Lost Dog
by Angelica Steinker, M.Ed.

No matter where you live you have seen the signs "Missing Dog". This is the story of that missing puppy. Her name is "Freckles".

One evening a couple of weeks ago Katie was happily walking her puppy Jack Russell Terrier, Freckles, when a bike rider accidentally startled the puppy. Jack Russells are very quick and boom she hit the end of the leash like lightning. Despite having a firm grip on the leash, the puppy managed to yank the handle right out of her owner's hand. Now the retractable lead was clunking and bouncing on the ground and causing the panicked puppy to bolt even faster. Within minutes the puppy had darted off and her owner, despite running as fast as she could, had been unable to follow her.

It was now 8:30 p.m. on a Friday night and "Freckles" the 5 month old Jack Russell Terrier puppy was missing. Within two hours the owners had passed out so many flyers in the neighborhood that it looked like it had snowed. In addition, the owners put up huge signs announcing a reward for anyone who might find the puppy.

After a sleepless night Freckles was still missing. Her owners felt that everyone in the neighborhood knew about the lost puppy and were getting increasingly concerned about her missing without a trace.

As a last resort the owners decided to bring in a tracking dog. There are only a few dogs in the Tampa Bay area that are trained well enough to track a lost dog. As the lady with the tracking dog pulled up in her van the owners were approached by a landscaper who calmly informed them, "I found your puppy". The landscaper had discovered Freckles in a cow pasture which was adjacent to the yard he was mowing. Freckles's leash had gotten snagged up on a tree and she had spent all night sleeping in the cow pasture. Freckles wiggled and squirmed like crazy to get into her owners' arms and they were reunited with lots of licks in the face.

After Freckles was found her owners wondered about several things. What can one do to prevent losing a dog in this manner? Why did the puppy fail to bark or whine and alert people of her presence? And why was the puppy found so close to the spot where her owner had accidentally dropped the leash?

Freckles got lost because the leash was easily pulled out of the owner's hand. Retractable leashes are notorious for slipping out of people's hands. If you have a dog that might bolt when panicked and does not reliably come when called avoid retractable leashes. Consider getting a cotton or nylon lead and tying it to your belt or around your waist line. This actually frees up your arms and is recommended by people who power walk or jog with their dogs.

The reason that Freckles did not whine and attract attention to herself is, because she was afraid. It is instinctual for a puppy to remain quiet when separated from her pack (in this case her owners). Making noise is likely to attract predators and cause the puppy to be lunch rather than found.

Finally, the reason Freckles was found so close to where she was originally separated from her owner was also because of her instinct. It is instinct for a lost dog to double back and return to the spot where she was separated from her owner .

So if you lose your dog, remember the following:

• Immediately notify neighbors that you have lost your dog. You can do this using both flyers or going door to door in your immediate neighborhood. Consider placing a huge poster in your front yard with detailed information about the dog and any reward you might be offering.
• Create and hang posters with very basic information that can be read while driving.
• Call Hillsborough County Animal Control and notify them that you have lost your dog.
• Call ALL of the local shelters and notify them about your lost dog. When you call shelters have your dogs identification number on hand. Most shelters require that you come to them in person to see if your dog is being held. Act fast, you have only three days to pick up your dog or else he/she might be euthanized do to over crowding.
• Call the offices of all local animal hospitals and notify them that you have lost your dog.
• Call friends and neighbors to help you in your search.
• While searching for your dog, do not rely on your dog giving you any verbal signals of where he/she might be located. If your dog is scared he will most likely be quiet.
• While searching make sure to check inside burrows, inside of sheds, and underneath porches.
• Search the area where you last saw your dog and the surrounding area very carefully, since your dog may be attempting to return to the spot where he was separated from you.
• As a last resort consider calling in a tracking dog. This will only be effective if the area where you lost your dog is not a swamp and if your dog's track is less than 24 hours old. The top tracking teams in the Tampa Bay area report a 50% success rate of finding the lost dog.
• Keep a first aid kit for your dog on hand at all times. When you find your dog he might be in need of first aid.
• Notify everyone you had alerted after your pet has been found.

The most important thing a dog owner can do is to keep some means of identification on your dog at all times. A collar is NOT enough to assist in identifying your dog. If you want to find your dog, a tattoo or microchip are the most effective methods of identification.

Prevent losing your dog by keeping your house and yard secure at all times. Taking these precautions can greatly ensure that your lost dog can become a found dog like Freckles!

© Copyright 1998 Angelica Steinker, M.Ed.
Author gives permission to print out and distribute this article for educational purposes providing both the author and this website (www.courteouscanine.com) are cited.