Our dog is a very important part of our family and that is why we must know how to act in the event that it gets lost and gets lost or escapes for whatever reason, generally in times of heat.
By following these guidelines we will have more possibilities of locating a lost dog, although the best option is always prevention. For this reason we will also present some very useful and simple tips.
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Index of contents
- 1 Why do dogs escape or lose?
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- 1.0.1 The heat cycle
- 1.0.2 Clueless with smells and games
- 1.0.3 Hunting instinct
- 1.0.4 Run away from his family
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- 2 My dog is lost, what do I do?
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- 2.0.1 Notify law enforcement
- 2.0.2 Use new technologies
- 2.0.3 Don’t leave the place where you are
- 2.0.4 Watch the door of your home
- 2.0.5 Spin around the area where it’s lost
- 2.0.6 Look for other dogs nearby
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- 3 Tips to prevent a dog from running away or getting lost
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- 3.0.1 Put the chip in your dog
- 3.0.2 Use a GPS locator
- 3.0.3 Make good use of the walking strap
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Why do dogs escape or lose?
Dogs are very curious and impulsive animals, sometimes they just find a trail and get confused trying to follow it. Other times their impulses overpower them when zeal strikes.
These are the main reasons why a dog runs away from home, or simply gets lost while taking a walk with his family.
The heat cycle
Both males and females suffer a lot during heat cycles, that’s why we always recommend castration since, in addition to preventing many diseases, it prevents dogs from having bad times during heat.
A female dog can be two or three times a year jealous, during which it gives off a very characteristic odor that makes male dogs highly attracted.
A male will attempt to escape the house and find the female’s scent to track, locate, and attempt to mate. The same will be done by the females, which during the end of the calo cycle, feel a strong urge to breed.
Clueless with smells and games
The most developed sense in a dog is its sense of smell, that is why they spend the day sniffing things and trying to follow traces of other dogs, animals or people.
It is also not strange to see them follow the trail of food that is on the ground, especially if we walk through towns or cities. If we add to this that they love to play with anything like a club, we have the perfect combination of cluelessness.
The owners are also partly to blame, since we trust ourselves that our dog is attentive to us and will know how to find us … something that often does not happen. Above all, if we are walking through new places, mountains, mountains….
Hunting instinct
It is not the first time that a dog has run faster than lightning, trying to chase something it has seen move, from a simple mouse to a cat, a bird or something that catches your attention.
Sometimes his hunting instinct is so strong that even if we call him he will ignore us, so he can very likely end up lost or disoriented when he decides to stop chasing his prey.
Run away from his family
Dogs are faithful, they are loyal but they are also intelligent. A person who does not take care of his dog, who does not take him for a walk, who does not care about him, who does not feed him well or even has him tied to a chain all day … he does not deserve to have a dog .
A dog that has a high average intelligence and is being abused, sooner or later will try to find a better home, if necessary, running away.
My dog is lost, what do I do?
Yes, we know that you are nervous and about to enter “hysteria mode”, but do not lose your cool because then you will not know how to find a lost dog.
We are going to explain everything you must do step by step, to increase the options of recovering your dog safe and sound. Remember that time is of the essence, finding our dog for the first forty-eight hours is our goal.
Notify law enforcement
It may seem absurd but we often overlook the most important thing of all, alerting the police that our dog has been lost. In this way, if they see it, they will know that it is lost and can notify us.
Likewise, if someone finds a lost dog and notifies the police, kennel or animal protector, they can contact us. Especially if our dog has the microchip required.
Use new technologies
There are trackers that can tell us exactly where our dog is in case it gets lost. They are small GPS locators that fit perfectly to the dog’s collar, without causing any damage.
These GPS locators will give us the exact position of where our dog is, so it will be a matter of very little time to get to where he is and return home with him.
Tractive is possibly the leading company in the sector of GPS for dogs, it offers several models of GPS locators for dogs of high quality at reduced prices, so they have become the main option in the sector.
They can be recharged with a simple charger, so we should not be buying and changing batteries. They are waterproof, so they do not spoil if it rains or the dog gets wet in a puddle and it is also very very small, weighing only forty grams.
Don’t leave the place where you are
That’s right, stay right where you are and call him by name aloud, shouting if necessary for as long as necessary.
Dogs when lost often try to follow their own trail, trying to go back the same way. They generally think of the last place where they were accompanied and there is a good chance that they will pass by.
If you cannot stay in that place for whatever reason (for example, find your dog in the area), leave someone known to the dog there. Let him call the dog and wait for him there.
Watch the door of you
r home
The same instinct that we have mentioned can make the dog run towards a place where it feels safe, that is, its home. That is why there are many dogs that when they get lost, they follow known odors until they reach their home.
It is very important that you leave a friend or family member at the front door, watching and waiting in case your lost dog returns.
Ideally, both the person who is in the last place, and the person who is at the door of the house (yes, you have to wait outside the house not inside), are communicated by phone to notify if they see the dog.
Spin around the area where it’s lost
Leave one person in the last place, another person at the door of the house and you, along with all the friends you can gather, make a whip around the area where your puppy has been lost.
Call him by his name in a friendly way, as if you were going to give him a prize, food, etc … That way he will feel attracted if he listens to you and will answer the call. If it is a scary dog, only people you know will look for it because they don’t want to get close to strangers.
Look for other dogs nearby
It is possible that the reason that our dog is lost is because he is in heat or is curious to meet a dog that lives relatively close.
Go to areas where there are more dogs, such as neighboring houses, dog parks, nearby farms, etc … in case your dog has gone there and they have seen it (don’t forget to ask).
Tips to prevent a dog from running away or getting lost
Common sense is our best ally when it comes to preventing our dog from escaping or from being lost. With these simple tips we will not only prevent you from getting lost, but we will be able to find it very easily if you do so.
Put the chip in your dog
In any veterinary clinic they can put a chip on your dog, it is inexpensive and lasts a lifetime. In many countries, it is even totally mandatory.
The Chip is put through an injection, it does not hurt and will leave your contact details in case your dog loses it.
If someone finds the dog and passes him a chip locator (something the police, animal welfare officers, vets do…) they will know who the dog is and can return it.
Use a GPS locator
If you are a hunter or your dog is an expert escapist, if the dogs are in heat or you simply want to prevent rather than regret…. use a GPS locator with your dog.
Its price is so low, that you will surely spend more on a single meal with friends … So you have no excuse, plan ahead and equip your dog with a GPS tracker to locate it in seconds, in case of loss.
It will be enough to put it next to its leash / collar and voila, your dog will be located at all times and will even warn you of an alarm on your mobile if it goes too far (you can configure this option, putting the meters you think appropriate).
We have a lot of experience locating lost dogs and believe us, no dog with GPS has been lost because with our mobile phone we can locate their exact position.
Make good use of the walking strap
There are leashes of half a meter and leashes of five meters, if your dog is in heat or you know that he is going to escape…. use a leash to go for a walk and do not let it loose. It is the best way to prevent it from getting lost.
Above all, we insist, in heat season. Because dogs become very instinctive and literally run away in search of a bitch or dog to mate with. That implies if it is not neutered, that they could have puppies….
Dogs neutered after one year of life hardly show these impulses, older castrates will take a few years to completely eliminate testosterone and avoid those impulses.