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The First 24 hours after losing an IG are critical as it may be a matter of life and death. Italian Greyhounds have very bad traffic sense and are prone to being hit by cars. Also, hypothermia poses a serious risk to these thin-skinned, short-coated dogs if they have to spend nights exposed to the elements. Whether the dog has escaped from home or has gotten loose away from home, an immediate response is essential.
Once your dog is truly lost, you are essentially looking for a needle in a haystack. Your dog could be anywhere within a radius of several miles. The chances of you being at the right place at the right time to be able to see your dog or call to him/her are virtually nil. In the moments after losing a pet it is easy to be overcome by the feeling that you can't possibly find him. That is why John Keane of Sherlock Bones suggests that you spend most of your time getting other people to help find your dog. The chances of recovery are really much greater than it seems when you consider that your dog wants to be found, the places where he is likely to be within your search area are not really random, and you can recruit an army of ordinary people (neighbors, kids, mail carriers, joggers, people who walk their dogs, etc.) to do the bulk of the searching.
Of course the first thing to do after losing a dog is to search the immediate area where he was lost, calling his name. Try to do so calmly, but firmly. A dog hearing severe stress and fear in your voice may be reluctant to come to you. Call out using your normal phrase for giving the dog a treat or cookie. The lure of food is a great motivator!
You may be able to track the dog at this point using, for example, footprints in mud. Or you may have another dog to help you. But if you have just returned home from work to find your dog missing, even this could be a waste of time. The more time elapsed since the disappearance, the less chance the dog is in the same area, and the wider the search area, and therefore the more help you will need in covering it.
If you do see the dog, the dog may not come to you when called. Usually, it's best not to chase the dog in a direct line. Running directly at the dog will typically spook him or her and cause the dog to bolt. Instead, crouch down and call the dog toward you. If the dog is hesitant, call his or her name and run in the opposite direction. This is many times a great method of getting a dog to come to you. (Don't run so far or so fast as to let the dog out of your sight). Remember the dog may be hungry, so try to give all the searchers small baggies of a few pieces of treats (favorite dog cookies, small bits of turkey hot dog, etc.). Calling out "cookie" or "treat" and tossing the dog a morsel can help keep the dog in one spot as others come to the area.
Immediately after a quick search of the area you should talk to anyone in the area and let them know of the disappearance and ask if they have seen anything. Any lost scared dog may go to the place where he/she last felt safe, such as your car, your house or a neighbor's house.
Many dogs follow "lines" when outside in unfamiliar territory. For this reason, many folks recommend spending time following any "lines" that a dog may follow: railroad tracks, fences, roads and tree lines are all good examples.
It is important to have at least a few wanted posters up in the area before dawn the next day. This way people in the area can be made aware of the problem as they arrive at work, walk to school, or buy a morning paper. If someone has found your dog and taken them in, your dog could be just a phone call away if they see a poster.
You may also consider using a service that sends out an automated lost pet phone message to 500+ people in your town or county: http://www.findtoto.com/
This is a nationwide service and has already helped recover IG's in the U.S.
After The First 24 hours
After the first 24 hours, it is less likely that your dog will be found wandering in the immediate area where it was lost. Chances are the dog has been taken in by someone or has wandered far from the area. In either case the most effective tool for finding the animal is a well-designed poster. A reward can be worthwhile as an incentive for people to actively look or even call.
A well-designed poster is a tool that will motivate people to find your dog for you. With modern computers and printers most of us have the ability to make a really eye-catching poster. It should have on the first line in as large and COLORFUL print as possible the word "REWARD" and the amount. It should have a picture of the dog and its description in bulleted form, and other important details as you see fit, and of course your contact information. Keep in mind that many people do not know what an Italian Greyhound is.
When making up posters and out searching, it may be helpful to describe the missing dog as a Miniature Greyhound. Also give a size reference. You may say “knee-high” or “about the size of a house cat” to better describe the dog. Unfortunately many people hear “Greyhound” and automatically envision a large dog therefore that may be their focus instead of a small dog.
The following link is an excellent reference for making and posting missing dog posters:
http://www.lostapet....ery-posters.php
It is certainly wise to design a poster now and have it ready for printing in mass quantities should your dog become lost. Make the picture and text as big as possible. Fonts such as IMPACT are very common and work well.
