We see a ton of missing dog flyers in our daily trips and it is always sad to see a family missing their pet. Here a few simple precautions to take if you want to avoid the heart-wrenching task of finding your dog:
- Don’t leave your dog unattended in the yard – I know you have a fence – but given enough time this can happen.
- Make sure the collar of your dog is properly fitted – This means that the collar should not slip under any condition over your dog – even if they decide suddenly to place the breaks and try to get out of it. I can not tell you how many times I have seen this. Unless you spent time and effort to teach, proof and then proof again in heavy distractions, your dog should not be off-leash in an area not fenced in.
- Be aware of your dog when exiting the car – Don’t be surprised for the 19th time your dog tries to get out of the car before the back gate opens fully.
- Know your dog when opening the front door – Does your dog have a history of sliding and rotting when the front door is opened? Be aware of this when you welcome people into your home and don’t assume that they know how to slip like a ninja through your dog and the front door. They might even forget that your dog likes to bolt.
- Make sure the gate is shut – This applies to all of us with fenced yard The landscaper closed the gate properly when he left the place. Hat the kids still left it open once again? Sind you sure? Check and check.
- Discontinue use (or repair) faulty equipment – Is your 1/2′′ leash joined by a few strands? Do you have a fence that is decaying and falling apart? It is the buckle of the dog collar bent or cracking? If so, it can be only a matter of time before the equipment fails and your dog goes. It’s fixed or replaced as soon as you notice something is not right.
- Have the correct tags and/or microchip – If all else fails and your dog comes out, make it as easy as possible for someone to contact you.
