OT: Any advice on finding a lost dog?

[mauconnfan]

Ugh. We were visitng people in a pretty remote area - mostly large working ranches, and our 1 year old dog, who is not a wanderer, dissapeared. It's been about 10 hours. We've done the obvious stuff - contacted all nearby neighbors, posted on social media groups, contacted the local humane societies and animal control. She was wearing a reflective collar with ID and our phone numbers.

The whole family is pretty distraught. She's a really sweet dog, and I'm sure she's scared to death. And it's been getting down into the 20s here overnight. I gave up searching about an hour after dark. But I plan to head back out there at first light. Anyone have any tips on searchnig for a lost dog in a rural area?

I realize this is a long shot, but worth a try. I'd really like to see our dog again.

I can't imagine. As Dove said the dog treats box shake or bag shake. I feel awful for you and your pup praying for a miracle for all!!!

 

[UConnDad]

Attach an Apple air tag to the dog’s collar.

 

[August_West]

Look into an Apple Air Tag. $25 and you can attach it to her collar. Well worth it!

^This
They are amazing.

Short of that many people microchip their dogs, but its not a locator GPS, its an ID tag that Vets and pounds can read if a dog ever gets lost and turned in. There are not GPS locators small enough to put under dogs skin, you cant "find" a chipped dog, you can have a chipped dog returned to you though if found by someone. Taping an Airtag to a collar is a great idea. I had them in all my luggage this summer when British Airways screwed us, and a 3rd of it was in London a 3rd of it was in Glasgow and a 3rd was in NYC. I knew more about my luggage than the fricking Airline who lost it did.

 

[NJHusky]

A Thanksgiving miracle! Are there tracker locators that can pair up with your phone so this never happens again?

YES!! we had a much less stressful event when our dog took off after a deer for about 15 min, but nonetheless scary. We got a Jiobit. It clips onto the collar, is the size of a matchbook and has real time locating when u need it. Uses both cell and Gps and it’s only $10/ mo. We don’t walk our dog in the woods without it. The real time locating is key. Jiobit.com

 

[NJHusky]

Look into an Apple Air Tag. $25 and you can attach it to her collar. Well worth it!

I think AirTags work off of bluetooth/apple users so they need to be around Others. If your dog is lost in the woods I don’t think they will work

 

[HCCForever]

Thanks to everyone who helped us here.

My wife stayed overnight at the place where the dog went missing. Apparently she went out and called for the dog a few times during the night. Around 4:30 she jumped in our truck, which has a ridiculous LED light bar (thanks to the previous owner) and started driving around back roads again. Just before 5 she saw the dog dart across the road about 3/4 of a mile from where she was last seen, and finally managed to track her down. The dog was obviously freaked out, and tried to run away from my wife, but she finally got her into the vehicle. She's kinda banged up, but they just got home about 30 minutes ago.

Phew. Thanksgiving has been saved.

Thanks again!

Very nice. I always used the car trick when my dogs got loose. Fortunately, this didn't happen often. They would run from me but usually couldn't resist the opening of my car door. Glad all is well.

 

[Umami Zen]

Thanks to everyone who helped us here.

My wife stayed overnight at the place where the dog went missing. Apparently she went out and called for the dog a few times during the night. Around 4:30 she jumped in our truck, which has a ridiculous LED light bar (thanks to the previous owner) and started driving around back roads again. Just before 5 she saw the dog dart across the road about 3/4 of a mile from where she was last seen, and finally managed to track her down. The dog was obviously freaked out, and tried to run away from my wife, but she finally got her into the vehicle. She's kinda banged up, but they just got home about 30 minutes ago.

Phew. Thanksgiving has been saved.

Thanks again!

