There is nothing worse for a pet owner than losing his dog. And all happens in a fraction of a second. One head turn, one distraction and the next thing you know is that your dog has gone missing.
On one way dogs get distracted very easily by a certain smell, object or other animals. They are very curios by nature and we can not blame them for that.
But we can not help but worry sick about their well being when we don’t know where have they gone and how are they doing. Especially for a domestic dog, the real world can be very scary and dangerous.
As true as it is that dogs get out all the time, lucky for us there are a lot of qualified people nowadays that can help worried dog owners find their beloved pet as son as people. Among those people we can mention police officers, dog trainers, trained dog rescuers and even ordinary people that offer to help with as much as they can.
The best thing to do is avoid panic and follow this 10 steps to raise the chances of getting your pooch back within 12 hours.
#1 If you act straight away after you see he is missing, chances are you will find him somewhere near. When you start looking actively immediately, make calls and wave treats around, you have 89% more chances to find your lost dog within 12 hours.
#2 Always start the search at the place you first lost him from your sight because dogs tend to wonder in expanding circles. Bring with you a familiar smell for him like his favorite toy, a clothing etc and if you still don’t see him, than leave the item there and check every few hours during the day. Normally dogs gravitate towards what smells familiar.
#3 On the cases where you have put a microchip on your dog, go and check online databases for any news. Using a microchip is a simple and yet very effective way to find your way back to your lost pet.
#4 Start searching where their favorite places are. Same as humans dog gravitate towards familiar locations.
#5 Slowly start widening the circle of your search since dogs too tend to widen theirs as the time passes. This is in cases you have already searched nearby and his favorite places.
#6 Learn how to use effectively dog posters. Hang the flyers on eye level and always use colored photo of the pet so it can be distinguished better by the people who might have seen him. Cause in those cases they will have it much easier to know is the same dog when the picture is colored. When you offer a reward leave some detail out of it so you can quiz the callers and scan out any scammers.
#7 With the internet blooming, social medias have become a perfect tool when you need to alert something and spread the word out quickly. Post a digital version of your lost dog poster and make sure it is shared by as many people as possible.
#8 Let the police department and shelter in that area know about your missing dog. So if any of them finds a dog that fits your description they know who to call.
#9 And if you try everything without seeing result, consider getting a specialist to help you with your search. There are private detectives out there that are capable of tracking your dog down. They have the right connection and resources.
#10 And more importantly never give up and don’t despair. Dogs tend to come back home on their own when they feel that the real world is too much for them. As long as you have faith, chances are he will walk back on the front door in any given moment.