Over the past few years I have been writing L-O-N-G blog posts on how to find your lost pets and they've helped countless people reunite with their best friends BUT I've come to realize that some pet owners want Q-U-I-C-K advice (especially when they are on the run) so I've composed the following SIX simple tips for you to refer to in your time of need! I hope this helps ease your mind and reunites you with your furry friend soon!
1. Since most lost dogs are scared they will not come to their owners when found so the best way to get them to come to you is to crouch down to their level. The lower you are to the ground, the less threatening you are!
2. Make no eye contact with them because dogs see a stare-down as a challenge from you and they will become intimidated.
3. Place your hand out as low to the ground as you can with a treat or food and wait while making no noise or sudden movements.
4. Keep trying to build their trust by sitting nearby for a long period of time to let them get used to you.
5. Besides placing a lost pet alert on Craigslist and Facebook, fliers are the #1 way to help owners reunite with their missing pets. If you are too overwhelmed to create a flier, Pet Bond will create one for you in a matter of minutes!
6. Leave something that smells like home (such as a dog bed, an item of your clothing, and/or a favorite toy) as well as food and water on your front steps as soon as your dog goes missing.
When my tabby cat, Henry, got away for six days I was so frantic that I lost sleep and skipped meals so please do the opposite of what I did and take care of yourself while you search for your dog so that you will be refreshed and ready to take care of your him or her when you are reunited!
Really useful tips. Thank you. Hopefully I'll never need to use them - but I did have a heart-stopping moment when Monkey the Greyhound caught his nose on what turned out to be an electrified fence last year, snatched the lead out of my hand and bolted. Luckily a fellow dog walker knew a short cut and managed to get in front of him and grab his lead about 20 minutes later. Longest 20 minutes of my life. No chance of catching up with a greyhound.
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