Top 5 Reasons Dogs Run Away

Anyone who is on Facebook knows the sadness of seeing Lost Dog and Lost Cat posts pop up in their feed. Heartbreaking, and makes you feel so helpless, because rarely are they in your neighbourhood where you can actually help find them. What can you do to keep your precious pet from joining this group besides making sure they are always wearing a collar with contact info on it, and are microchipped? Familiarize yourself with the reasons pets disappear, and you will decrease your chances of joining this group that no-one wants to be a part of.

So what are the top reasons why dogs and cats go missing?

In no particular order:

1) Opportunity. A door or gate left open. A too loose collar that slips over the head when they pull on their leash.

2) Looking for love in all the wrong places. An unneutered male dog or cat will take every opportunity to bolt and follow their nose. Spay or neuter your animals.

3) New home. Moving is hard on our pets. We understand the change; they have no idea what has happened and why their familiar house, yard, and neighbourhood are gone. Don't leave them unattended, give them some extra attention and love until they acclimate.

4) Boredom. Dogs need physical exercise AND mental stimulation. Just because you take them for a 15 minute walk before you leave for work doesn't mean that they are good for the rest of the day. They need time on that walk to sniff their neighbourhood. These smells they will process over time. A bored dog will act out, be destructive, and given the opportunity, seek out mental stimulation elsewhere.

5) Fear or Anxiety. Situational anxiety such as thunderstorms, fireworks, car travel, or trips to the vet or groomer. Overall anxiety from being left alone, loss of sight or hearing, past trauma.

You're on your own with the first 4, but I can help you with the last one. Did you know that CBD oil is highly effective in reducing anxiety and stress from fireworks and thunderstorms? Check out my last post Does CBD Oil Help Dogs With Fireworks for the story on how it has helped my girls, then send me a message and let's chat.