If your dog is missing right now, trust us, we’ve been there. A lost dog situation can make anyone feel panicky, anxious or scared. Our advice? Pause, take a few deep breaths and try to stay calm. And once you’ve gone through our tips, we also share the number one way to prevent a lost dog situation – for good.

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What are the chances of finding a lost dog?

Below, you’ll find out how to find a lost dog. But first, here are some encouraging lost dog facts to reassure you:

93% of lost dogs (in a survey by the ASPCA) were eventually recovered2
90% is the likelihood of finding a lost dog within the first 12 hours
49% of dog parents found their canine friend by searching the neighborhood
16% of lost dogs manage to find their way back home
15% of dog parents found their dogs thanks to a microchip or ID tag
6% of dog parents found their dogs at animal shelters
A lost dog can potentially survive months or even years on their own

So if you have a lost dog, start your search right away to boost your chances of finding them. Your dog might even return on their own, using scent to guide their way. Even the most domesticated dogs can travel long distances and survive by scavenging for food and water until they are home again.

đź’ˇA GPS dog tracker is the #1 way to prevent a dog from going missing – or find them ASAP.

Especially if you’ve got a chronic escape artist at home – or one you haven’t gotten spayed or neutered yet. Or one that’s just a runaway dog breed. It’s why dog parents around the world – just like you – are strapping GPS trackers to their buddies’ collars as an emergency measure.

A man hugging his dog who's wearing a Tractive GPS collar

Meaning with just a glance at your phone, your trusty Tractive GPS can track your missing dog:

  • In real-time,
  • Over an unlimited range,
  • While on vacation – or 175 countries on a Premium subscription

So you never have to worry about losing – or finding – your dog ever again.

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How to find a lost dog

1. Check at home first

If your dog is missing, first check your home and your immediate surroundings. Is your dog a bit of a scaredy-dog? They may be hiding nearby. Else, it’s possible your buddy could’ve gotten stuck somewhere. (Especially if they’re on the smaller side.) Make sure to check inside the:

  • Closets
  • Shed/garage
  • Pool
  • Cars
  • Basement/attic
  • Garden
  • and anywhere else your four-legged friend might be in the habit of hanging out in.

Ask your friends or family to help you search. Bring your dog’s favorite treats or toy with you to lure them out of hiding. Place your dirty clothes or your dog’s bedding outside to attract your dog using a familiar scent.

2. Call & verify your lost dog’s microchip contact information

If your lost dog has been microchipped, call the microchip company to make sure your contact info is up to date. Let your microchip company that your dog is missing so they can alert local animal shelters.

⚠️Just remember: only 15% of lost dog parents found their dog thanks to a microchip or ID tag. Meaning, you can’t rely on a microchip alone to find your dog. Microchips do not contain any GPS or other technology that would help you track or locate your dog in real time. Its only job is to identify a missing dog’s details in case they are lost and found.

Read more: Microchip vs GPS Dog Tracker: Debunking The Myth Of The Dog Tracker Chip

illustration of two dogs: one wearing a microchip and the other wearing a GPS tracker, dog tracker chip

3. Determine your search radius

Next, before you expand your search for your lost dog, ask yourself these questions to help narrow down your search radius:

  • Did your dog go missing near home, or in an unfamiliar area?
  • Was your dog frightened away by something, or looking for an adventure?
  • Are there places or people nearby you know your dog may have gone to visit?
  • Are there dangers nearby, places where your pet could get stuck or in trouble?
  • How far do you realistically think your dog could have traveled in the amount of time they’ve been lost?
  • Is your dog active and fit and likely to have run further, or laid-back and less active?
  • How long has your dog been running?

⚠️Be careful not to jump to conclusions that may cause you to give up your search. For example, don’t assume your dog was kidnapped or attacked. It could very well be they got distracted by a wild animal, or are stuck in a neighbor’s fence down the road.

4. Search the area where your dog was lost

If your dog has not returned to you yet, it’s time to take action to bring them home. Searching the immediate surroundings and larger radius of where your dog was lost will increase your chance of finding them. Here are some tips to help you on your search:

  • Call your dog’s name clearly and calmly.
  • Ask others nearby to assist you in the search. If a stranger finds your dog, ask them to call and inform you first before they approach the dog. Leave your phone number with them in case they do find or see the dog.
  • Bring clear photos of your dog and show these to others you come across; leave them a copy of the photo with your phone number on the back.
  • Make sure one person stays home to receive your dog should they come back on their own.
  • Keep your door open, so that your dog can return home on their own.
  • Bring your dog’s favorite toy or treat. Dogs can follow scents for miles, so this scent can help lead them back home.
  • Retrace your path, including areas you recently or frequently walk with the dog.
  • Expand your search if you still have not located your dog. Drive through the neighborhood to cover more ground if necessary.

