ways to prevent your dog from getting lost

Ways to Prevent Your Dog from Getting Lost

Do you always have a fear of losing your pet pooch? Are you constantly on the lookout for ideas to prevent this catastrophe from happening? Well, if the answers to these questions are in the affirmative, then this article, which features some easy, yet effective ways to prevent your dog from getting lost, will surely be of help to you.

Did You Know?
According to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, only 22% lost dogs from animal shelters who were not microchipped could reunite with their families, whereas, this number increased to 52% when dog owners started microchipping their dogs at a rapid rate.
It can be very stressful, as a pet owner, to come home and find your beloved canine missing. Even more stressful is when you realize, that not only is your canine missing, but you have no reliable means to find it. To avoid such a disaster, there are certain things and responsibilities that you, as a dog owner, should take up. Being a responsible dog owner does not only mean feeding the dog and taking it to a vet when sick. There are many other responsibilities, like getting the annual vaccination of the dog done, ensuring the canine gets regular exercise, spending some quality time to strengthen the bond between yourself and your pet dog, and keeping yourself updated with all the laws and regulations regarding your pet.
How to Prevent Your Dog from Getting Lost
Keep a Check on Fencing and Gates
Open gates and the gaps in fencing are the easiest ways for your pet to run away and explore the world outside. Hence, it is important to secure these areas to prevent your dog from running away. Also, keeping a periodical check on these exit points for maintenance will also prevent the dog from escaping. If your dog is tied in an unfenced area, ensure that it is out of sight of passersby. If you have a doggy door, lock your pet inside when you are not at home to protect it from snakes, bees, and other insects, as well as thieves.
Get a Good Collar and Leash
To keep your dog from getting away, a good leash with a collar is a must. If you are not going to be around for some reason, never leave your dog without the leash, even if it is a friendly breed. Animal behavior cannot be predicted, and when you are not around, your pet may behave differently. Moreover, without a leash, you dog may prove to be a risk to the people around as well. Also, in most places, it is illegal to leave the dog outdoors without a collar and leash.
Keep an Eye on Your Dog
The best way to prevent your dog from getting lost is to know where your dog is at all times, and to never leave it unattended. Also, if you are taking your dog along while shopping, do not tie it up to a pole outside the store. The dog might slip out of the collar and run away, or it might be stolen. Instead, take the dog only to stores where pets are allowed, or keep it at home tied safely in the yard, or locked inside its kennel.
Tie Your Dog Before Opening the Door
You should never leave your dog unleashed while opening the door for someone to come in. The dog might get an opportunity to run out of the house when you open the door. You can either put the dog on a leash, or keep it in another room. You can also train the dog to sit and stay in one place when there is someone at the door, but this is not a very reliable option, as dogs are inquisitive by nature, and will not keep still when the doorbell rings.
Avoid Taking a Newly Adopted Dog to Public Places
If you have a dog that is newly adopted, then the chances are that it is not very well-acquainted with the place. In such cases, the dog might get scared, and if you take it out for a walk during this time, it might look for chances to run away. To prevent this from happening, you should wait for the canine to get acquainted to the new place, before taking it out to public places. For the same reason, you should never take your canine to places or events that can frighten him, like a 4th of July fireworks display.
Train Your Dog
Training your dog is also an important way to ensure it does not run away or get lost. If your dog is on a leash all the time, consider giving it some off-leash time, so it is not looking for ways to escape the leash. Most dogs have a lot of energy, and require some form of exercise to keep their energy levels in check. A dog that is tied all the time will be more likely to run away to explore if it gets a chance.
Use Microchipping Technique
In spite of all your care and protection, pets do get lost, or worse, stolen sometimes. In such cases, an identity tag is very important. These days, microchipping is becoming increasingly popular. In this method, a microchip is implanted at the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades of the dog. The chip has a unique code number, which can be read by a scanner using a radio signal. Microchipping offers easy identification, which enables veterinarians to contact owners in case of emergency procedures. It makes the pets traceable to their breeder, thereby reducing the problem of puppy farming and the instances of infectious diseases that many dogs suffer from. Furthermore, it contributes to the prevention of pet theft, thereby reducing the number of stolen pets.
Get a License for Your Dog
Apart from the fact that it enables easy identification of the pet, in most states, it is illegal to have an unlicensed pet. To avoid being fined for an unlicensed pet, it is extremely important to not only license your pet dog, but also to renew it each year. Furthermore, the license should be attached to the collar of the dog and be displayed at all times.
A Few Quick Tips
In addition to these, here are a few more tips that can help prevent your beloved canine from escaping and getting lost.
► Exercise your dog daily and take it to the dog park.
► Give treats for good behavior.
► Avoid leaving your pet unattended.
► Don't give your dog's custody to people you don't know personally.
► Put a bell on the collar of your pet.
► Have a small gate to block the main front door.
Lastly, a dog might run away to explore whatever you haven't allowed it to explore. Hence, while disciplining your dog, let it enjoy some freedom, but only under your supervision.

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