Loss Prevention Tips for Dog Walkers
People often ask me if I am a dog walker because surely no sane person would have that many dogs of his own, right? No, I’m just that crazy. I do, however, help people find lost dogs, and some of those dogs escaped from dog walkers. Over the past ten years, having helped find over 3,000 lost dogs, I’ve learned a great deal about finding dogs that got away from dog walkers. More importantly, my experience with walking dogs and finding dogs puts me in a unique position to advise how to prevent a dog from escaping. This article gives a dog walker the necessary tools to minimize the risk of a dog escaping, and to recover that dog as quickly as possible if the unthinkable happens. If you are a dog owner, and you are thinking of hiring a dog walker, you would probably find this information useful, and you can share it with your dog’s walker.
First, in my experience, it is rare for a dog walker to lose a client’s dog. Of all the ways dogs go missing, escaping from a professional dog walker is one of the least common. If it happens to you once, though, that’s one time too many. It is devastating to lose your own dog, but it feels just as bad to lose someone else’s dog. Although it doesn’t happen that often, there are simple steps anyone can take to make an escape even more unlikely. For anyone who walks dogs for any length of time, eventually some fluke will happen, in spite of great precautions, and you probably will have a dog escape sooner or later. By being prepared, you can greatly improve your chances of getting that dog back fast.
Most common ways dogs have escaped from dog walkers:
Knowing in advance how dogs have gone missing in the past, you can take steps to prevent these situations.
If possible, when the dog walker is going to pick up the dog from home while the owner is not there, try to have an “airlock” between the exterior door and where the dog stays, to prevent the dog from bolting through the door. This can be done by going in through the garage, closing the garage door, and then opening the interior door. You can also arrange it so the dog is in a separate room, apart from the entrance door. For some dogs, you can set up a baby gate away from the entrance door. If you can’t make an airlock conveniently, you should be in the habit of squeezing through a door to reduce any chance of a door dasher. Imagine a room full of hyper puppies on the other side of that door, and shuffle your feet through with the door knob pulled as tight to your waist as possible. In the car, you may wish to have dogs in kennels or carriers, have them secured in harnesses with seatbelts, or have them leashed to a handle or an improvised cable secured up high. Also, be sure that the lock button for the electric windows is down, so a dog won’t accidentally roll down the window. When I first got Fozzie, who is now my search dog, he was an escape artist. He rolled down the window and jumped out at least twice.
If a dog is new to you, or in an unfamiliar setting, he may back out of a harness or collar. Even if it looks tight enough, a dog can pop it right off in some circumstances. Besides helping people find their lost pets, I also run a nonprofit for stray dogs. When I have fostered or transported a dog that is new to me, I have fitted the dog with a collar and a harness. I’ve had dogs get out of collars or harnesses, but never a collar and a harness, so far. You would have two leashes, then, one to the collar and one to the harness. If there is any possibility the dog could escape, you will want to use a Martingale collar, which tightens up if the dog pulls back. Also, please put an ID tag on the collar AND the harness, in case one pops off. Even a temporary ID, written on paper and secured with tape, is better than no ID. All dog walkers should have a ten-foot leash, or extra leashes that can be connected. If a dog might escape a harness or collar, and you don’t have the right size harness or collar to put on the dog, you can use the long leash to make a harness-collar combination. Loop the leash through the handle to make a slip lead, put it over the dog’s head, and then run the long end around the chest and through the handle again. If a dog tries to back out of this, it will tighten on the neck and chest, preventing an escape.
Never use a retractable leash: if you drop a retractable leash, the impact of the plastic handle can frighten the dog, and then chase him down the street as he runs in panic. With a standard six-foot leash, don’t just hold on to the handle. Put your hand through the handle, and hold onto the leash below the handle. If you have to let go suddenly, if you trip and fall, the leash is still around your wrist. Tino, my 1.5 year old, 97 pound German Shepherd, has pulled so hard that he has broken a leash, so we got a stronger leash. When he sees a new dog, he gets so excited that he is quite difficult to control. (He just wants to play, but a huge German Shepherd charging toward you is not what most people want.) To gain leverage, I grab the leash about two feet from the collar attachment, and wrap it around my hand once. The more he pulls, the tighter it is around my hand. Also, if he lunges forward, his front feet swing up off the ground, reducing his ability to pull forward.