Even if you only have a "regular" PC and printer, you can make BIG SIGNS in addition to "regular" page size posters. How? Print it in landscape (sideways) on TWO sheets of paper. Make the first page a big photo of your dog. Make the second page BIG text as large as will fit on the page. Put side by side in a common sheet protector makes it appear as one BIG sign!
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SHEET PROTECTORS WORK GREAT TO MAKE LONGER LASTING SIGNS THAT DON'T FOLD OVER. JUST INSERT INTO THE PROTECTOR AND PUT THEM UP ANYWHERE!
In addition, it's good to go to an office supply store and purchase a box of sheet protectors in which to place your poster. These will both protect your poster from moisture and help to keep the edges from folding over. Also purchase Duct tape (the gray very sticky tape). It works well to attach the poster to just about anything. Also consider stopping by a home improvement store and picking up a "hammer" stapler. This type of stapler is best for putting up your posters or signs on telephone poles and wooden fences. Ask the folks at the store to show you how to load and use it before you leave the store.
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A HAMMER STYLE STAPLER IS ESSENTIAL TO PUT POSTERS ON TELEPHONE POLES. (ALSO CARRY THUMBTACKS AND DUCT TAPE)
The poster should be placed anywhere you can legally place it, first in the immediate area and then throughout a larger area. Posters can be placed on telephone poles, at newspaper stands, mailboxes, near dumpsters, schools, parks, pet related businesses, and nearby grocery stores.
Get several flashlights and plenty of batteries. If you're out looking, you'll need to look under cars, porches, and many places that may be dark, even in the daytime. Take snacks and drinks. Many times you can "keep going" with just a little energy food. Have proper clothing for the weather.
In the event that your dog is still in the area where he was lost, there are a number of things you can do that may help. Try leaving the dog's bed or something with a familiar smell in a quiet place in the area and check it in the early morning.
Also if you have another dog, try walking him in the area to let him mark. Remember, the neighborhood kids are probably the best pet detectives money can buy. They know everything that goes on in their neighborhood, and are always alert to any dogs roaming around.
If you wish to hire a professional pet detective,
the following link may be very helpful: http://www.petdetectivesinc.com/
Try to organize folks to cover the area in an increasing circle around which the dog was last seen. Put up posters at places where multiple people are most likely to see them. (i.e. apartment mailboxes, telephone poles, dumpsters, grocery stores). When out looking for the dog (particularly in an area in which he may have been spotted) look in places where the dog is likely to "hide out" (i.e. under porches, steps, in bushes, etc.). Remember, a scared dog may not even come out to his or her owner when called. Take a flashlight and actively look up into places that the dog might go.
Contact Italian Greyhound rescue so that they aware that the dog is missing in case it should come into rescue. A list of IGCA rescue representatives may be found at:
http://www.italiangr...e/rescurep.html
There may even be rescue volunteers who may assist in the search for a missing IG.
Sometimes IG’s may be surrendered to Greyhound rescues also by good Samaritans not realizing the difference between the breeds. It may be helpful to contact any Greyhounds rescues in the surrounding area.
Finally, visit the web site http://sherlockbones.com. Unfortunately the services offered are not free. However, in the hectic confusion following your dog's disappearance it may be worth a small fee for their booklet, which gives a thorough treatment of the steps to take toward recovering your dog. Another service they offer is a database search of all vets, groomers, pet stores, and animal shelters in the area to generate a mailing list for distribution of your poster. The search can be done very quickly and the results returned by email. It will be comforting to know that within a few days after your dog's disappearance, all the pet related businesses in the area will have a copy of your information. Don't forget to put an ad in the local newspaper(s). Many people find dogs only to have no way to contact you. Many of these people will check the newspapers.
If you are able, contact shelters, vets, groomers, and businesses in person (or have a friend do so). Bring posters, as photos make a lasting impression. When contacting veterinarians and shelters, do so in the neighboring towns also. People who are passing through may pick up a lost animal to get it out of harm’s way, but then take it to their own veterinarian or town shelter.
When contacting shelters be sure that a Lost Dog form is filled out and filed. It is not enough to post a poster in the lobby or on the bulletin board. There must be something filed in an organized fashion that shelter workers can refer to quickly when animals come in. Be sure to check in with shelters regularly as staff changes shifts and workers come and go.
Be Prepared
There are several things you can do to be prepared. This includes getting items, making signs, and taking steps for the identification of your dog:
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