What brought Abner in was not a trap, but that he found a place where he was fed regularly, and the people who lived there built his trust and did not pressure him. They created a “safe space” in this woodshed, where he knew he could find food, shelter and water (and warmth). They acknowledged him (Hey, buddy) but did not chase or call him, so little by little he relaxed in their presence. Their sweet dog (pictured in the woodshed, attached) befriended him.

What you should say to your friends and family members is that you’d appreciate them taking some time to put out flyers all over town.  Hand each of them a stack of flyers that include a full, current picture of Bucky, a description of Bucky’s appearance that highlights any unusual physical or behavioral traits the dog has, and your contact information.

If you suspect your dog is being overfed or is being chased by neighbors, we suggest printing and distributing the flyer below. Of course, you will need to edit the text to suit your situation. Use a word program to retype the flyer with text and add a photo. We have found that educating and informing the neighborhood that a recovery effort is in progress will help get them onboard with your plans. You may only need to print ten or twenty of these – just enough to distribute

Don’t be alarmed if your dog doesn’t visit the feeding station every day – especially at first. He will probably come at dawn and/or dusk. At first he may just grab a bite and run off; or he may take the whole bowl and carry it off under a bush or deck, to eat in hiding. You will have more success if you position your feeding station so that he has some privacy, but also an easy escape route if he feels threatened.

If you have lost a shy, elusive dog try to beg, borrow or buy a trail camera. You may have a friend that has one that will let you borrow it or you may have to purchase one – but they are now readily available for less than $100, sometimes as low as $60 if you happen to catch a sale. The pictures on this page were taken with very inexpensive models that have been generously donated to our organization.

Be prepared to ask the right questions and get the correct information. Many owners get overly excited and in an attempt to rush to the sighting location, they forget to ask important questions. Make sure you get the name and phone number of the caller so that you can call back if you need more details or have forgotten something.

Most owners make the mistake of not putting food out at a sighting location or if they do, they abandon it after a day or two. Big mistake! If a dog has been in an area once, it is very likely that he may return to that area, and your feeding station will help draw him there.

Shy lost dogs will often have sore, raw feet from their initial bolt, or from travelling. They will usually avoid roadways and instead travel on railroad tracks, jogging and biking trails, power lines and along the edges of fields and streams.

In our experience, lost dogs do not want to live deep in the woods. They prefer to lurk on the edge of civilization, near food sources. In hot weather, they will need a reliable source of water. (In winter, they will eat snow). Toby needs a quiet place to hunker down during the day with an easy path to travel at dusk and dawn, when he is likely to be moving about for food and water.

Toby, the Australian Shepherd,  was a shy dog. Not only was he wary of strangers, but he had been lost from a strange location (a family member’s house) during the week of the 4th of July. The family was prepared to keep him in the house during the community fireworks display; but a neighborhood party erratically shooting off fireworks two days before the big day was unexpected. Toby bolted and was lost.

Even though it may look like Toby took off like a rocket, dogs lost from stressful situations or unfamiliar locations often do not go very far. They bolt, and then hide. They may remain in hiding for several days or they may attempt to return to the location they went missing from as soon as it is quiet.  Make sure that  the location is a quiet, inviting place for them to return to. Don’t allow people to congregate there because slamming doors, unfamiliar voices and strange s

At Lost Dogs of Wisconsin our motto is Never Give Up. Our mission has always included educating the public on successful methods of finding shy, lost dogs.  We have found that many owners give up far too soon, so we always try to post ideas and happy reunion stories of long missing dogs.  We feel that it is important to share what we have learned with others so that more dogs can be safely reunited with their owners.

Although we never say never, about 90% of the dogs that are still missing will fall into one of these three categories. A great deal will depend on the breed, appearance and personality of the dog.  Is he large or small? Shy or friendly?  Common-looking or distinctive-looking?

We often hear the comment “If my dog were missing, I would never give up.”  But, the average bystander doesn’t realize the enormous pressures that are placed on the lost dog owner. Today we are going to discuss some of the factors that make an owner give up the search before their dog is recovered.

Dogs lost from stressful situations like loud noises, car accidents or fireworks usually bolt and then hide. They may remain in hiding for several hours or several days. This is okay. Dogs are safe in their hiding spots. They are safe from being hit by cars or from running and getting overheated. They are safe from drowning or being hit by a train.

One of our long-time volunteers coined a clever name for some of our missing dogs. She affectionately calls them “dandelions” because they are common and they all look alike. The problem with dandelions is that they can present a real challenge to their owner when they get lost.

We received the following message today from our volunteer Karen L, who helped capture Octavia, a missing border collie who had been on the run for several months.

Using a portable grill can be very helpful in catching a shy, scared dog. If you are getting sightings of your dog in a general area, we recommend setting up a feeding station. This can help to keep a lost &hellip; <a href="https://lostdogsofwisconsin.org/2015/02/08/luring-a-shy-lost-dog-using-a-portable-grill-2/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&rarr;</span></a></p>

In the early hours and days of the dog going missing; volunteers, friends and family may want to rush to a sighting location to “search”. This is almost always a bad idea. Their energy should be used for quickly flyering &hellip; <a href="https://lostdogsofwisconsin.org/2017/12/18/do-not-allow-family-friends-or-volunteers-to-search-for-your-dog-ask-them-to-flyer-instead/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&rarr;</span></a></p>

Using large signs is one of the most effective things you can do to get your lost dog back home. Signs alert passing motorists who may see your dog and then instantly have the phone number to call. Here is &hellip; <a href="https://lostdogsofwisconsin.org/2022/12/17/large-intersection-signs-bring-mama-home/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&rarr;</span></a></p>