Just this evening, I was out on a search with Fozzie, my 14 pound poodle who is also my main scent-trailing dog. Fozzie has found dozens of lost dogs by following their scent trails. While I am working with him, I have to read his body language to gauge the scent trail, and I also have to be alert to off leash dogs. After dark, as we were on the scent trail, a large dog came barreling out of a yard without making a sound. The silent ones are the ones you need to worry about. I noticed him just in time, and blocked him from reaching Fozzie, using my hand and foot, kind of like a hockey goalie. I don’t know for sure what his intentions were, but I couldn’t afford to find out. Fozzie has been attacked before, and in that case, the charging dog managed to get her teeth into him because I misjudged the situation and reacted too slow. At that time, I let go of Fozzie’s leash so that I could get a grip on the charging dog. In a situation like this, it can be difficult to protect your dog or dogs, and also keep a grip on their leashes. I have pepper spray, but so far I haven’t had a chance to use it. Tonight would have been the right situation, but I didn’t have time to grab the pepper spray from the holster. If you have pepper spray, which I definitely recommend, you really need to get it in your hand at the first moment you see situation developing where you might need it. If you are a professional dog walker, or just doing a favor for a friend, at some point you will be charged be an off-leash dog, usually friendly but potentially dangerous. You need to be alert so that you can react soon enough to ward off trouble. I recommend you do not wear headphones, so you can hear trouble coming. If you do need to take a call or something, watch your dog’s ears, which will alert you to incoming danger.
Why would someone ever leave the gate open at an off leash dog park? I don’t know, but it happens. Maybe they thought someone was right behind them, and that person turned around. Maybe they just didn’t quite set the latch right. With the gate being opened and closed thousands of times a day, at some point there is going to be an error. Don’t assume that the gate will be closed or closed properly. Gather your dogs together and get them in order well before you get close to the gate.
As mentioned above, my German Shepherd has broken a leash that wasn’t even defective, but just not strong enough. Check your leashes and their clasps. Has a dog been chewing on a leash and now there is a tear? Some collars will seem to have snapped into place, but the clasp isn’t quite tight. Give it a tug to test it before you head out the door. A standard collar should only have enough slack so you can fit two fingers in. It will probably look too tight when it is adjusted just right. Some Martingale collars are of a poor design which makes it possible for you to accidentally attach the leash to the wrong ring, completely defeating the design and making it highly likely the dog will back out of it. Sometimes the clasp slider on the leash gets hooked on the D ring of the collar and is held open. Since a leash is literally a lifeline for certain dogs, be certain it is of good quality, and more than adequate for the dog you are walking.
You can be the best driver in the world and still be in an accident. If you have a pack of crazy, rambunctious dogs, a distraction can cause you to have an accident. Ideally, your dogs would be in carriers, for safety, or in harnesses attached to seat belts. Of course, you would never intend to be in an accident, but you really must plan ahead as if you will be in one. If you are in an accident, and you are conscious and not badly injured, do not open your car door, or allow someone to open it, until you are 100% sure the dogs are secure. The way most dogs escape after a car accident is because someone opened the car door.
Of the seven items above, the last four are really somewhat out of your control. You should plan for these mishaps and prepare to prevent an escape, but there may come a time when a dog escapes your control through no fault of yours, due to circumstances beyond your control. You need to be prepared for a dog’s escape so that you can get that dog back under control as quickly as possible.
A scent article is an inexpensive and quick way to provide a little insurance against a dog’s possible escape. A search dog needs the scent of a lost dog in order to try to follow the scent trail. Many households have multiple dogs, and it can be difficult to find a bed or blanket that has the scent of just the one dog. To create and preserve a scent article, use a sterile gauze pad, like you would find in a first aid kit. If not available, you could use a clean paper towel or napkin, but try to use the sterile gauze pad if possible. Rub this all over the dog, from head to tail. If the dog sheds easily, try to gently pull out a little hair with the gauze pad. Place the scent article in a sealable plastic bag, write the dog’s name on the outside with a permanent marker, and store the scent article in the freezer. Do this for every dog in a household, or every dog under your care. A scent article like this will last for up to three years, if frozen. If the dog should go missing, and a specially trained search dog is available, then the scent article can be used to get the search dog started on the scent trail. Keep in mind that a search dog will have a better chance of successfully tracking a lost dog if he starts as soon as possible.
