How Do Lost Dogs Typically Behave?

[donski]

I have just posted my lost and found notice for my mini bull terrier in the classifieds. We were out walking in the Wombat State Forest and she ran off. It is too far from home (we have to drive there) for her to find her way back home. Although that isn't the point of this post.

What I'm wondering is, is there any data on the typical behaviour of dogs lost either in suburbia or deep in the bush? There is alot of research on what humans do/have done so that rescue organisations can predict possible search areas, but does such information exist for dogs? It is doing my head in wondering what has happened to her and at least if I knew what she might do it might help me plan a course of action eg. do they head to or away from roads, follow trails or just go x-country, can they smell out bodies of water?

If anyone could contribute their personal experience or can direct me to some existing info, I'd be most appreciative. It's been a week now and my heart is broken. (She's chipped, collared, de-sexed).

[Dame Aussie]

Oh gosh , sorry I don't have any advice but I hope you find her. Good luck.

[Staff'n'Toller]

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Edited October 20, 2011 by Staff'n'Toller

[Staff'n'Toller]

I would go out there and camp, walk a lot and call.

Do some drives and leave some of your worn clothes around at certain points. Check them every day to make sure she's not hanging around them. Leave water there too.

I only know anecdotally of dogs lost in forests and hunting dogs that are found days/weeks later, while they seem to find water they are not so good at finding food. In all the stories I've heard they are still there, very disoriented.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Staff'n'Toller

[Dust Angel]

I would go out there and camp, walk a lot and call.

Do some drives and leave some of your worn clothes around at certain points. Check them every day to make sure she's not hanging around them. Leave water there too.

X 2 in the past I have known lost dogs to be found lying on a jumper purposefully left behind.

Good luck, I'm sure your beside yourself

[Staff'n'Toller]

Put some photo notices up at the key entrances too - it's possible some 4WD'ers have picked her up- if there are 4WD tracks there.

Socks, shoes and undergarments are the best things for leaving scent articles, things that have been worn for 12hrs or more.

For dogs that can air scent (and don't doubt dogs who have no experience can't do this, they can) wear a few layers of clothing when you are out searching, blow out a lot of air into the wind, shake your clothes regularly to dispel your scent out into the wind etc.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Staff'n'Toller

[Kirislin]

I dont know that there is typical behaviour, dogs vary but some dogs will hang around the last point they saw their owner, so she might have gone back to the point she left you.

I would suggest going back at night because it's quieter then, less noise distractions and your voice carries well. Call and then listen, call and listen.

I lost a whippet many years ago and I went out every night, as well as in daylight hours. I'd been doing pamphlet drops and had a few phone calls of sightings so had a vague idea of the direction she could've headed in. I drove my car slowly and yelled till I nearly lost my voice. It was freezing cold and she came running to me out of the fog. I dont know how far away she'd been but I was going slow enough for her to follow my voice.

I hope you find your girl soon.

edit. I've just had a look on google earth. Have you spoken to the nearby property owners on Glendevon rd. or at least dropped pamphlets in their letterboxes. That might put her in their minds.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Kirislin

[trifecta]

I agree with camping out there & leaving personal items. I have had a dog run off on a couple of occasions, it can take them two or three hours to find their way back to you. Touch wood I have never come home without one, though the time waiting passes painfully slowly.

A few years ago one of our dogs took off after a pig from the Shoalhaven river where we were swimming. I was distraught as the area was mined in the Chinese gold rush & there are a lot of mine shafts out there . We waited for what seemed an eternity, probably two hours, & it was starting to get dark. OH had packed up the ute & was about to drive home (over an hour) to get the camping trailer, when the missing dog limped out of the bushes. Her pads were ripped to shreds & I think she got back to us on pure adrenalin!

Hope you find your little guy quickly, I am not familiar with the area, so feel helpless to advise on postering & soforth

[donski]

Thanks so much for all your suggestions, I've done most of them except camp. The bush is a bit too thick to even put up a tent. It's been 8 days now. Sigh.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I would be beside myself...can only imagine how you are feeling.

I guess all you can do at this stage is spend the weekend there and round up a few people 'known' to her if you can - to spread out and walk the tracks.

I guess if it were me I would pick a high point and settle in from dawn until after dark, call periodically and pray she can track my scent.

Edited October 21, 2011 by Staff'n'Toller

[indigirl]

Contact Petsearch, they are a wealth of knowledge.

[sandgrubber]

It's hard to predict whether a dog will keep running or hang out in the area it got lost or find its way home.

Is your dog child friendly? Does it go up to strangers all waggy-like? Or does it avoid unfamiliar people?

Schools are a good place to put notices, cause kids generally like dogs and are likely to be walking around.

Friendly dogs who don't have ID tags are very likely to get taken in by well meaning strangers and eventuallly handed over to vets or the local pound. If they have microchips and your ownership is properly registered on the chip, you're likely to get a call. On the other hand, there's also a chance that friendly dogs will get adopted rather than turned in . . . which makes return unlikely.

It's important to contact all local vets and the pound not only in your own shire, but in surrounding shires. One of our neighbours in WA lost a cocker. It was hit in a very minor way by a car. The driver stopped, picked the dog up, and took it to the all night clinic, which is in a different shire. It was only through someone knowing someone who worked in the clinic that the guy found out where his dog went. . . . the dog very likely would have been adopted out if it had been in the pound for more than a few days. (Young, attractive, friendly, purebred dog has a good chance in a shelter).

[donski]

If dogs are chipped though, isn't this meant to prevent my dog ending up in a pound or being adopted out without me finding out? I guess no system is fool proof, but isn't this meant to provide some peace of mind?

[DobieMum]

They'll still end up in the pound and they mightn't always check for a microchip. I had 2 of my girls end up in the local pound and they were there for 3 days (with me ringing them) before someone realised my red dobermann wasn't a crossbred (they'd never seen a red dobermann before grrrrr ) and put 2 and 2 together and worked out these were the dogs I was ringing about. When I suggested both dogs were microchipped, why didn't they scan them, they supposidly had and couldn't find them. I made them do it again when I picked them up and my staffies had moved to her shoulder, but my dobies was still between her shoulder blades.

[sandgrubber]

I had a pup get under a fence and end up spending a night in the pound. His chip had migrated to his elbow. They scanned him, but didn't find the chip.

Also check your paperwork and make sure the phone number and address on your chip registration is correct. Lots of people move houses and forget to update.