If your dog has ever gotten lost, you'll know what a nightmare this can be.
In today's video, I'm going to give you some advice
on how to KEEP your dog from getting lost, and what to do if they DO become lost.
If you are new to my channel, hit subscribe right now,
that way you will see all of our future videos, and click " thumbs up".
Let's start with a no brainer
Get your dog microchipped.
It's easy, it's cheap, and doing this one thing
will GREATLY increase the odds that you will be reunited with
your dog, if they become lost.
A microchip is a small radio-frequency identification implant
which is about the size of a grain of rice,
and it's a MUST for all dog parents.
Your veterinarian will inject the microchip for you.
The total cost is about 45 US Dollars,
and that includes registration too.
Once your dog is microchipped, any shelter
or veterinarian can easily scan your dog and get your information.
The majority of lost dogs are quickly returned to their homes, as long as they are microchipped.
You will also want to make sure you have the best equipment for your dog.
I recommend that you get a collar like this.
You can see there how it SNAPS, unlike a buckle, which can come undone a lot more easily.
A reflective collar is ideal, that way your dog is a little more easy to spot in the dark.
They also make GPS collars, which allow you to track your dog with your smart phone,
however, GPS collars often need to be recharged pretty frequently, and they're not fool proof.
Don't settle for what your local pet supply store has, though.
Make sure you have the best possible selction of leashes, collars, treats,
toys, food, and all of your other pet supplies.
Our favorite place to shop for our dogs is PetFlow.com
If you haven't yet experienced PetFlow's automatic pet food delivery service, give it a shot.
All you have to do is choose the brand of dog food you want-
they literally have hundreds, and hundreds of brands of food-
and how often you want it delivered to your house.
I love it.
I think you will too or I wouldn't recommend it.
Just visit PetFlow.com/ZakGeorge, and I'll have a special coupon code
in the description where you can get 20% off of your first order.
Along with a collar, you'll want to have an ID tag engraved with at least your phone number,
and preferably, your home address too.
Next, in order to prevent your dog from becoming lost in the first place, prioritize training.
Make sure they know all of the basics, especially Stay, and Come when called.
Now, I'll have a playlist in the description that will show you how to teach your dog all of the basics in order
that is comepletely free.
If your dog does become lost, it's easy to feel helpless,
but there are a lot of steps that you can take to make sure that you get reunited with your dog as quickly as possible.
Don't just call, GO to every shelter in your area.
The Humane Society recommends every shelter within a 60 mile radius.
Ask to SEE all of the stray dogs that have been brought into the shelter to verify that your dog isn't there.
These shelters deal with hundreds of dogs, so it's very possible they might miss-identify your dog if you just call.
Try to visit your local shelters daily if possible, and make sure you bring some lost posters to leave.
Contact your vet IMMEDIATELY.
If your dog is wearing the rabies tag, a Good Samaritan might return your dog to the vet listed on the rabies ID tag.
If your dog has been lost for more than a couple of hours, it's time to make a really good lost dog poster.
Now, there are some things to remember in order to make sure that your poster has the impact that you intend it to have.
Choose a good, clear photo of your dog to feature on the poster.
If you don't already have one, it's a good idea to take a clear, well lit picture RIGHT NOW, so that you'll have it if you ever need it.
Color photos are preferable, but if printing in color is too expensive, make sure you pick a photo that looks good and clear in black and white.
Use a large font for the word "Lost" and your phone number, because these are the two most important pieces of information on the poster.
Your phone number should be easy to read from a distance of at least 10 feet, so that people can see it from their cars.
Also include the last location and date your dog was seen, and any other information that might help identify or catch them,
including whether or not your dog is likely to come to strangers, or any medical issues.
For example, if your dog is likely to run from strangers, put "DO NOT CHASE, CALL IMMEDIATELY".
Now it's your choice whether or not you want to offer a reward, but this may help motivate people to get your dog back to you.
Once your flyer is made, print as many as possible.
Give them to all of your neighbors.
Post them all over your neighborhood.
Include them in local business that have bulletin boards-
just get creative.
Facebook is an extremely powerful tool for finding your lost dog,
because you can reach the majority of dog lovers in your community very quickly.
Share an image of your flyer on Facebook, with local dog rescue groups,
doggie day cares, pet shops, and any other dog-related businesses you can think of.
These guys are usually really active on Facebook, and willing to share a lost dog.
Update your posts daily to let people know that you are still searching for your dog too.
It's really important to empower dog lovers to have all the information they need to have the best possible relationship with their dog.
If you want to help me spread the message of humane, positive training, as well as other information like this,
make a small monthly contribution to our Patreon campaign.
Those funds go towards making videos like this and others that I've made,
and I really want to thank all of our current patrons-
you guys make all of the difference.
Give a "thumbs up" if you found this video helpful and make sure you are subscribed too
so that you can ever single video I ever make, and remember,
in the description, I'm going to have a playlist where you can learn how to teach your dog all the basics in order,
that is completely free,
and also the information to set up automatic pet food delivery with PetFlow.com/ZakGeorge.
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
We'll see you next time.