The 25 dog breeds most likely to get lost

April 23 is the second annual National Lost Dog Awareness Day, created to remind us that not all stray dogs are homeless.  In honor of that occasion, this writer decided to explore what breeds are most likely to get lost.

HelpingLostPets.com is the premier online source for free lost dog flyers.  This writer asked Helping Lost Pet’s founder, Rob Goddard, for data on lost dogs to determine which breeds were most likely to go missing.  Goddard compiled a list from over 14,000 lost dog reports.  
Here are the 25 dog breeds most likely to be lost:

1.       Chihuahua
2.       Labrador Retriever
3.       Pit Bull
4.       Yorkshire Terrier
5.       German Shepherd
6.       Shih Tzu
7.       Boxer
8.       Siberian Husky
9.       Beagle
10.   Pomeranian
11.   Australian Shepherd
12.   Jack Russell Terrier
13.   Maltese
14.   Schnauzer Miniature
15.   Boston Terrier
16.   Husky
17.   Dachshund
18.   Chihuahua Long Haired
19.   Pug
20.   Border Collie
21.   Dachshund-Miniature
22.   Poodle
23.   Pinscher-Miniature
24.   Golden Retriever
25.   Rat Terrier

You might assume that the lost breed list is the same as the most popular breed list.  They are similar, but the breeds are not in the same order.  Chihuahuas are the 24^th most popular breed, according to the American Kennel Club, but the most likely breed to go missing.  The Lab is the most popular breed in the US and number two on the lost breed list.  The Golden Retriever is the 3^rd most popular breed, but this faithful canine comes in 24^th on the lost dog breed list.

Left off these lists is the most likely dog to be lost, a mixed breed dog.  Perhaps you have seen the popular bumper sticker,  “My Favorite Breed is Rescue.”

Should your dog have the misfortune to be lost, here are some proven tips to help you find him:
1. Immediately put out food, water and your dog's bed or an article of your clothing at the location where your dog was last seen. There is a good chance that your dog may return.

2. Get the word out by using flyers and signs (like yard sale signs) with a picture of your dog and your phone number, and then check your phone often! Go door to door with your flyers in the neighborhood where your dog was last seen.

3. Contact your local animal shelters and animal control facilities, vet clinics and police departments to report your dog missing. Fax or email them a photo of your dog and your contact information.

4. Instruct everyone who is helping you to NOT call or chase your dog. This will prolong your search. If you see your dog, sit or lay down (no eye contact) and gently toss out tasty treats to lure your dog in.

5. Post your dog on the lost and found section of Craigslist, in your local paper, and on lost and found Internet/FaceBook sites, both local and state level.

These tips are courtesy of Lost Dogs of America, an outstanding resource for anyone who has lost or found a dog.  

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