These four words are some of the most terrifying to those of us who are dog owners. Our dogs are part of our family, we love them, we care for them and we keep them safe. The very thought of them being lost and alone is enough to make our hairs stand on end. We do all we can to train them to come back to us when we want them to, to look for us on walks, to stay behind the front door at home when it opens.
Working in a Vet Surgery showed me how easy it is for dogs to go missing, and the steps that animal welfare workers will take to reunite lost dogs with their owners. The UK has over 800 dogs go missing every day – as July is Lost Pet Prevention Month, we thought we’d look at some of the reasons dogs get lost, and how we can help to keep them safe.
Reasons Dogs Get Lost
1. The wanderer. Some of us have dogs who are naturally happy to explore at great distance from us. As a mum to Pointers, my dogs are never happier than when they are allowed to chase a flying bird, and that can mean running through fields, across boundaries and even roads if they can.
Working in a Vet Surgery showed me how easy it is for dogs to go missing, and the steps that animal welfare workers will take to reunite lost dogs with their owners. The UK has over 800 dogs go missing every day – as July is Lost Pet Prevention Month, we thought we’d look at some of the reasons dogs get lost, and how we can help to keep them safe.
Reasons Dogs Get Lost
1. The wanderer. Some of us have dogs who are naturally happy to explore at great distance from us. As a mum to Pointers, my dogs are never happier than when they are allowed to chase a flying bird, and that can mean running through fields, across boundaries and even roads if they can.
2. The scared dog. We’ve all heard of our own ‘fight or flight’ instinct, and our dogs have it too. Fireworks, thunder or even a loud lorry can make dogs so frightened that they feel the need to run away.
3. The open front door. We’ve all been there. The parcel arrives, the living room door is open and someone forgets to secure the dogs before opening the front door. Before you know it, our dogs who were safely tucked away inside are wandering around the street saying hi to the neighbours.
4. The hole in the fence. We think we have our very own Fort Knox for a back garden, and all of a sudden our tiny dog has escaped through a gap in our stock fencing. Or our big dog has decided he’s a champion hurdler, and the four foot fence is just simple jumping practice.
5. The stolen dog. Whether they are left outside a shop on a lead, in an unlocked car, in an unsecured garden or stolen on a walk, dog theft is scary and happens more often than we realise.
What Can We Do To Prevent Our Dogs Being Lost?
1. Have your dog’s microchip checked. We know that here in the UK since 2016 it is a legal requirement that all dogs be microchipped by six weeks of age. It is highly unlikely that your dog’s chip will ever fail, but they can occasionally move and it is always worth having your Vet do a quick scan each time you’re at the Surgery.
2. Keep your dog’s microchip up to date. Out of date ownership details, location information and telephone numbers are one of the most common reasons that Vets and dog rescuers can’t reunite you with your dog. Moved house? Update your details. Changed phone number? Update your details. Changed jobs? Update your work number. Changed email address? Update your email address. Make updating your dog’s microchip as standard as updating your details with your bank, and this will ensure that if someone ever finds your dog, the Vet or Dog Warden will be able to make contact with you straight away and reunite you as quickly as possible. If you’re not sure which microchip company your dog’s chip is registered to, use www.checkachip.com to find out.
3. Always have an ID Tag on your dog’s collar. In the UK, it is a legal requirement for any dog in public to have the name and address of their owner shown clearly on a collar or ID tag. This law makes sense – it is so much easier to bring a lost dog home quickly if we have their address immediately available to us. We also recommend having your phone number included too. We don’t suggest including your pet’s name on your ID tag – if a dog is being stolen, a stranger knowing their name makes them immediately more familiar to your dog.
4. Maintain your home and garden security. Whether it is simply a daily fence check, or a more complex baby gate arrangement in your hallway, there are several easy steps we can take to make sure our home is safe and secure for our dogs. And always remember that visitors, guests and contractors in your home are unlikely to be focussed on keeping your dog inside and secure, and so pay extra attention to external doors and gates when people visit your house.
5. If you can’t rely on recall, use a lead or long line. This is so important. Even a dog with reliable recall will sometimes have a bad day or week, or we may forget to practice calling them back often enough until we realise it doesn’t work anymore. There are many reasons why a dog who’s recall isn’t reliable should be kept on a lead or a long line, but high up that list of reasons is their own safety. Remember too that some dogs can have really great recall in some situations, like at the woods where there’s not much open space, but it can fail in others, for example at the beach where there are other dogs, birds, waves and miles of sand ahead of them. Always take the time to work on your dog's recall training - it could save their life.
6. Use a Dog Tracker. Technology can be our friend, and a simple device attached to our dog’s collar on walks can immediately tell our smart phone where they are.
7. Use a Secure Dog Walking Field. If you’re not sure how reliable your dog’s recall might be, or just want some relaxing free running time for both you and them, consider hiring a freedom field for some safe, secure exercise. Check out https://dogwalkingfields.com/
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