The Tuckman Goes For a Late Night Walk-About!

Written by Annetta, our volunteer & foster mom.

You can never be cautious enough when it comes to your dogs. Some like freedom a little bit more than others, and it's easier than you think to lose sight of them. Our guest blogger Lindsey Sjouwerman shared some useful tips on how to prevent your dogs from running away.

Tucker is safe now! He is up for adoption!

On this note, we'd like to offer many, many thanks to Breanna Spence of Strandmore Circle in Brooklin for keeping TAGS dog Tucker safe and sound overnight when he decided to go for a late-night walk-about on his own last Monday night. His regular foster home is in Bowmanville, but he was staying with another TAGS volunteer in Brooklin for a week.

When the post went out that Tucker, a 3 1/2-year-old spring spaniel mix, was on the lam, TAGS volunteers converged in Brooklin and combed the neighbourhood. By 1 a.m., we realized he’d either made friends with someone out for a late evening stroll and was in their garage or home for the night, or he’d decided to bed down in one of the many deep brush/forested expanses in the area.

First thing Tuesday, volunteers were out again searching for him and putting up “lost dog” posters. There were still no sightings. Fortunately, there are many pet lovers in the neighbourhood, and since Tucker is microchipped, TAGS received a phone call in the early morning with the news that he was safe.

It turns out that he’d made friends with a neighbour at around 2:30 a.m. a few streets from where he'd started his adventure. The neighbour, Breanna Spence, realized he was a stray and wanted to keep him safe. She couldn’t bring him into her home, so this wonderful young woman slept in her car with Tucker until morning. Breanna then drove Tucker to the humane society, where he was identified through his microchip.

Not only was Tucker was kept safe, he also had the companionship of a caring, smart guardian. Way to go, Breanna! The Tuckman sends you lots of big kisses and high-fives, and TAGS sincerely thanks you for looking out for him!

Here is the link again for the blog post written by our guest blogger Lindsey Sjouwerman with some useful tips on preventing your dog from escaping.

Tips to Prevent Dogs From Getting Lost

Limit Their Chance to Escape! 

Lindsey Sjouwerman – Marketing Coordinator at Speepdro Imaging Durham 

Making sure your house and backyard are dog-proof is a crucial step that many dog owners miss. All dogs are different—some dogs are lazy, but others are crafty and will do anything to get out. That could mean digging their way under your fence, jumping over it or straight up opening the latch. They may play dumb, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of safety—unless you take precautions, all dogs will get out if they desperately want to.

The first thing to understand is what kind of dog you own: a digger, a jumper or a chewer? This will dictate how you dog-proof your backyard. Of course, there are items that all backyards should have to ensure your dog doesn’t escape:

Dogs checking out the action at the fence. CC Tristan Honscheid on Flickr

• An automatically shutting gate, widely available from any hardware store (tension in the springs forces the door closed so that you don't accidentally leave the gate open)
• Limited access to your backyard through only one gate
• No holes or other potential escape routes

Other options that pet owners can invest in include obedience training. The best practice of all is to practise awareness and make a conscious effort to protect your furry friends. When children share the yard, it is a bit harder to address the dangers, but try. The sheer idea of losing a dog because it got out may be enough for children to remember to close the gate or leave the dog in the house.

In my opinion, the best way to ensure the dog doesn't get out is to spend quality time with your pup. Go for walks or play fetch or any activity that will tire him or her out. Essentially, give your dog something else to look forward to. Stimulate the mind, so your dog doesn’t have to search for his or her own stimulation in the form of escape.

New Year's Eve Fireworks—What to Do If Your Dog Runs Away

Fireworks - CC image courtesy of bortescristian on Flickr

New Year's Eve is almost here, and so is snow and freezing cold! You have to leave the house with several layers of clothing just to make sure you won't get cold. Does it sound familiar? Imagine if you are not prepared at all and have to spend some nights out there in a snowstorm. A runaway pet might face a situation like this.

It's very important to make sure that your dog (or even cat) is in a warm, cozy and secure area during the night of New Year's Eve. It's a lot of fun for people to put on fireworks displays, but our pets may not feel the same. Some more sensitive dogs or cats can get so frightened by all the noises that they decide to run away from all this craziness.

Tips to Prevent Pets From Running Away:

- If your dog is an outside dog, double-check any weak parts of the fence.

- Give him or her warm blankets for extra coziness in the doghouse. With all the noises going on on the streets, your dog might feel safer in his or her comfy hideaway.

- Play or walk with your dog in the afternoon so that he or she will sleep deeper at night. 

8 Tips If the Dog Has Already Run Away:

1. Don't panic! First of all, put some water and a blanket by the part of the fence where the dog escaped from, just in case he comes home. 

2. Call up some of your friends and start exploring the neighbourhood. 

3. At least one person should stay at home to keep an eye on the property and the street and to be available in case someone returns the dog or calls the number on his tag.

Dog hiding from fireworks - CC image courtesy of Dave Parker on Flickr

4. When out on the search, call his name out and have a treat ready. Be extra careful around busy areas, though. You don't want your dog to see you and start crossing the road with the risk of being hit by a car. If you spot him, try to approach him without his noticing you.

5. Don't forget to take his leash, water and a blanket with you so that you can help him right away when you find him. Read our cold weather tips for dogs. Additionally, a flashlight for searching culverts, etc., and a squeaky toy to draw him out can come in handy.

6. Make sure you have your veterinarian's or an animal hospital's number with you. Roaming the streets alone in the dark is very dangerous for any dog. Read about dog first-aid here or here.

7. If he's been missing for more than a day, start putting "missing dog" posters out in your community and run a listing in the local newspaper. Register him on helpinglostpets.com and post his picture on Facebook and Twitter. Ask your friends to share it so more locals will see it.

8. Contact the local shelters and let them know about the situation so they can call you as soon as someone shows up with your dog.