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Dogs who find themselves “lost” from the familiar landscape of their own backyard not only cause their owners undue stress, but they also face danger from automobiles, other animals, and people. Although a dog who runs away from his own home is anxiety provoking enough for the canine and its owner, nothing can be more distressing than a dog that runs away from its human companions while on a camping trip far from home. Dogs who run away from their owners during camping trips face far more danger than cars, people, and other animals; they face the terrifying prospect of not ever being found.
There are several things you can do to prevent your dog from running away while on a camping excursion in unfamiliar territory.
1. Be sure to keep your dog on a leash at all times. Even if you are comfortable with letting your dog roam free, refrain from doing so when you are in unfamiliar surroundings. Any kind of distraction including other animals or loud noises can cause your dog to run away and quickly become lost.
2. Always have identification on your dog either in the form of a current ID tag that is attached to its collar or a microchip that is inserted directly under its skin by a veterinarian.
3. Always carry a current photo of your dog while on a camping trip away from home. In the unfortunate event that your dog does become separated from your camp, the photo can be used to help identify whether or not any other campers have seen or rescued your dog.
There are several ways you can help return a runaway dog to its owner during a camping excursion.
1. First of all, always use precaution when approaching a strange dog. Even dogs with good temperaments can bite or snap when they are scared or injured, so remain cautious.
2. Once you are fairly sure that the dog does not have any mischievous intentions, use gentle language to coax the dog to come towards you. It may also help to make your body appear smaller and thus less threatening by kneeling or sitting on the ground.
3. Once the dog trusts you, check its collar for an identification tag.
4. If no identification tag is present, take the dog to the nearest veterinarian if possible to see if the dog has a microchip ID.
5. If taking the dog to a vet is not an option or if a microchip ID is not present, report the lost dog to a park ranger or other authorities in the camping area in which you are staying.
6. Ask other campers if they know of anyone missing a dog and request that they pass along your information to anyone who inquires about a lost dog.
7. If you are able, take a photo of the dog and post it at the camping headquarters along with your contact information.
In the event your dog runs away from your campsite, there are several things you should do.
1. As soon as you are aware that your dog is missing, walk the entire camping establishment and surrounding areas calling your dog. It is best if you can enlist the help of family members as well as fellow campers to assist you. Don’t waste time. Every minute counts when your dog is lost away from home. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that your dog will wander farther and farther away from your campsite and not be able to find its way back.
2. Post the photo of your dog along with your contact information at the park headquarters. Check back with the park ranger or other park staff members every few hours to see if anybody has reported any information on your dog.
3. Finally, be sure to check any streams or other bodies of water that are in close proximity to your campsite. Dogs are generally attracted to water sources to quench their thirst. Furthermore, they may even leave footprints in the damp soil around the water to give you an indication of the direction in which they are headed.
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