Likelihood of getting your dog back after losing it?

[skKi]

How likely do you think it would be that you/someone else would find your dog if it got lost or ran off?

I had a close call a few weeks ago where a friend and I were walking our dogs off leash in a forest and her dog ran off and went missing for about 20 minutes. Seeing as I typically don’t walk Pit with a collar and tag on, this got me seriously considering it.

After reading a bunch of collar and tag threads, I got to thinking about what would probably happen if Pit actually got away from me without his collar on. The most likely scenario would be I would lose him in a forest while he's running around off leash. Chances are, however, that if he got lost in a forest, he wouldn't approach anyone or let them come to him. He gets extremely nervous when he's by himself for some reason, which makes me question the usefulness of dog tags. If not killed by a lion, bear or coyotes, he'd probably turn feral like my breeder's toller did after she ran away, only to be found stuck somewhere, 7 months later, wanting nothing to do with my breeder at all.

What do you think your dogs would do? Do you think they'd look for people, hide in fear, enjoy their freedom? Have you ever lost your dog and found it/had someone bring it back? How many of you have your dogs collarless on hikes? My main concern is it would get snagged on something if he got lost. I know there are breakaway collars, but then what's the point if the tags break off anyways?

 

[CaliTerp07]

Lucy's escaped several times. She figured out how to open door knobs and get out of our apartment, so she's was the resident dog in the community for a while.

She never ran AWAY, just AROUND, if that makes sense. It was a game of exploration for her. She'd let people get within 20 feet of her, then run off another 20 yards and wait for you to catch up. If you crouched down and waited for her to come back, she'd run out of sight.

Every time though, she's eventually gotten bored (or tired) of running around, and will let us (or a neighbor) catch her, or will hop into the car as we drive past her. She loves people x10234982734, and I can't imagine her avoiding people for more than 30 minutes or so.

 

[vanillasugar]

Sierra is so people centric that once she was bored of freedom she would run frantically to the nearest human and demand their attention. Since she always has a collar on (and is never off leash anyways), the only way for her to get lost would be if she either slipped her collar or somehow got out of a fenced yard.

She isn't microchipped, so without a collar I don't know how easy it would be to get her back. I'd be looking frantically, so hopefully that would result in her being found. With a collar, she's got two phone numbers on. And she ADORES people, it would just be a question of wether or not they bother to phone/turn her in.

 

[JessLough]

Rosey had escaped lots of times, kids find it amusing to open the back gate while she is in there, or they open it so she can come play with them. She does her rounds around the neighbourhood, then runs to the front door and sits there until somebody notices she is gone

However, she once lost her tag off her collar while on a walk, and we got a phone call a few weeks later from somebody saying that they found her on the street hit by a car, and she did not make it The tags just happened to be near where the dog was found, so they assumed they belonged to the dog. At least we got her tags back, and somebody tried to do the right thing

 

[Dekka]

I can't imagine loosing Dekka, and not in the OMG I would be devastated, just in the I couldn't shake her if I tried lol.

I am not sure the others. Kaiden would happily just find another human and just chill with them. For him one human is good as another. Bounce would likely try to find humans, she loves all people. Kat and Solo like people but might not go to people when frightened and alone.

 

[mrose_s]

When Buster was young he used to run off on the regular, chasing things. Not safe seeing as all our walking spots were right near a crocodile infested river, once he came back soaking wet.
It used to be mainly when my stepdad took him out, he just wouldn't watch him properly.

Buster has great recall, I even called him off a rabbit a few times but he switches off once he knows we can't see him, while ever he knows you are watching, you have some control, but just behind those tree's... all bets are off. Its why we only walk offleash in open spaces now. Everytime you get him near bushland you start seeing him trying to stalk quietly into the bushes.

One thing he is great at though, is finding us again, once he went missing for about an hour, my mother could just not find him, they were about a 40 minute walk from the house so they went to walk home ot get the car and come back, halway home he just pops out of the bushes in front of them. It doesn't matter how far you move from your original spot, I think he tracks back to us and always pops up. So far.