I shouldn’t even have to tell anyone to make sure a dog has proper ID tags, but I am continually amazed at how many dogs are running around without ID. If you think about it, at least several dozen dogs enter Seattle area shelters every day. Every single one of those dogs could have just been taken home if the they simply had proper ID tags. If you are a dog walker, it’s a good idea to have extra tags available, with your mobile number, just in case you are asked to walk a dog whose ID is missing. In a pinch, write your phone number on a piece of paper, and secure it to the collar with clear packing tape. My dogs have collars with their phone numbers embroidered on the collar. This way, the number is still there if the tag comes off, and also someone could read my phone number from the collar even if they weren’t able to put a leash on my dog. It’s a shame that it even needs to be mentioned, but proper ID is very important. No dog owner should give a dog to a walker without proper ID, and no dog walker should go out the door without at least a temporary ID tag.
All dogs should have microchips, and they need to be properly registered with the owner’s current phone number on file. If I were a professional dog walker, I would have my own chip scanner, and I would scan each dog I take, to verify the chip, and make a note of the chip number. I do have a scanner in my car, and it has come in handy for dogs I’ve found.
I love to take pictures of dogs. All dogs are beautiful in their own ways. I have over 50,000 pictures on my phone, 99% of them dogs. Camera phones are pretty good these days, and if you pay just a little attention to lighting, camera angle, and framing, it’s not hard to take good pictures of a dog. Having a treat in your hand makes it even easier. One way or another, make sure you have several good, clear, simple pictures of any dog in your care, in case you need to use it for Lost Dog posters or online posting. If possible, set up a folder on your phone with the pictures of all dogs in your care, so you can find a good photo fast if needed.
If a dog escapes, don’t do the most common things that most people do in that situation. Don’t chase the dog. Don’t call his name. Don’t panic or get upset. Don’t make any sudden motions like grabbing at his collar. Don’t squat down, to make yourself lower. (The squatting position puts all your weight in your thighs, like a predator getting ready to spring.) If you have multiple dogs, give treats to the dogs under your control, and this will usually lure the loose dog closer. If the escaped dog doesn’t come to you right away, but is hanging out nearby, try sitting on the ground, looking to the side of the dog, to lure him to you. If the escaped dog takes off running, try to triangulate where he is likely to go, and get ahead of him. Don’t in anyway give him the impression that you are following him or chasing him. If you need to move in his direction to keep tabs on him, follow a parallel course and avoid eye contact, as if you just happened to be giong that way and aren’t at all concerned with him. If you are close to a dog, but he is still out of reach, try using a couple of calming signals that dogs use on each other: yawn, and lick your lips.
If you are a dog walker that has lost someone’s dog, please notify the dog’s owner right away. Don’t make the mistake of hoping you can get the dog back under your control before having to tell the owner that the dog is lost. The dog’s owner probably has knowledge and experience that could be critical for recovering the lost dog. Also, they can mobilize friends and volunteers to help with the search. If one of my dogs were in the custody of a dog walker, and they lost my dog, naturally I would be upset. I would be much more upset if I wasn’t told right away. If you are a dog owner that is hiring a dog walker, please be explicit in your instructions that you must be notified immediately if your dog is lost for any reason.
A dog is quite safe in the care of a professional dog walker. By taking some simple precautions and preparing for an emergency, dogs can be even safer.
A complete guide to finding lost dogs, as well as loss prevention tips, is available at www.3retrievers.com
People often ask me if I am a dog walker because surely no sane person would have that many dogs of his own, right? No, I’m just that crazy. I do, however, help people find lost dogs, and some of those dogs escaped from dog walkers. Over the past ten years, having helped find over 3,000 lost dogs, I’ve learned a great deal about finding dogs that got away from dog walkers. More importantly, my experience with walking dogs and finding dogs puts me in a unique position to advise how to prevent a dog from escaping. This article gives a dog walker the necessary tools to minimize the risk of a dog escaping, and to recover that dog as quickly as possible if the unthinkable happens. If you are a dog owner, and you are thinking of hiring a dog walker, you would probably find this information useful, and you can share it with your dog’s walker.
