It finally happened. While you were bringing in groceries, you accidentally left the front door wide open. Your dog, who’s always been a little curious, came right to the door, caught a sniff of something and bounded down the street. You didn’t even realize it until bringing the last bag in when your dog wasn’t sniffing all the grocery bags you lined up on the kitchen floor. Now, you’ve panicked. What do you do? Here are some tips on finding your lost dog. 1. Get a dog tracker. When updating your dog’s tag every year, choose a dog tag tracker, such as our TraQ tag. By partnering with Tile, we’ve created the only dog tag tracker on the market that seamlessly integrates with your dog’s current collar and tag setup. If you end up in a situation like the one described above, you’ll be able to use the Tile app’s advanced Bluetooth technology to find your dog if it’s within 200 ft. If your dog has gotten out of the 200 ft. range, the app will tell you its last known location, and you can access their Tile app’s anonymous community to help locate your pup. Get All Your Dog Essentials at QALO 2. Keep your dog’s microchip updated. Microchipping your dog is one of the many ways you can ensure your lost dog gets home to you. When a dog is picked up by a concerned citizen or animal control, the local vet or shelter can scan the animal for a microchip. The microchip, if updated consistently, will then reveal your name, address and phone number for the staff to contact you. That’s why it’s so important for you to keep the microchip updated. If not, the staff will hit a dead end and potentially be unable to contact you. If you haven’t gotten your dog microchipped yet because you’re concerned it’s painful or harmful, sometimes microchips are placed while pets are under anesthesia so they won’t even know they’ve been microchipped! 3. Engrave your phone number on their dog tag. Your dog should always have a dog tag on their collar — especially for situations like this! There are many reasons a dog can wander off: seeing a squirrel, jumping over a fence, getting scared from a loud noise…the possibilities are endless! Your phone number is essential of what to write on a dog tag. When your dog is located by a concerned citizen or even animal control or a shelter staff member, the phone number you list on your dog’s tag is the first one they’ll call. Make sure it’s engraved and updated each time you update your dog’s tag. 4. Take calming breaths. If you’re just realizing your dog is lost or missing, take some calming breaths. Focus on deep breathing for a couple of moments. You’re less productive when you’re stressed. And, since losing a dog is a stressful situation, you’re less likely to find your dog if you’re frantically searching for it. Taking some calming breaths will help to subside some of the anxiety you’re feeling and allow your brain to come up with a plan. Ensure Your Pup Has Up-to-Date Dog Tags in the Case They Get Lost 5. Search the immediate area where your dog is lost from. Walk through the area your dog got lost from, calling their name as calmly as you can. For many pet owners, bringing some of your dog’s treats with you can encourage them to come to you. Dogs are scent-based creatures, so if they catch a whiff of your scent or the scent of their treats, they’re more likely to come towards you. Source: RW Jemmett/Shutterstock.com 6. Enlist the help of neighbors, friends and family. Before doing a social media post, get those closest people in proximity to you involved in the search. Neighbors, friends and family are best for this. Try to choose people your dog is familiar with and will recognize if they hear their name called. This will help your dog feel comfortable and safe when coming to the person who’s calling for them. They’ll recognize that person’s scent, too, pulling it out from all the others. 7. Keep someone home. Since dogs tend to return home to familiar scents within a few hours of getting out, it’s important you keep at least one person home while others search. That way, if your dog does get home, someone will be there to help clean it up and check it for any injuries. Make sure they keep the door ajar and some of your dog’s toys or items on the front porch. That way, your dog can pick up the scent of their favorite things from even miles away, making its way home easily and safely.