I don't know what he'd do if someone tried to approach him.

 

[JacksonsMom]

Good question.

Jackson is really shy when it comes to strange people. He likes to go up to them and sniff them but once they reach down to pet him, he kinda ducks away. He would be a really hard dog to catch I think simply because he's scared of strange people.... they would have to approach him *really* slow and with a really yummy treat. Any fast movements from a stranger will make him run farther I would imagine.

We live on 3 acres unfenced, backed up to 90 acres of farmland behind us. Behind this farmland and wooded area is a neighborhood. Well... he found it once. He literally went down the whole farmfield, through the woods and I heard him barking from a distance. He used to be so reliable off leash but once he turned one, it seemed to all go down hill. I was lucky enough I knew where he was and could hear his bark so I walked all the way through the woods and he finally came running once he heard me.

He's not really a 'darter' just more of an explorer... he likes to wander around. He's gotten out maybe 3x in the last 6 months (once was Easter, lots of family over) and I looked and all the sudden I see him just standing near the screened in porch, I was like wtf. So I opened the screen porch door, called his name and he came running right in. We've been working on recall alot and I think it's been working (we have a 50 ft lead we practice with).

He's got a collar on 24/7 simply because it makes me feel better. If someone were to be able to catch him, that my number, etc would be on it. He's also microchipped so if by chance Animal Control or someone were to pick him up and they scan for it.

 

[Maxy24]

Max used to get away A LOT. basically he wasn't exercised enough and was a door darter (so if people were coming in or you opened the door to stick your arm out and grab the mail he's wiggle through legs and out the door ASAP).

He came home by himself ONCE because it was snowing really hard and he hates snow. Otherwise we'd have to catch him or someone else would. What made it even more difficult was if he saw someone looking for him he'd try harder to run away because dad usually beat him when he came home
We rarely got any calls for him, I think people were scared of him, I'm sure the moment he saw anybody he would run full speed straight at them and a large black dog frothing at the mouth (he always came back covered in slobber from running so hard) and running straight at you may be cause for concern lol.

We found him once making out with a family of children on their front deck lol.
The only person who ever called us was the man up the street with the hound dog, he wound up there twice.
Once he went all the way up the street to the very busy main road and was running along the sidewalk, uncle saw him while he was walking looking for him and ran as fast as he could and tackled him.

But usually me and my brothers walked around armed with treats and dad drove in his truck calling his name until we found him. He'd jump into dad's truck if he opened the door and he'd come to us if we had treats and/or acted really friendly so he didn't feel like he'd get hit.

NObody would have stolen Max lol, he acted way too much like a wild man when he ran away.

 

[Xandra]

Like Dekka, I can't see myself "losing" Roman. He's not really a wanderer, the only time he wanders is if he's bored to death. He doesn't spook. And he has a nose. So I really don't know how I would REALLY lose him.

That said, Roman pretty much ignores strangers. He *might* go over for a quick sniff, then he moves on. Now, if a stranger tries to entice him over or catch him... he takes off, and I imagine if really cornered he would become aggressive. He'll approach other dogs if he's bored.

As to whether he'd go feral... it depends. In Pacific Spirit Park, uh no. Someone would see him, call AC, offer him food etc, and he'd be hungry so he'd probably approach people. But in the bush... he'd probably go feral to a degree but I simply can't imagine him rejecting his family.

I would get a breakaway collar if you're concerned about him. They don't just fall apart, it takes a certain amount of force to break them... so if Pit did run away, there's still a good likelihood he would be found avec collar.

All of Roman's collars are really loose, like necklaces lol. He could easily squirm out of them. When he goes on hikes he always has a collar on, just for ease of holding onto him if a horse goes by or whatever. I never worry about him getting hung up because he stays very focused on me and is almost always only 15 paces ahead of me.

