One of the things that pet owners fear is losing their buddy that is not caused by death. Even if you think that your dog is always safe, you should be aware of the things you must do to prevent them from getting lost.
There are many ways that pets can get lost. For instance, when your lawn guy forgets to close the gate, giving your dog all the freedom to escape and explore the neighbourhood. Dogs can get scared of loud fireworks and thunderstorms, so they jump over your fence and run away. Their collar and leash can break, making it easy for them to just go through the open door.
It is true that there are many things that could happen, but this should not discourage you from owning a pet. You can prevent them from getting lost if you do these 7 things:
Most of the time, dogs get lost because the area is unsecured or they were not leashed. Even if your dog is well-trained, you should never allow him to roam outside with no supervision. A lot of pets get stolen or lost because of this. You can keep a dog from getting lost if you keep him inside a securely fenced yard, or on a leash. Putting a fence is mostly for tall pets that love to jump, and it should be planted at least 6 inches because dogs like to dig.
The fence must not have loose boards or open cracks so that dogs cannot push them. Some dogs can be controlled by invisible fences or pens, but others do not care and will just barrel through them, not letting the electric shock stop them. if you will be on an outing, put them on a leash and always supervise. A lot of dogs are stolen, get injured, or even choke themselves while wearing a leash.
Since the technology of the microchip was invented, a lot of people are reunited with their dogs after they got lost.
In case your dog’s collar comes off and they get lost, the shelter or vet can do a scan for your dog’s microchip. Your contact information, pet’s name, and main shelter or vet information will appear.
It is a painless process to have a microchip implanted in your pet, and your dog is not going to know it is there. The size of a microchip is only like a grain of rice, and the vet injects the microchip under the skin of your dog. It will stay there their whole life.
A microchip also becomes important when you need to claim your dog because you can prove that your dog is really yours because your information is on the microchip.
Aside from teaching your dog tricks and proper behavior, training is also important for their safety. This is especially important for preventing your dog from running away and get lost. You must train your dog to sit when the front door is open so they will not bolt out when it is open. Your dog must also be trained to come when you call their name, stay in a spot when you tell them to, and not chase prey outside.
A lot of pet owners make a mistake of thinking that training is only about the manners they teach them, but it could also save the life of your dog.
Lost dogs are unsupervised, and it entails a fence that is more secure. That means you must not leave your dog out for a long time when you are not home. You should also not leave them alone in the car. A lot of lost dogs are bored pets that were able to escape from home or your car.
Actually, thousands of dogs are stolen every year from those places. Some are lucky enough to be found, while others are lost forever. You can put your dog in a comfortable crate when you leave the house, or hire a pet sitter or put them in pet daycare on days when you are not home.
This is also why you must never leave your dog outside on a leash when you are not home. Someone who has been eyeing your dog can just remove the leash and run away with your pet.
Having your dog spayed or neutered is important in preventing overpopulation and keep dogs from being put in shelters. It is also important in preventing your pets from wanting to wander off and get lost.
When a male dog is not neutered, there is a higher chance that they will look for females because of their natural animal sexual behavior. Hence, an unneutered dog will not think twice about wandering off to look for a mate. This is dangerous because your dog can get hit by a car or someone can steal them.
If you neuter your dog, they will not have this instinct, which makes them calmer and you can rely on them to not give you behavioral problems in the future.
Spaying a female dog will also benefit them because fewer males will try to mate with them. An aggressive male causes a female dog to run away, which is why you need to remove this temptation from them.
Dogs are not all the same, and they have their own personalities. There are those who love being outdoors, and some do not. Normally, dogs that do not look forward to roaming outdoors have a lower risk of running away and getting lost. While dogs that love to be outdoors will surely run outside whenever they get a chance. That is one of the reasons why they are lovable. However, as a pet owner, you must take responsibility for caring for them and keeping them from getting lost. When you put a gate or fence, make sure that it is relative to your dog’s size.
If your pet is small, medium, or big, you need to consider this. Having a fence in the perimeter has two purposes. First, it is effective in keeping your dog safe and secure all the time, which also prevents them from going to unchartered territory. It also keeps predators and wild animals out, which ensures the security of your pet.
In case your pet can easily jump over large obstacles, consider this in choosing a gate. You need to make sure it is high enough that they cannot jump over it and escape.
It is normal for you to allow your dog to go out in the yard to play, poop, pee, and fresh air. However, if you are not home, make sure they stay indoors.
You need to make sure that your dog is inside the house when you are out to make sure they do not accidentally get lost. One common problem is that people think that all dogs roaming around are strays, but they really escaped from home. They cannot go back inside because no one is there.
In addition, if you have a small dog, you need to be more aware, especially during the night. This is because coyotes, predators, mountain lions, and hawks are roaming outside.
Never leave your dog alone outside while you sleep. If it is time for bed, take them inside with you too.
In case, no matter what precautions you did, and your dog still got lost, you must act right away. It is understandable if you panic because this is scary, but remember that they can be found or come home.
You must start searching right away either take your car with you or on foot. You can still try to check if you can still see your dog and catch it before they go too far. Contact your friends, family, neighbours, and get as many as people as you can to search for your dog. In case your dog is terrified and runs away from people, the people who are with you must stay in the car. They can call you in case they see your dog, while you search the area on foot.
Post about your lost dog on social media, but do not share too much information that could attract scammers. You can also put out flyers and posters right away.
Check if someone brought your dog to the shelter, and file a lost report.
You can easily do these 7 things to prevent loss of pets. If you have a missing dog, go to lostfoundrewards to help you.
