What should I do if I have lost my dog?

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There is no worse feeling than the moment that you realise that your dog may be lost, whether it be whilst out on a walk or from your home. Don't let guilt hinder your search, these things happen, however careful we are. In fact, almost 200 dogs go missing every day in the UK with 75% of microchipped pets being swiftly reunited. Try and stay calm, panicking will stop you thinking clearly. Here are our top tips on how to go about trying to get pooch home safe and sound and as quickly as possible.

What should I do when I realise that my dog is missing?

The first thing we would recommend doing if you are out and about is to drop a pin, on your phone, to remember exactly where you were when your dog went missing, this is especially important if you are off the beaten track with no obvious landmarks. Now spend a while walking around and calling your dogs name and asking passers by if they have seen your dog. If your dog has gone missing from home. check with neighbours, check their usual walking routes and dont forget any areas in the house that might provide a cosy place to hide. Hopefully your dog is micro-chipped and is wearing a collar and tag, (these are both required by law), so ensure that your phone is charged and with you in case a kind samaritan has found your dog.

I have checked the local vicinity but my dog is still missing, what now?

If you have had no luck in finding your dog it is time to alert the relevant authorities.

Microchip company - This should be probably be your first call so that they know your dog is missing and no one else can fraudulently change your details. You can also make sure that your contact details are up to date. Some microchip companies will also be able to send out an alert on their network.

Local Vets - Ring around all of the vets in your area, or the area in which they went missing. Its amazing how far a dog can travel in a short space of time so try and cover a decent area.

Local Dog Warden - Your dog may have been found and handed over to the local dog warden for safe keeping.

Local Pet Rescue Centers - Many of these centres keep a database of lost and found dogs and will alert you if a match is found.

Police - It is worth asking at your local police station as they may have had a report of a stray dog in the area. This is especially important if you think that you dog may have been stolen.

On-Line - Post a picture of your dog on your social media sites, any local community forums and with any lost and found groups in your area. There are lots of volunteer groups that will help to arrange search parties, make posters etc and that also offer chip scanning to people that have come across a lost pet so get in touch with them as well.

If you are reading this because your dog has gone missing The Good Kennel Guide hope that you have found this information useful and are soon reunited with your pup. If you are reading it to be prepared, just in case, then we hope you will never need it and have links below to GPS trackers for dogs which could make the search a whole lot if easier if the worse should happen.

TKSTAR Mini Waterproof Tracking Device £42.99