Great news.. For future reference and having been a dog owner (primarily Lab/Lab mixes) for a long time.. Most retrievers/terriers/hounds,etc fall into one of two broad categories..They are either scent driven or sight driven.. Depending on the DNA of your pup and their natural tendencies.. Its best to try to control/manage them --whenever possible--from those natural tendencies. As well as using those tendencies--as it looked like you did-- To find them when they go off on an "adventure".
We currently have a Lab/Bassett mix rescue --bred in the South for hunting-who is a scent hound. If he is off leash without us around.. He is gone following whatever scent he can wherever it will take him... We've got coyotes/bobcats/other bigger critters who are frequently nearby. Trying to avoid them at all costs.
Extremely happy this worked out.. Enjoy your holiday/Family/and of course-- your Pup..

 

[Waquoit]

I am very happy this story had a happy ending. I wasn't expecting it.

 

[superjohn]

Thanks to everyone who helped us here.

My wife stayed overnight at the place where the dog went missing. Apparently she went out and called for the dog a few times during the night. Around 4:30 she jumped in our truck, which has a ridiculous LED light bar (thanks to the previous owner) and started driving around back roads again. Just before 5 she saw the dog dart across the road about 3/4 of a mile from where she was last seen, and finally managed to track her down. The dog was obviously freaked out, and tried to run away from my wife, but she finally got her into the vehicle. She's kinda banged up, but they just got home about 30 minutes ago.

Phew. Thanksgiving has been saved.

Thanks again!

Awesome ending, I was concerned for you.

I'm curious, what state are you in?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Thanks to everyone who helped us here.

My wife stayed overnight at the place where the dog went missing. Apparently she went out and called for the dog a few times during the night. Around 4:30 she jumped in our truck, which has a ridiculous LED light bar (thanks to the previous owner) and started driving around back roads again. Just before 5 she saw the dog dart across the road about 3/4 of a mile from where she was last seen, and finally managed to track her down. The dog was obviously freaked out, and tried to run away from my wife, but she finally got her into the vehicle. She's kinda banged up, but they just got home about 30 minutes ago.

Phew. Thanksgiving has been saved.

Thanks again!

Man I'm so glad for you. I worry about stuff like this all the time.

 

[Get a Job]

Awesome ending, I was concerned for you.

I'm curious, what state are you in?

Relief, presumably.

 

[NJHusky]

Man I'm so glad for you. I worry about stuff like this all the time.

If your dog wanders get a tracker for his collar. They are small and cheap

 

[Chin Diesel]

I am very happy this story had a happy ending. I wasn't expecting it.

Post. Handle.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

If your dog wanders get a tracker for his collar. They are small and cheap

They don't wander and we have trackers. I'm just borderline irrationally attached to both of them.

 

[87Xfer]

Look into an Apple Air Tag. $25 and you can attach it to her collar. Well worth it!

Great idea!

 

[87Xfer]

They don't wander and we have trackers. I'm just borderline irrationally attached to both of them.

Aple Air Tag or something else in your case?

 

[87Xfer]

Awesome ending, I was concerned for you.

I'm curious, what state are you in?

Thank! Southwestern CO.

 

[CL82]

When we had her spayed, the vet asked casually if I wanted them to chip her. The idea just sounded kind of weird and invasive so my immediate, hasty reaction was no thanks. I'll be looking into it today for sure.

I’m really happy to hear this!

Remember, that a chip doesn’t allow you to track her. It only allows animal control to see who the owner is. Using an Apple AirTag is a great idea, particularly if you have an iPhone. 10 best GPS trackers for dogs

My dog is an old lady and I doubt she would run off lead, but I never take her off in any area she is unfamiliar with. Even with the dog that is terrific off lead 99% of the time, you just never know when that one percent is going to happen.

 

[87Xfer]

I’m really happy to hear this!

Remember, that a chip doesn’t allow you to track her. It only allows animal control to see who the owner is. Using an Apple AirTag is a great idea, particularly if you have an iPhone. 10 best GPS trackers for dogs

My dog is an old lady and I doubt she would run off lead, but I never take her off in any area she is unfamiliar with. Even with the dog that is terrific off lead 99% of the time, you just never know when that one percent is going to happen.

