LOST DOGS
LOSS PREVENTION TIPS
By Debbie Hall
#1 TIP: Keep your dog leashed
when you are outside your home. No
exceptions, no excuses.
By accident or carelessness, a “lost dog” can happen
to anyone. Dogs are lost by owners as
well as those in the “dog business” world, including: foster homes, daycare
facilities, groomers, kennels, breeders, rescue and transport people,
petsitters (professional or
family/friends) and Veterinarian clinic workers.
WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY
Collars: Dogs frequently slip out of collars. Be aware of situations that might encourage
a dog to bolt, such as:
Other animals that your dog wants to chase or run away from.
Strangers, especially men (no offense) directly
approaching the dog.
Sudden loud noises – see “Big Noise Events.”
Buy a fluorescent or brightly colored collar and
check for “snug” fit. You should be
able to fit two fingers between the collar and the dog’s neck. Check the fit of the collar often. Puppies grow and adult dogs can gain or lose weight, just like humans.
Leashes/Cable Runs: Replace if frayed, worn or
chewed. Dogs have run away with leashes
& cables still attached and the risk of being “hung up” is high. Retractable leashes do not provide optimal
control when a dog is straining to bolt, especially if the dog has good
“tugging” power. If a dog bolts with a
retractable leash attached, the noise it makes clattering on the ground can
further frighten the animal. If it doesn’t
retract, the line could get hung up on something and effectively tie the dog
like an anchor. Do not assume a dog will bark for help if it does get entangled
while still on a lead. More likely, it
will remain quiet and still, so as not to attract predators while it is in this
vulnerable position. A sturdy cloth
leash is a better choice, wrapping the handle around your wrist several times.
Big Noise Events:
Dogs can be frightened by loud noises that didn’t seem to bother them previously.
July 4th fireworks are set off prior to,
during and after the holiday and not just at “official” locations.
Thunderstorms – Don’t leave dogs outside or
unattended. They can develop “storm
phobia” at any time.
Construction noises– nailing guns, big delivery
trucks and landscapers, to name a few– at your home or nearby.
Car backfires, loud parties, motorcycles, sirens,
gunshots and boat horns can easily upset a dog.
Fences: Fenced yards do not guarantee
a pet’s safety without proper monitoring on your part! Gates can be left open or unsecured. Fences may have rotting or missing
boards. Dogs can dig under, jump over
or climb up and over. Tiny dogs - “beloved pet” to you, possible
“food” to eagles/hawks during the day, owls at night. Fences do not contain “escape artist” dogs or guarantee
prevention of other animals getting in.
Electronic fences used in conjunction with a “training” collar do not
keep other animals from entering your
yard. Dogs have bolted from
their yards, despite previous “reinforcements” from the collar/fence
setup. Snow banks & hard pack
drifts can dramatically reduce fence heights, allowing dogs to easily jump over
what was previously too high for
them. Dog houses or other items placed
next to fences provide a “ladder” dogs can use to jump over a fence.
Doors: It only takes a few seconds for a dog to get
through an open door or one opened just a few inches.
Children, friends, delivery people and tradesmen
(i.e. painters, plumbers) – have all inadvertently left doors open long enough
for a dog to dash outside. People open
doors while they are trying to leash
a dog. Leash the dog before opening the door. Fostered and newly adopted dogs learn the
whereabouts of exit doors very
quickly and many bolt within 72 hours of arriving at their new home. Many have taken advantage of the door being
opened when an owner returns late at night and thinks that the dog is sleeping
and nowhere in sight.
TRAVELING
Vacations: Places that provide your pet with
new sights, sounds and scents can be interesting or scary. Have fun whether it’s a favorite vacation
spot or your first visit, but keep your dog leashed so it can go home when you do.
Just imagine losing your dog in another town or state and then being forced to return home without finding
him. Is that worth the risk, just so
“Rover” can run “free?” When traveling,
bring a clear and recent picture of your dog with you. This allows you to make up a flyer “on
scene” if your dog gets lost during your trip.
You can also have something to show to the Animal Control Officer and
area residents. If you leave “Rover”
home, give firm and clear instructions to the professional, friend or relative responsible for your
dog – “Do not walk my dog without its leash or harness attached.” “Never let my dog outside without its
collar and tags on.” Do not
assume your dog’s behavior in your absence.
It is not fair to put family, friends or a petsitter in the unfortunate
position of being the person who watched your dog run off, never to be seen
again. Do not
assume a dog will respond to voice commands from
someone outside the immediate family.
Do not assume the dog will behave
the same when separated from his human family.
Many unleashed dogs allowed outside, “for a minute”, have run away while in the care of a close friend or
family member. Owners assumed that their dog would be “fine”
because it “knew” the petsitter. If your pet’s nickname is “Houdini” and has
a prior record of escaping, you must
tell the person who will be watching your dog before they find out the hard
way.
New Home? Moving is stressful on families and their pets. As soon as you move into a new home, leash and walk your dog around the
yard’s boundaries several times a day.