5. Report your dog missing

At this point, it’s also a good idea to drop a call to:

  • Local animal shelters
  • Pet rescue centers
  • Dog wardens
  • Animal control
  • Your local Humane Society or the RSPCA
  • And any other similar organizations in your area to report your dog missing.
  • Petco Love in the US or the National Pet Register in the UK to report your dog missing in the national database. There you can also search through found dog postings to see if anyone has spotted your furry friend.
  • Similarly, PawBoost is a service that helps you report your lost dog, post to local lost & found pet Facebook pages, alert local community members, print a lost dog flyer and more.
  • Other lost dog reporting websites include Fido Finder or Pet Amber Alert.

6. Use Facebook & other social media networks

Use your social media following to draw awareness to your missing dog. Make sure to include:

  • Several photos of your dog
  • The date and area your dog was last seen
  • Any information about your dog’s temperament – for example, are they friendly, or fearful?
  • Your contact info, including phone number

Be sure to share the post in any relevant Facebook groups for lost/missing dogs/pets in your area.

7. Make & distribute lost dog posters

Make and print paper lost dog flyers with your dog’s information that you can post around your neighborhood and/or the area where your dog was lost. Use large, bright, neon paper if possible so the flyer will be more visible. Also make sure to include:

  • A description of your dog, including any special or recognizable features
  • A photo of the dog
  • Collar tag details
  • Last known location
  • Microchip ID number
  • Your contact details
  • Reward details

đź’ˇHere’s a free lost dog poster template you can download and use immediately. Just click to download:

free lost dog poster from Tractive graphic
  • Plaster the lost dog posters all over telephone poles in the area.
  • Make a large sign to place in your front yard or on your front door.
  • Hang the lost dog flyer on bulletin boards, at local coffee shops and stores, vet practices, pet stores, animal shelters, and animal hospitals.
  • If you want to take this one step further, try car tagging as a means to help inform the community of your lost pet.

8. Consider other options to find a lost dog

If you still haven’t found your missing dog, it’s time to get creative. These ideas may help you to bring your canine buddy home:

  • Pay to put out a missing dog notice in your local newspaper or radio.
  • Hire a pet detective or missing animal response specialist.
  • Offer a reward, and be (relatively) generous.
  • Call or visit animal shelters each day.
  • Hire a sniffer dog to help you find your lost dog.
  • Contact animal control to find out if they’ve seen your dog.

9. Don’t give up!

It can be easy to get discouraged if your dog goes missing for any significant amount of time. But many worried dog parents like yourself have been in your shoes and were eventually successfully reunited with their beloved dogs again. No matter if it takes hours, days, weeks, or months, do not lose hope that you can and will find your dog someday.

Read more: 10 Lost Dog Stories With A Happy Ending Thanks To Tractive

How to find a lost dog with a Tractive GPS Dog Tracker

If your missing dog is equipped with a Tractive GPS Dog Tracker, great! Here’s how to locate and bring your dog home safe: just turn on LIVE Mode (if it’s not already on) to get rapid, real-time location updates.

Tractive GPS app feature screenshot LIVE Tracking

🌠 Looking for a lost dog at night? Use your tracker’s Light or Sound function to either trigger a small LED light or a high-pitched melody. Perfect for dark evenings where you can’t see your dog burrowing around.

You could also tell friends, family and neighbors to track together with you with Family Sharing. Remember that you can share your dog’s location with anyone (for example, the police) who can help retrieve your dog.

LIVE Track Your Dog

Read more: 8 Easy Ways To Find Your Dog With Tractive

Never go through another “lost dog” situation again

Losing your dog is never fun. But rest assured, if you start your search early, involve others, reporting your dog as missing, and involve your wider community – you’ll be well on your way to being reunited with your buddy again.

And to prevent another “lost dog” scenario:

  • Ensure your dog is always wearing a high quality collar with a dog tag that contains your phone number and address.
  • Microchip your dog for an extra layer of ID.
  • Check your gate or fence regularly for weak spots where they could possibly escape.
  • Take photos of your dog so that you have them in case they go missing.

But most importantly…

đź’ˇ Consider strapping a GPS tracker to your buddy’s collar – and never worry about losing them, ever again.

A woman hugging a dog

Best (money) I’ve ever spent! After the longest 10 hours of my life looking for my missing dog, frantically posting on social media, someone recommended Tractive.

Now I know exactly where she is at any time and get an alert when she leaves our large rural unfenced property. Seriously having peace of mind is priceless! I highly recommend this product!

– Sarah, NZ (Source: Trustpilot)

packaging of the Tractive GPS DOG tracker

Always know where your dog is

Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.

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For even more tips on how to find a lost dog, here’s a video that might help:

And if you’ve found this post helpful, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.