Border Collie Bedtime Stories: Lost Dogs--Lost Dog Prevention Tips

Lost Dogs:
Pet 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.

"How to Prevent the Great Escape"