First, in my experience, it is rare for a dog walker to lose a client’s dog. Of all the ways dogs go missing, escaping from a professional dog walker is one of the least common. If it happens to you once, though, that’s one time too many. It is devastating to lose your own dog, but it feels just as bad to lose someone else’s dog. Although it doesn’t happen that often, there are simple steps anyone can take to make an escape even more unlikely. For anyone who walks dogs for any length of time, eventually some fluke will happen, in spite of great precautions, and you probably will have a dog escape sooner or later. By being prepared, you can greatly improve your chances of getting that dog back fast.
Most common ways dogs have escaped from dog walkers:
- Squeezed out the door of the house or the car.
- Backed out of a collar or a harness.
- Leash dropped accidentally.
- Attacked by an off leash dog.
- Someone left the gate open at the off leash park.
- Equipment failure, such as a broken clasp.
- Car accident.
Knowing in advance how dogs have gone missing in the past, you can take steps to prevent these situations.
If possible, when the dog walker is going to pick up the dog from home while the owner is not there, try to have an “airlock” between the exterior door and where the dog stays, to prevent the dog from bolting through the door. This can be done by going in through the garage, closing the garage door, and then opening the interior door. You can also arrange it so the dog is in a separate room, apart from the entrance door. For some dogs, you can set up a baby gate away from the entrance door. If you can’t make an airlock conveniently, you should be in the habit of squeezing through a door to reduce any chance of a door dasher. Imagine a room full of hyper puppies on the other side of that door, and shuffle your feet through with the door knob pulled as tight to your waist as possible. In the car, you may wish to have dogs in kennels or carriers, have them secured in harnesses with seatbelts, or have them leashed to a handle or an improvised cable secured up high. Also, be sure that the lock button for the electric windows is down, so a dog won’t accidentally roll down the window. When I first got Fozzie, who is now my search dog, he was an escape artist. He rolled down the window and jumped out at least twice.
If a dog is new to you, or in an unfamiliar setting, he may back out of a harness or collar. Even if it looks tight enough, a dog can pop it right off in some circumstances. Besides helping people find their lost pets, I also run a nonprofit for stray dogs. When I have fostered or transported a dog that is new to me, I have fitted the dog with a collar and a harness. I’ve had dogs get out of collars or harnesses, but never a collar and a harness, so far. You would have two leashes, then, one to the collar and one to the harness. If there is any possibility the dog could escape, you will want to use a Martingale collar, which tightens up if the dog pulls back. Also, please put an ID tag on the collar AND the harness, in case one pops off. Even a temporary ID, written on paper and secured with tape, is better than no ID. All dog walkers should have a ten-foot leash, or extra leashes that can be connected. If a dog might escape a harness or collar, and you don’t have the right size harness or collar to put on the dog, you can use the long leash to make a harness-collar combination. Loop the leash through the handle to make a slip lead, put it over the dog’s head, and then run the long end around the chest and through the handle again. If a dog tries to back out of this, it will tighten on the neck and chest, preventing an escape.
Never use a retractable leash: if you drop a retractable leash, the impact of the plastic handle can frighten the dog, and then chase him down the street as he runs in panic. With a standard six-foot leash, don’t just hold on to the handle. Put your hand through the handle, and hold onto the leash below the handle. If you have to let go suddenly, if you trip and fall, the leash is still around your wrist. Tino, my 1.5 year old, 97 pound German Shepherd, has pulled so hard that he has broken a leash, so we got a stronger leash. When he sees a new dog, he gets so excited that he is quite difficult to control. (He just wants to play, but a huge German Shepherd charging toward you is not what most people want.) To gain leverage, I grab the leash about two feet from the collar attachment, and wrap it around my hand once. The more he pulls, the tighter it is around my hand. Also, if he lunges forward, his front feet swing up off the ground, reducing his ability to pull forward.
