Losing dogs

I don't know how easy it is to lose a dog bags as ours have always been on a leash when excercising or walking ( because the dog has always been able to run faster than me) but talking to the lady at the Rescue Centre last week when we made enquiries about rehoming after Barney dying she did say a lot of people are taking "lost" dogs in when in fact she believes they belong to the person taking them into the Centre & financial reasons are the cause of them being taken in there,as to losing them I feel maybe dogs are left to wander off out of sight and then get a scent of another dog and follow that scent,at least the owners are making an attempt to try and get reunited with their pet.

We used to have a terrier who was a naughty runaway. He could squeeze through the tightest hole and run like the wind. It was only when he was 15 I could keep up although OH managed better because he was a sprinter in his youth.

Have learnt a lot since original dog and are more careful with our choices. Our present lurcher is a sight hound so we have to be careful to keep an eye on her. Fortunately at five and a half she doesn't do this quite so often but I still like to keep her under control.

Our fence blew down yesterday in the storm. Our dogs go in and out through the cat flap as it pleases them and I didn't notice at first they had gone...out through next door neighbour's garden.

I was about to go out searching when I heard a 'let me in it's perishing' yelp at the front door. But that's how easy it is to lose a dog.

Last time the fence blew down and they were younger and more adventurous they took off and it was hours before I found them.

Aka so glad you found them and they hadn't gone too far.

Here in Switzerland all dogs have to be microchipped and registered with the local Council and an official internet register. This is more to do with being able to idnetify a dog causing damage to people ore cattle/sheep, but also to find owners quickly if lost or hurt (killed in TA, etc). An excellent idea.

Sight hounds are a worry aren't they. Mine is only allowed off the lead on nearny farmland or on the beach, but, even there she sometimes disappears into the dunes and, of course, being a sighthound once she loses sight of us she's lost. A lot of dogs still get stolen these days, even from gardens. A friend had her two labradors stolen but, thankfully, because they were microchipped they were released and were returned to her.

I don't think it's that easy to lose a dog. I've always had dogs, and only ever lost one. The issue there was a high hunting urge and an adolescent dog. She was only gone 10 mins and if I'd stayed put, rather than trying to find her, it would have been less as she returned to the spot she last saw me. Back to basic training till recall re-established (adolescent dogs are like teenage children, they forget what you've already taught them about manners and coming in on time).
I'm becoming a bit of a grump about the number of people who get dogs, without realising how much work and commitment is needed.
Glad your dogs had the sense to knock at the front door Aka. We also have a fence down and our dogs looked at the gap this morning, then at me, they 'knew' not to step through the hole.

Tegan I know just what you mean. So glad your friend's labradors were returned safe and well.

I have only lost the one dog but it was many times throughout his life, right up until he was 18 and the day before he died. He escaped and disappeared to the other side of town. Despite our searching high and low he was only returned after the person he visited rang us; we were frantic with worry. He had a lovely last day on this earth and suffered a major heart attack?

Don't know where the '?' came from, it was supposed to be a full stop.

lizg and tegan - chase obsessed lurchers are probably the easiest of dogs to 'lose' as 'retrieving and coming back' are not often in their behaviour repertoire.
my current lurcher is now pushing 10 but still has a tendency to shoot off after something he thinks need chasing but if I stay where I am and whistle he will usually eventually trot back. but my previous lurcher (female) would take off and keep going - her previous owners had never even attempted to control her or teach her the basics of 'recall'
I have also found that dogs who are old and about to die take themselves off (cats do too) as if they know it is their time and are looking for a quiet place - much to the anguish of the owners who go looking for them.

We have always had dogs but at one stage when we had two labs., the dog was very strong willed whereas the bitch wouldn't leave my side. As we,at that point, lived out in the country with no formal garden to fence in, the dogs would generally lie about outside. One day though, they did disappear, I was frantic and phoned our neighbouring sheep farmers not to shoot our dogs, they were great and said we will phone if we see them. A neighbour did phone eventually and said she saw them walking along the pavement in the village along with the congregation heading for church! Jumped in the car and found the two of them sitting outside the church enjoying being fussed over!

Last time she disappeared into the dunes she came back to the whistle only to then jump the last bit which was several feet above the beach [thankfully she was ok]. But they need that 5 minutes of madness don't they [and it's such a beautiful sight seeing them run flat out].

I hadn't thought of that Mollie but you are right about the old animals.

Our Lurcher now meanders off then slopes back to me after a short time. I can almost always see her in the distance even if I can't run after her though.

Yes Tegan usually being chased by some other poor dog trying to keep up

We had a beagle when the children were tiny and, despite our best efforts, he could 'bounce' over a 5 foot fence and race round the village. I lost count of the number of times I had to trail round the village with two babies trying to find him.

Bassets are a good bet, or at least ours were, it was all too much effort for them and, anyway, the ears get in the way of running!

We also had two miniature schnauzers one of whom would go about 20 yards ahead and then come back to check whilst the other would go about 2 miles before it dawned on him that he ought to just make sure we hadn't abandoned him!

My FIL had a beagle; very sweet but toally untrainable. Used to disappear all the time [and he lived on a main road in Birmingham. I've been wondering about Basset Hounds for my daughter [who insists that she's never going to have a dog but then keeps trying to find a breed of dog that will fit in with their lifestyle, as her youngest son adores dogs]. I've always said if I was going to have a dog that size I might as well have a labrador, but they need too much exercise. I know they have lovely natures [and certainly can't vault over fences, although I'd imagine they can dig underneath ].

I think someone else has a basset. I have never met a basset who wasn't good with children. Ours used to eat sandwiches leaning back against the dogs, between the front and back paws and the dog never moved.

Although, my mother made a chocolate and orange cake and put it in the middle of the large kitchen table to cool, went to answer the door and when she came back there was no sign of the cake, just the wire rack under the table.

There is a Basset Hound rescue place that might be worth looking into.

They do moult which is why we started having miniature schnauzers. They are not so good with children. I doubt bassets could be bothered with as much exercise as a lab it would be all too much effort!

We have acquired our son's 'Dubai' dog, who is whippet like and remains mostly on a lead on walks because he will run after any hare, muntjac or squirrel he sees! We used to let him off and he disappeared for 4 1/2 hrs in freezing and wet weather. He is microchipped and labelled and we alerted all local authorities but he actually returned to the place where we lost him , a kind lady had phoned us and was waiting for us to collect him!
What stress, we love him dearly but he does cause angst and our dear old 11.1/2 yr old Lab tolerates him happily

Years ago when we lived in the Sussex countryside we had a mongrel called Jim who ended up being called 'sexy-Jim' by our various neighbours in our village. He could track down a bitch in heat from miles away. He'd disappear for days on end. He got so well known the bitches' owners used to drive him up to our cottage, he'd slink in with a guilty look and spend the next few days sleeping it off. We begged my mother to have him neutered but some reason she wouldn't. Until a local farmer saw our dog trotting through his field with a lot of lambs present. He was concerned that he'd start worrying the sheep and told my mother to fix him or else. Best thing he did as the silly old pooch was at the Vet's the next day. I think Mum was concerned that his character would change. She was very relieved that it didn't and he led a long and happy life.

Some of the forums I go on have a section for lost and found dogs and it's heartbreaking. Usually I just don't look at them, unless there's one like our dear little border collie. Many times I've thought of saying "we'll have him (or her)" but restrained myself.
In some areas there's a market for dognappers, the animals are either sold because they're valuable, or sold to laboratories for experimentation.