sized to print on regular paper. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your phone number, create an email address specifically for the purpose of finding your dog - i.e. HelpFindScout@gmail.com.