If this dog was a timid dog to begin with, he will be hiding, petrified. When hunger finally overtakes fear, he will venture out of his hiding place. That is when the mass notification of the whole area will pay off. Then somebody will see him and call a phone number from a sign or one of those business cards. At that point somebody needs to GO, right then... because the dog is going have fear overtake hunger and go back to hiding somewhere.

Do large posters 14X21 in very bold print, that could be seen by a passing vehicle, with a telephone number of someone immediately available to check out a sighting. No small size signs. You want someone driving by to be able to see the phone number easily, so that if they spot the dog they could call from a cell phone.

This day in the age of computers it is easy to do your own business cards. Make up cards with the dogs picture, the date lost, phone numbers...and hand those out to children, people out walking their dogs, running, riding bikes etc. Sometimes they throw away flyers, where they'll keep a business card.

Always put a phone number where someone is there all the time. When someone calls with a sighting, you must go NOW, not hours later. Dogs, especially Shelties, do not meander around the same place usually, they seem to be "going" somewhere. Either back to their hideout or a new hideout.

Lost shelties are in "flight" mode. If you think they will come to you when you call them, that has not been my experience. They see a human or a dog and they are gone....They don't wait to see who it is.

Most times a humane trap is a very good idea. If you have a decent Animal Control they may loan you one if you have a sighting. Some of us have purchased our own traps. Place clothing, toys, and food in the trap and give it time. Go frequently to release any captured critters that you didn't want to capture....like cats, racoons etc.

Be diligent in your search... Don't think he will come home on his own. Sometimes they do, but you cannot take a chance. Make sure everyone knows this dog is being searched for and continually be seen "searching" so if anyone does have the dog, they know you are not going to give up and go away !

Words of advice from a dog officer -- make sure you keep calling dog officers (you MUST physically check the Animal Control facility and Humane Society yourself. Do not leave the decision as to whether a dog in the 'jail' is a border collie, aussie or a Sheltie up to an inexperienced, poorly paid shelter worker). Recall vets and emergency clinics to check - -yes you'll drive them crazy, but better safe than sorry.

Talk to the local delivery people, mail men, oil companies, electric companies and ask them to keep an eye out for the dog, give them one of those business cards with the dog’s picture on it. Seek out every child in the neighborhood (kids always know where the dogs are on the street), and give them a flyer or business card with your number. Post one at the school and play grounds.

Most importantly -- lost dogs do not usually range. They usually stick to one particular area. Now, he/she might have travelled a couple miles before she got to that area, or she might be around the corner, but odds are if she is loose (and not stolen) that she's either with someone, or she's staked out an area. Make sure to look for her at her regular meal times. This seems to bring frightened/lost dogs out of hiding, being the creatures of habit that they are. Rule of thumb, though -- expand by one mile in each direction for every day she's been missing, and call all ACOs, shelters and vets in those areas. Mail flyers to all local vets (within 30 minutes driving distance)

Create "drop zones" where you can leave food and an article of your clothing so that if she runs across it, she will stay with your scent. We successfully found one of my own dogs that I had recently placed when she escaped her new owners and couldn't be caught. We had reports of her in an area, left a shirt there, and there she stayed until caught (she was terrified and wouldn't go near her new owners).

If possible (and she's used to it) leave her crate outside, too. Since I spend a good part of my day looking for lost dogs, I can tell you, they are really easy to miss. They can be five feet away and you'll miss them, but they are creatures of habit, and even when lost, they stick to a routine.

You need to think like a dog. What does she like? Where would she be most likely to head? Is there another house/yard in the neighborhood similar to yours? She might be there. If she's crossed a street, she might have a visual barrier preventing her (in her mind) from returning. Follow the lay of the land -- which way would you be most likely to go if you were she? Put one of your other dogs on a leash and see which way it's inclined to head for a general idea.

One last thing -- try a whistle (like a gym whistle) which carries a lot further than a voice and instantly catches a dogs attention.

Also, if you suspect the dog may have been stolen, state that the dog is chipped (as previously mentioned -- also, if its a bitch, that she is spayed. I put NEEDS MEDICATION in large print on my flyers and posters. And if at all possible, offer as large a reward as you can afford.

On any posters/notices/ads place the information that the dog is microchipped or tattooed (hopefully they are). I had one returned almost immediately after I added this information. The dog we believe had been "removed" from its yard unwillingly and when it was known that the dog could be positively identified even at a later date, it was returned. Could help.

If you are thinking someone "has" the dog, because there have been no sightings. Two things. As you are driving around looking....Tape one of those large posters to the back of your vehicle, so everywhere you go, "people" know "somebody" is still looking for this dog, as is not going "to just go away !" Second: Try writing big red letters on poster "BELOVED CHILD’S PET" -- Maybe you'll tug at someones heartstrings if they think the dog belongs to a child.

			NEWSLETTER!!! ~~ Updated 01/03/08
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