Old familiar scents are now gone and they need to get accustomed to the
new smells. Do not wash your pet’s
bedding. You may need it as a
“scent” item to attract your dog if it should run away during this time of
transition. Give your pet ample time to get familiar with its new
surroundings. It may take weeks or
months for it to understand that this new area is now “home.” Don’t leave your dog alone at your “old” empty home while you are busy arranging
furniture at your new one. Your dog
will be confused and won’t understand why you AND the
furniture are gone. Plan ahead and make
sure your pet comes with you or is taken care of properly during this hectic
time.
Foster Home? You open your heart and
your home. Thank you! Never lost a guest yet? Great!
No matter what you are told, assume your new “guest” is an escape
artist. Remember; this dog is being
placed in a new home (yours) with “strange people” (you!) and has no clue as to
what’s going on. Do you have other dogs
that aren’t too enthused about the new arrival and adding to its
confusion? You already know you are
responsible for this dog the minute it is handed to you, so take a
precautionary measure for the dog’s sake, as well as yours. Put some type of local ID tag on a collar
immediately. This is essential if the
dog arrives with out-of-state, expired or no tags. No time? The dog won’t be
with you that long? You’ll get to it
soon? You’ll sorely regret those thoughts when you have to spend weeks or longer searching for a lost animal. There will be much guilt, loads of stress and a big lesson
learned the hard way. If you are in a
pinch, make a temporary tag by using the same little round tags that are used
by car repair shops. Sold in bags most
anywhere stationery is found, you can write 2 phone numbers, & the date on
one side, rabies expiration date on the other and seal with clear packaging
tape. You can also affix one of your
sticky address labels on the inside of a dog’s collar.
Rescue People/Transporters: Thanks to all; you are making a difference. You work very hard to save these dogs, treat
each one like the treasure it is. Use
caution when: transferring from kennels or crates to other vehicles, at
Veterinarian’s offices, shelters or foster homes and at “pit stops” in rest
areas.
Adoptions: Dogs that are adopted from
shelters or through rescue groups are lucky and special. Give them the love, time and attention they
deserve. Show them around their new
home. Take them for walks (on leash) in
the yard along the boundaries several times a day. This will hasten the learning process of scent association. Dogs have great scent memories and they will be able to recognize previous
spots where they marked. They will also
find and remember all the other
interesting things they scented during walks with you. They will start considering all of these
areas as their new territory within a
relatively short time if you are diligent about this positive reinforcement
exercise. These “walk-abouts” will help
a dog bond to you, as well as teach them that it’s “okay” to stay here, this is
your area. Please
pay extra special attention to exit
doors during the first month or so when you have a new “canine” addition to the
family. Children, friends and other
visitors to your home do not realize that an open door is an invitation for a
dog to bolt. Dogs that are still unsure
of their surroundings are just waiting
for the moment when they can “escape.”
They have pushed through doors open only a few inches. They have lain quietly in the dark of night,
just waiting for an exit door to be opened by an unsuspecting human. Opportunities abound and are never wasted by
the dogs that are looking for them.
Many new adoptive families assume their new dog ran away because the dog
didn’t “love” them. Though this
reasoning may help the family ease their guilt, the simple truth is that the
dog wasn’t given enough time to bond with them. Many dogs are at high “flight risk” until that bond is
established. Making a dog feel like
it’s a part of the family doesn’t just happen overnight. Simply put: Any dog put in
a new situation can feel confused and scared. Is there any good
but simple advice? Yes. It is far easier to adjust your schedules to
allow a few extra minutes each day to help your pet through this time of
transition. If you think you don’t have
the extra time, remember – your other option is to spend days, weeks or months
looking for your pet if it runs away.
Tags: Many dogs are lost with their
collars on but no tags attached. Make the effort to put an ID tag on
your dog’s collar. The big chain pet
stores have an automated booth set up for this and it takes only a few moments
of your time. It was actually fun to
pick the color, shape and layout of the tags I made for my dogs. Think about putting two phone numbers on the
tag. The 2nd number should
be someone who can reach you in case of an emergency and be easily reached by
those trying to call you with information about your dog. City/Town license tags should be
current. It is very
important to have
a current rabies tag on your pet. You
don’t want anyone to have to wonder if your dog is current on this shot. Insurance?
Put address label on inside of collar.
Microchipping and Tattoos: Ask your Veterinarian about
Tattoos and Microchipping.
Microchipping is gaining popularity fast. An easy way to permanently ID your dog and most shelters and
Veterinarians now have the equipment to scan for the chip. Tattoos are also permanent but require more
work on the part of someone trying to trace the numbers. There are many registries for tattooed dogs
– ask your Vet or check on the Internet for further information. If you are unsure, consider both means of
identification for your pet.
Common Excuses for Lost Dogs:
Too many to list
IF YOU THINK THAT THE ABOVE PREVENTION MEASURES ARE TOO MUCH BOTHER, YOU
SHOULD TRY THE EXERCISE BELOW:
Make 50 phone calls (to start) Construct 200 flyers (to start) Throw money at a copy machine of your
choosing or throw at least 2 printer
ink cartridges in the rubbish. Drive
around in circles for hours each day for one week. Make that two weeks, no make
that a month. Talk to people you don’t
care about. Talk to the ones who don’t
care about you. Skip important events
that you had planned to attend for months.
Skip whatever meal you most enjoy each day and spend it doing any of the
above items listed. Cry or swear each
day – choose one or both.
Lostdogsearch@aol.com 10/2002