 

[PlottMom]

The nice thing about these scenthounds is they'll go to anyone, for the most part. The beagles who have gone missing while hunting have always found someone who called us if we didn't just run into them ourselves again. Daisy never wants to leave my side so she's a moot point. Bear chewed through a lead strap while we were camping at a dog show (I was napping) and someone caught him goin' across the road to the cornfield at dusk, lookin' for a coon and called the number on his collar.

My biggest fear was when Liz ran off being trampled by the horses - I knew she was terrified, but had no idea how badly hurt she was. Luckily, a nice woman and her kids found her - obviously she was still willing to go to strangers for help.

 

[DobeLove]

Ours have gotten out the front door a few times, and we just tell them they are going bye bye and they run back and hop into the van.

Once Seven, Anna, Jessie, and Avril got out (landlord came and left the gate unlock and it swings open easily) they were gone for about 2 hours and I was freaking out. We were driving around trying to find them. Then we went into a different neighborhood and someone had all 4 of them in the back of his truck and was trying to find their owner. He said they were just running, chasing cats and eachother. So if they are all together, I am assuming they would stick together. I think if Avril and Anna got out together, they wouldn't come back to just any random person.

According to my neighbors, all of my dogs get out every day while my moms at work and I am at school. They told us that they run around and bite everyone they see. Yeah.... Right. My sweet dobes, either A) Figure out how to unlock a deadbolt and open the front door. B) Open the locked slider that has a stick in it to keep it from opening. C) Open the door to the garage, press the button to open the garage then get out. Then they would have to come back and put everything back to the way it was. So maybe I have super dobes that know how to get out??

 

[Xandra]

I should add that he does have a weakness. Enticing him over by calling him, food, etc. he ignores or runs away. But he's a sucker for playing. I imagine if someone just started throwing a ball, he would fall in love with them lol I can't imagine someone standing, throwing a tennis ball, and him ignoring it, and I can't see him NOT wanting the ball to be thrown.

My sweet dobes, either A) Figure out how to unlock a deadbolt and open the front door. B) Open the locked slider that has a stick in it to keep it from opening. C) Open the door to the garage, press the button to open the garage then get out. Then they would have to come back and put everything back to the way it was. So maybe I have super dobes that know how to get out??

Your neighbor is a crazy, but just wanted to say that A is not so far fetched. My GSD figured out how to open the deadbolt and went and visited a nearby school. We ended up putting a cage over the lock. BUtt, he didn't put the deadbolt back. Luckily the wind blew the door shut so the other dog didn't get out.

 

[Laurelin]

Nikki ran off once. A board had rotted in our fence and she managed to escape that way. The people directly behind us had left their gate open. She made herself right at home playing with the neighbor's kids... We went walking the neighborhood looking for her and there she was, just having a blast...

Summer you couldn't PAY to run off. Seriously. Actually any of the papillons you couldn't pay to run off. If they've been accidentally left outside they will sit and cry by the door until you let them back in even though they all can fit through our fence.

If say for some reason they did figure out a way to get lost (would be hard because they're pretty much glued to their people as a breed). Summer would be found immediately and would be one to befriend someone as fast as she could. Mia would likely take some time to catch but I'm sure someone with the appropriate motivation could catch her.

 

[Amber]

Junior probably would not leave me, but if he was being watched or boarded or something and he got away, we would all probably be SOL (including him). He would avoid strangers at all costs, and he's fast and agile enough to avoid getting caught. He only wears his collar on walks, it irritates his skin if he wears it more than that.

Amber on the other hand would definately (and has) wander away and not give it a second thought. If someone tried to catch her, she probably wouldn't run away, but she probably wouldn't come if they called her. So, her chances would probably be better than Junior's.

