Tips for Finding Your Missing Dog

Dogs

Tips to Help You Find Your Dog

It's every dog parent's nightmare: you call your dog in from another room or the yard but receive no response. So you call again. Still nothing. Your heart races, your stomach flips, and you fly into a tornado of panic and denial. But your quick lap around your property confirms it: your dog is missing.

It's nearly impossible to think clearly and stay calm when your dog is nowhere to be found, which is why it's so important to have a plan of action now - before you need it.

Every lost dog case is unique, but there are common, well-proven techniques that I use with all of my lost pet clients to set a solid foundation for a successful recovery campaign. Time and time again, I have seen them work. The trick is, there's no science to this, which means you can't just do one or two of these things; you really have to do them all because you never know which effort is going to be the one that brings your dog home.

1. Respond Immediately to Your Missing Dog

As soon as you notice that your dog is gone, spring into action. Many dog owners waste valuable recovery time thinking their dog will come home on his own. Even if he's gotten out and returned of his own accord before, there is no guarantee that will be the case this time. Get signs up in your yard, on your front door, and on your garage door to let people know your dog is missing and this is his home.

2. Hit The Streets Looking for Your Dog

Next, you'll start your search and spread the word by hanging flyers around your neighborhood. If you can, take at least one other person with you - that way, one of you can search, while the other hangs flyers and knock on doors.

A few tips for effective flyers:

• They should be in full color;
• include a large, clear, full-body photo;
• include a phone number;
• include a few descriptive items (like species/breed, weight, color);
• and advertise a reward.

If you can't whip up good-looking, color flyers quickly, it's okay to put up hand-written ones and replace them with better ones later - but you must remember to go back. The handwritten ones are just to get the word out quickly; you need high-quality flyers to keep people's attention over the long run.