Just this evening, I was out on a search with Fozzie, my 14 pound poodle who is also my main scent-trailing dog. Fozzie has found dozens of lost dogs by following their scent trails. While I am working with him, I have to read his body language to gauge the scent trail, and I also have to be alert to off leash dogs. After dark, as we were on the scent trail, a large dog came barreling out of a yard without making a sound. The silent ones are the ones you need to worry about. I noticed him just in time, and blocked him from reaching Fozzie, using my hand and foot, kind of like a hockey goalie. I don’t know for sure what his intentions were, but I couldn’t afford to find out. Fozzie has been attacked before, and in that case, the charging dog managed to get her teeth into him because I misjudged the situation and reacted too slow. At that time, I let go of Fozzie’s leash so that I could get a grip on the charging dog. In a situation like this, it can be difficult to protect your dog or dogs, and also keep a grip on their leashes. I have pepper spray, but so far I haven’t had a chance to use it. Tonight would have been the right situation, but I didn’t have time to grab the pepper spray from the holster. If you have pepper spray, which I definitely recommend, you really need to get it in your hand at the first moment you see situation developing where you might need it. If you are a professional dog walker, or just doing a favor for a friend, at some point you will be charged be an off-leash dog, usually friendly but potentially dangerous. You need to be alert so that you can react soon enough to ward off trouble. I recommend you do not wear headphones, so you can hear trouble coming. If you do need to take a call or something, watch your dog’s ears, which will alert you to incoming danger.
Why would someone ever leave the gate open at an off leash dog park? I don’t know, but it happens. Maybe they thought someone was right behind them, and that person turned around. Maybe they just didn’t quite set the latch right. With the gate being opened and closed thousands of times a day, at some point there is going to be an error. Don’t assume that the gate will be closed or closed properly. Gather your dogs together and get them in order well before you get close to the gate.
As mentioned above, my German Shepherd has broken a leash that wasn’t even defective, but just not strong enough. Check your leashes and their clasps. Has a dog been chewing on a leash and now there is a tear? Some collars will seem to have snapped into place, but the clasp isn’t quite tight. Give it a tug to test it before you head out the door. A standard collar should only have enough slack so you can fit two fingers in. It will probably look too tight when it is adjusted just right. Some Martingale collars are of a poor design which makes it possible for you to accidentally attach the leash to the wrong ring, completely defeating the design and making it highly likely the dog will back out of it. Sometimes the clasp slider on the leash gets hooked on the D ring of the collar and is held open. Since a leash is literally a lifeline for certain dogs, be certain it is of good quality, and more than adequate for the dog you are walking.
You can be the best driver in the world and still be in an accident. If you have a pack of crazy, rambunctious dogs, a distraction can cause you to have an accident. Ideally, your dogs would be in carriers, for safety, or in harnesses attached to seat belts. Of course, you would never intend to be in an accident, but you really must plan ahead as if you will be in one. If you are in an accident, and you are conscious and not badly injured, do not open your car door, or allow someone to open it, until you are 100% sure the dogs are secure. The way most dogs escape after a car accident is because someone opened the car door.
Of the seven items above, the last four are really somewhat out of your control. You should plan for these mishaps and prepare to prevent an escape, but there may come a time when a dog escapes your control through no fault of yours, due to circumstances beyond your control. You need to be prepared for a dog’s escape so that you can get that dog back under control as quickly as possible.
- Create and preserve a scent article, which a search dog could use to track the lost dog.
- Proper ID tags.
- Make sure the dog has a microchip and it is properly registered.
- Make sure you have plenty of clear, distinct pictures of any dog under your care, in case they are needed for posters, fliers, and posting on social media.
- If a dog escapes your control, do not call the dog’s name or chase after him.
- Ask for help immediately, and notify the owner right away.
- Use Calming Signals to get the dog to come to you.