Thanks for clarity on a chip. AND the 10 best list I'm researching tracker options now, and if I'm reading things correctly an Air Tag wouldn't help if she's in the middle of nowhere, half a mile from the nearest network or Apple device. But I may need to read more.

We spend a lot of time outdoors in places with zero cell coverage. Something like a Tractive GPS-based monitor may be a better fit in very rural areas?

 

[nomar]

When we had her spayed, the vet asked casually if I wanted them to chip her. The idea just sounded kind of weird and invasive so my immediate, hasty reaction was no thanks. I'll be looking into it today for sure.

Now that she's safe and sound, I'll chime in and say it's worth it for the peace of mind. The microchip in our dog is monitored by a company called HomeAgain. I just looked and we pay $22/year.

I know the microchip isn't a tracker but it's still worth it, in case your dog's collar comes off.

 

[87Xfer]

Thanks for clarity on a chip. AND the 10 best list I'm researching tracker options now, and if I'm reading things correctly an Air Tag wouldn't help if she's in the middle of nowhere, half a mile from the nearest network or Apple device. But I may need to read more.

We spend a lot of time outdoors in places with zero cell coverage. Something like a Tractive GPS-based monitor may be a better fit in very rural areas?

Looks like GPS-based devices like Tractive still need cell coverage to work, but better than nothing. I guess if I'm in the middle nowhere, and I don't have coverage on my cell, I'm out of luck anyway without something like a satelite based Garmin InReach device or something similar.

 

[Scrutineer]

Happy endings are always great. Happy Thanksgiving too!

Quick, funny story, involving one of our cats when we lived in a small city in Upstate NY.

One of our two cats was adventurous and would burst out the door whenever she could and one day in early Fall she did so and didn't come back. We got on our bikes and rode the streets in a half mile radius, calling her name, but quit when it got dark. Before work the next day and after work we did the same. No luck.

The third evening, during dinner, I had a premonition and looked out on the back door landing and there she was, huddled up near the door looking up at me. She was such a good cat and we were relieved she hadn't been run over or snatched up by a fox or some other animal.

We had no idea where she had been for 2 1/2 days until my neighbor mentioned something when I told him she had gone missing and come home. He had a barn that he used as a garage and a workshop and often would leave the door open during the day and close it at night. He hadn't opened the door for several days and when he did that day the cat shot out the door and to our back porch.

 

[Vancat]

Now that she's safe and sound, I'll chime in and say it's worth it for the peace of mind. The microchip in our dog is monitored by a company called HomeAgain. I just looked and we pay $22/year.

I know the microchip isn't a tracker but it's still worth it, in case your dog's collar comes off.

For people not familiar: HomeAgain is actually free. The fee you are paying is for extra stuff. If you don't pay it they still retain your information.

 

[superjohn]

Thanks for clarity on a chip. AND the 10 best list I'm researching tracker options now, and if I'm reading things correctly an Air Tag wouldn't help if she's in the middle of nowhere, half a mile from the nearest network or Apple device. But I may need to read more.

We spend a lot of time outdoors in places with zero cell coverage. Something like a Tractive GPS-based monitor may be a better fit in very rural areas?

You're probably fine if you are always with someone but if you're making these trips alone where you're off the grid so to speak it's good to always tell someone/text someone where you're going in case you run into trouble for whatever reason. Always bring a lot of water, protein bars and a good idea to have a little flash light, flare, weapon on you.

I'm sure you know all this since it seems you're outdoorsy and live in a fairly remote part of the country.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Looks like GPS-based devices like Tractive still need cell coverage to work, but better than nothing. I guess if I'm in the middle nowhere, and I don't have coverage on my cell, I'm out of luck anyway without something like a satelite based Garmin InReach device or something similar.

At the end of the day every tracking system requires you to have some means of communication with the pet. Even GPS trackers can go squirrely if there is heavy top cover.

You're doing the right thing of going through the different technologies and fingering out what works best for you.