Tips to Find your Lost Dog & How to Prevent Losing them.

Written By Tom Holloway

The First 0–10 Minutes: Stay Close and Call

  • Stay in the area where your dog was last seen.

  • Call their name clearly and calmly.

  • Listen carefully—your dog may be hiding or stuck nearby.

Exceptions:
If your dog regularly runs back to:

  • Your vehicle

  • Your home

  • A familiar location
    or if they’ve recently found something “interesting” to eat, they may already be heading there- then head there.

10–30 Minutes: Check Familiar Safe Places

  • Ask someone to check your home if it’s nearby.

  • Check where your vehicle is parked, especially if you drove to the location.

  • Think about places your dog feels safe—for example, a relative’s house or a frequently visited home.

    One dog once ran straight to the owner’s mother’s house, just five minutes away.

Alert the Police

  • Contact the police, especially if:

    • There are fast or busy roads nearby

    • There is a sighting near a fast road

  • Police can slow or stop traffic and prevent serious accidents.

Report Your Dog as Lost Online

  • Upload your dog’s details to DogLost as soon as possible.

  • Download the DogLost poster and:

    • Share it on social media

    • Post it in local community and neighbourhood groups

While doing this, remain near the last known location or move between there and your home/vehicle. If possible, have a familiar person stay at the original spot.

Print and Protect Posters

  • Ask someone to print and laminate (or encapsulate) DogLost posters.

  • Laminated posters last longer and won’t need replacing after rain or wind which you will be very thankful for if they are still missing in a couple of days.

After 30 Minutes: Begin Active Postering

  • Start postering in a ½-mile radius around the last sighting.

  • Increase the radius each day or half-day, depending on what you can manage.

  • If you receive a sighting, shift the postering radius to around that area.

Poster Tips

  • Secure posters firmly with cable ties.

  • Clearly state:

    • “DO NOT CHASE”

    • “PLEASE CALL WITH ANY SIGHTINGS”
      Nervous or spooked dogs will often run further if approached.

If You Are a Dog Walker (Not the Owner)

  • Contact the owner and get them to the area as soon as possible.

  • If the dog was spooked:

    • The dog is far more likely to run to their owner than to a walker or stranger.

  • For sightings, the owner should attend immediately if possible.

Maintain a Strong Scent Trail

Dogs often navigate using scent. Help them find their way back.

  • Walk repeatedly between:

    • The last sighting

    • A safe place (home or vehicle)

  • Leave a scent trail using worn clothing (e.g. socks or a T-shirt).

  • Avoid flooding the area with too many people initially, as this can confuse scent trails.

Check for Trapped Dogs

Actively search places where a dog could be stuck:

  • Garages

  • Sheds

  • Outhouses

  • Gardens

  • Construction sites

If Your Dog Has Not Been Found After 48 Hours

There is a higher chance that:

  • A) The dog was hit by a vehicle and not reported

  • B) The dog is trapped somewhere

  • C) Someone has taken the dog in

If it may be C, visibility is critical and so you need to:

Make Your Dog “Too Hot to Handle”

  • Increase postering, banners, and social media sharing.

  • Encourage people to:

    • Check microchips on any dog matching your dog’s description

    • Contact you or DogLost immediately

The more visible your dog is, the harder it becomes for anyone to keep them without being noticed.


Do not:

Waste time calling vets and dog warden unless your microchip is not up to date. Better to keep your phone line free.


Offer rewards- this usally encourages prank calls.


Walk around aimlessly not postering or targeting areas they could be stuck. It may feel like you are doing something but I argue this is a waste of vital energy and time.

Preventative Measures: Reduce the Risk

GPS Tracking

  • All dogs should wear a GPS tracker

  • Ensure the GPS has at least 30% battery before every walk.

  • Here’s 30% off Tractive GPS that we use:

    https://tractive.com/r/LI0PZL

Important:
AirTags are not GPS devices. They:

  • Rely on nearby iOS devices

  • Are often delayed by several minutes

  • Can fail completely

AirTags are a useful backup, but not a substitute for a proper GPS.

Safe Off-Lead Practices

  • Before letting a dog off lead:

    • Test recall using a long line

  • Progress by:

    • Dropping the long line while still attached to a harness (never a collar)

  • Before removing the line entirely, ensure:

    • The dog recalls reliably

    • The dog allows you to physically take hold of them

Environment and Bond

  • Use enclosed areas when recall is uncertain.

  • Build a strong bond so you are the dog’s secure base.

    • When frightened, the dog should run to you, not away

Microchips Chips and Tags

Make sure your micropchip details stay up to date so vets etc can contact you.

Make sure your details are on another tag so members of the public can contact you.

If your dog is nervous about being approached, put your number in large font on a harness so people can contact you without approaching your dog.

Tom Holloway
Next

Cold Weather Advice for Dogs