Doggone Etiquette —

Missing Dog

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

The word today is STAY HOME! (I know that’s two words, but as in all “talk” to dogs, it is said as one.) If someone leaves your gate open, do not wander through to see what’s going on outside your safe fence. Those lovely scents you follow every day on your walk disappear under the snow and ice. You could get totally lost very quickly. Keep one eye (or both eyes) on the door that your VIPerson opened to let you out. After you’ve done your business, bark at that door so they’ll know to let you in.

Here is one final BIG word of advice. Are you listening? Good dog. Do NOT, ever, go with someone who is not a good friend or with someone you don’t know. If they offer you super treats, don’t take them. Bark loud and long! And if they try to grab you, do two things you are normally not allowed to do. GROWL! And BITE – hard! Then continue barking! Now I’ll tell your VIPerson why they should praise you for this.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:

There has been a surge in dog-napping across the country and Connecticut is no exception. A dog that is thought to be lost, or is reported lost, suddenly turns up either “for sale” or in a shelter a great distance from its original home, even crossing state lines. This type of theft is important enough that, according to the American Kennel Club, State lawmakers are considering making dog-napping a serious crime.

Here are a few of the many things you can do to prevent your dog being lost or stolen. The two most obvious ones are to keep Rufus where you can see him. First, always walk the dog on-leash, and check the leash to be sure it’s not frayed or damaged. Second, don’t leave your dog outdoors for long periods of time. That’s easy to go along with in the kind of weather we’ve been having, but keep it in mind for warmer days, especially if your fenced-in dog area is visible from the street. Thieves make note of such easy targets.

Something very few proud dog owners would think of is to keep information to yourself when confronted by a stranger who admires your dog when you’re out walking. Don’t say how much the dog cost, or how rare the breed is, or where you live, or any such things. If you are feeling particularly hesitant about this person, you could do what you yourself are taught not to do and that is to yank the dog to your side and in a stern voice say, “Don’t touch him! He bites!”

Then there is identification. A collar can be removed. Town license and rabies tags can be removed, but a microchip remains the dog’s perfect ID. It is the one thing that a thief cannot see. Only a veterinarian or a shelter worker can scan it to get the information for your microchip recovery service provider. It’s a small but an extremely worthwhile investment to protect your Rufus.

If your dog goes missing, whether lost or stolen, first canvass your neighborhood for any sightings of the lost dog, or even a possible sighting of the actual theft. Hand out fliers with basic information and a recent headshot of the dog. If you suspect the dog was stolen, contact the police and the animal control officer. For more information about the American Kennel Club’s AKC Companion Animal Recovery, and Lost Pet Alert, go online to www.akccar.org. There are lots of people and organizations willing to and able to help locate missing dogs, whether lost or stolen. First, do all you can to make sure your dog is not one of them.

Until next time – BE CAREFUL!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me! which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.