A scent article is an inexpensive and quick way to provide a little insurance against a dog’s possible escape. A search dog needs the scent of a lost dog in order to try to follow the scent trail. Many households have multiple dogs, and it can be difficult to find a bed or blanket that has the scent of just the one dog. To create and preserve a scent article, use a sterile gauze pad, like you would find in a first aid kit. If not available, you could use a clean paper towel or napkin, but try to use the sterile gauze pad if possible. Rub this all over the dog, from head to tail. If the dog sheds easily, try to gently pull out a little hair with the gauze pad. Place the scent article in a sealable plastic bag, write the dog’s name on the outside with a permanent marker, and store the scent article in the freezer. Do this for every dog in a household, or every dog under your care. A scent article like this will last for up to three years, if frozen. If the dog should go missing, and a specially trained search dog is available, then the scent article can be used to get the search dog started on the scent trail. Keep in mind that a search dog will have a better chance of successfully tracking a lost dog if he starts as soon as possible.
I shouldn’t even have to tell anyone to make sure a dog has proper ID tags, but I am continually amazed at how many dogs are running around without ID. If you think about it, at least several dozen dogs enter Seattle area shelters every day. Every single one of those dogs could have just been taken home if the they simply had proper ID tags. If you are a dog walker, it’s a good idea to have extra tags available, with your mobile number, just in case you are asked to walk a dog whose ID is missing. In a pinch, write your phone number on a piece of paper, and secure it to the collar with clear packing tape. My dogs have collars with their phone numbers embroidered on the collar. This way, the number is still there if the tag comes off, and also someone could read my phone number from the collar even if they weren’t able to put a leash on my dog. It’s a shame that it even needs to be mentioned, but proper ID is very important. No dog owner should give a dog to a walker without proper ID, and no dog walker should go out the door without at least a temporary ID tag.
All dogs should have microchips, and they need to be properly registered with the owner’s current phone number on file. If I were a professional dog walker, I would have my own chip scanner, and I would scan each dog I take, to verify the chip, and make a note of the chip number. I do have a scanner in my car, and it has come in handy for dogs I’ve found.
I love to take pictures of dogs. All dogs are beautiful in their own ways. I have over 50,000 pictures on my phone, 99% of them dogs. Camera phones are pretty good these days, and if you pay just a little attention to lighting, camera angle, and framing, it’s not hard to take good pictures of a dog. Having a treat in your hand makes it even easier. One way or another, make sure you have several good, clear, simple pictures of any dog in your care, in case you need to use it for Lost Dog posters or online posting. If possible, set up a folder on your phone with the pictures of all dogs in your care, so you can find a good photo fast if needed.
If a dog escapes, don’t do the most common things that most people do in that situation. Don’t chase the dog. Don’t call his name. Don’t panic or get upset. Don’t make any sudden motions like grabbing at his collar. Don’t squat down, to make yourself lower. (The squatting position puts all your weight in your thighs, like a predator getting ready to spring.) If you have multiple dogs, give treats to the dogs under your control, and this will usually lure the loose dog closer. If the escaped dog doesn’t come to you right away, but is hanging out nearby, try sitting on the ground, looking to the side of the dog, to lure him to you. If the escaped dog takes off running, try to triangulate where he is likely to go, and get ahead of him. Don’t in anyway give him the impression that you are following him or chasing him. If you need to move in his direction to keep tabs on him, follow a parallel course and avoid eye contact, as if you just happened to be giong that way and aren’t at all concerned with him. If you are close to a dog, but he is still out of reach, try using a couple of calming signals that dogs use on each other: yawn, and lick your lips.
If you are a dog walker that has lost someone’s dog, please notify the dog’s owner right away. Don’t make the mistake of hoping you can get the dog back under your control before having to tell the owner that the dog is lost. The dog’s owner probably has knowledge and experience that could be critical for recovering the lost dog. Also, they can mobilize friends and volunteers to help with the search. If one of my dogs were in the custody of a dog walker, and they lost my dog, naturally I would be upset. I would be much more upset if I wasn’t told right away. If you are a dog owner that is hiring a dog walker, please be explicit in your instructions that you must be notified immediately if your dog is lost for any reason.
A dog is quite safe in the care of a professional dog walker. By taking some simple precautions and preparing for an emergency, dogs can be even safer.
A complete guide to finding lost dogs, as well as loss prevention tips, is available at www.3retrievers.com