Seven Smart Ways - to be prepared in case your dog goes missing

Most of the 13 million dogs in the UK will always remain safe, so please don’t panic! According to just one of the officially recognised microchip databases in the UK, the number reported missing is 5,000 per year, with a quarter of those never making it home, which is horrific thought. Canine Search teams will tell you the actual number that go missing is many multiples of that figure. Most will be found, especially early in the first 24 hours. Dog theft does happen, but it's far more rare than social media comments would imply. Mostly, dogs are simply getting lost.

However, we can be prepared, so that this horrible nightmare is less likely to happen, and if it does happen, that we have the best chance of finding our pets safely and swiftly.

1. Keep a tracker on your dog. Make sure it’s always fully charged.

   • Which to choose? There's a variety, to say the least. Some use just bluetooth, more reliable ones also use GPS. None is perfect as they rely on signal in the area, but they can still make a life or death difference to your dog. The other divider is whether they charge a subscription or not. Some of the best do not, but please don't compromise.

   • My dogs wear Tractive on walks, and also have an Apple Airtag built into their collars all the time. Air tags aren't good enough on their own, as at times they won't pick up a signal at all, BUT the battery lasts a very long time. A dead battery is what stopped us finding Milo, as he WAS wearing his tracker when he got lost.

   • The info is all out there, but here's a set of useful reviews. Overall, Tractive comes out pretty much on top, with PitPat, which has no subscription, right up there too. https://www.smartbark.co.uk/post/best-gps-trackers-for-dogs   

   • Also read our blog post on Trackers

   
   
   
   

   

   Trackers can be attached to a harness or a collar

   
   

2. Check your garden for escape routes regularly and have ‘KEEP CLOSED” signs on doors and gates.

   • Get down to doggy level and really forage about. You'd be amazed how small a space a dog on a mission can squeeze through.

3. Check your dog is microchipped and that the chip is registered and updated.

   • Keep the details on your phone so you can report a loss quickly.

   • Here is a list of DEFRA approved microchip companies.https://www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-cat-microchipped

   • Check you're not using a scammer. They are out there.

   • If in doubt, register or even re-register your chips with https://petdatabase.com/doglosto   Many databases charge a small fee to register and offer premium services should you wish.

4. Keep a closer eye, or a lead, on your dog

   • In unfamiliar areas, near railway lines, open water or clifftops it's crazy not to. Safe Paws Network is campaigning for better warning signs.Find out who your go-to canine SAR team is in your area.

   • DogLost is a good start, and other areas have good and experienced teams. Register yourrself and your dog on https://www.doglost.co.uk so that if the worst happens you aren’t starting from scratch.

5. Be very familiar with the basic ‘rules’ on our home page.

6. Never stop training!

   • 'Every day is a school day', they say. Never stop reinforcing recall and other obedience training, however amazing your dog is. It's fun, and it's bonding. For puppies we recommend The ZigZag puppy training app.

7. Keep photos and basic details on your phone

   showing your dog from various angles and showing any distinctive features.

   • Check out our blog post and make your dog a 'Digital Pawprint'

KEEP THEM SAFE - BRING THEM HOME - EVERY SINGLE TIME