 

[ACooper]

Our dogs are ALWAYS wearing tags & collar when we leave our property, but they are always 'naked' here at home, LOL

Phoebe did take off once years ago soon after she was adopted. (she was a door charger) She ran around the neighborhood doing God knows what (probably chasing squirrels or rabbits is our best guess) until she was tired of it and came back home. We searched and called for her for about an hour or so, gave up, went back home to make phone calls and she showed up on her own a little while later. She was wearing her tags and collar, and she has a chip implant as well since she was adopted from the HS.

Orson does not have a chip, and if he somehow escaped with no collar on, my first thought of what he would do would *probably* be to get into a fight with another dog if he could. So that would most likely land him in the lock up or dead..........I highly doubt someone would catch him and keep him but you never know.

Both of ours are pretty well taught to NOT leave the property. They stand at the open front door while we carry things in, they'll stand at the open back yard gate if the kids leave it open. Orson did go through the gate about a week ago, (we were carrying branches from our downed tree out) I yelled at him to get his little black hiney back in that gate and he hustled it back to the yard, LOL........but it could have went down differently!

 

[AussiesMom]

Aussie has only made the "great escape" once and was gone for about an hour. I found her sitting on the front porch of our neighbor's house two doors down. I'm not sure if she was just being neighborly or just so stupid she didn't know it was the wrong house.

She rarely wears a collar except when we go to the vet. We have a fairly large back yard and that is her realm. She has a chip so if she was picked up by animal control there would be a good chance of getting her back.

Sorry this just reminded me of my childhood dog Frisky. He was just a mutt but about the smartest dog I've ever owned. This goes back 40 years when there wasn't leash laws and it wasn't unusual for dogs to run the streets. Frisky would hook up with the mail man (who belonged to our church) and go with him on his rounds scaring the birds off the grass. At the end of the day the post office would call the house and ask Frisky's Mom to come get him.

 

[MandyPug]

Mine don't have tags, but it would be a serious feat for them to escape hard knox here.

But i'm 100% sure if they did get out somehow and if someone did get a hold of them, i would probably not get them back. They're Pugs, they're a popular breed and they're so friendly with the exception of Ruby. I don't think Izzie would be very nice to live with though, she'd constantly be howling and looking for me. She kept that up the whole week i was in Ottawa.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

my guys always have collars and tags on--being hounds, I would not trust that they wouldn't make their way far from home. They are not off leash unless in a contained area. Having said that....
Baxter is an easy going guy and would allow someone to approach him--but he is so driven by his nose that he is tough to catch up to! He has darted out the door--although he is much better about this than a few years ago. One time he did come home on his own (I couldn't go out after him on that occasion). I worried sick that he would be half way across the state--but he came home, happy and stinky (rolled in something nasty!)
Wilson--I have no idea what he would do.

 

[Sweet72947]

I couldn't see losing Daisy, because she doesn't run away. I've had her since puppyhood, and I started right away teaching her offleash stuff. When Daisy was a teenager, she did take off across the street once, and go over to the neighbor's yard a few times because she wanted to play with their dog, but otherwise she always stuck close to home. At the old house we had several acres unfenced, and we would let her out there offleash all the time, and she would just sniff stuff (had to pay attention to her though, or she would follow her nose and wander off). If Daisy did somehow get lost, she wouldn't come up to any people, although if someone took the time, I think they could get her to approach them for something to eat.

Now, Benji could conceivably get lost by taking off after a critter, but its not likely since we don't let him off leash anywhere except our yard, and he respects the electric fence. He's little and cute, so somebody might decide to keep him if they found him. Benji would definitely approach people, he needs attention too much not to.

Both the dogs are microchipped, and they both wear collars with identification.

 

[HayleyMarie]

well I could not see my dogs running away. I live on 220 Acres of land with no fence and never had a problem with dogs running away. We put alot of training into the dogs to teach them to stay in the yard and our land.

Teagan does not wear a collar at home, but when we leave my place I put her collar on her that has a tag with my phone number and adress on it. Just incase, as you never know.

Although Teagan is aloof with strangers I think they could catch her easily if they had food. Or bent down to her level and called her.