Last night when I wanted to take a short walk around the neighborhood, my walk was postponed by an encounter of the lucky kind….a loose dog wandering around without a care in the world! Since it was evening, there were too many cars to leave the dog unattended without trying to find out where this sweet Golden Girl belonged! What followed was a little canine dance between myself and Ms. Doggy, who would approach me and withdraw but never really running away. I could spot a collar but I didn’t see any visible tags. At first, Ms. Doggy was too skittish to get close enough to touch her. In order to be more approachable, I sat on the curb and waited for Ms. Doggy to check me out, which took five minutes or so. While I was waiting for Ms. Doggy to be nosy, I scrolled to find out where I could call to report a loose dog, checking with the police department and the local shelter which were both closed because it was after 6:30 at night. While Ms. Doggy ran around rolling on the grass of all the nearby homes, smelling good things and seeing what I was doing, I made a note of what we should do as Habibi Bear Pup parents in case your precious pup gets out.
- Make Sure You Have Your Cell Phone Information On the Tags Current. This is so important, maybe just as important as a microchip. If your pup slips out, chances are that a person encountering your pup won't have a scanner on them. They’ll need a better way to get in touch with you. I would recommend the number on both sides of the tag if possible, increasing the ability to contact you.
- Have a current picture of your pup handy in case you need to make flyers.
- Microchip your pup and keep the chip registration current with vet and the chip companies. Don’t let the registration lapse. If it does, they can’t match you back up with your pup.
- Have the tag list the dog’s name. It would have helped if i knew Ms. Doggy’s real name instead of winging it.
There was a happy ending to this story. After I went back to get water and a bit of chicken to share with Ms. Doggy, she followed me back to my door and I was able to get her to take water and food from me, so I could check her tag without stressing her too much (
Doggie decoder language). When I checked the tags under all her fur, the only number listed was for a vet about twenty miles away, which wasn’t going to do much good. There was no name or phone number on the tag she was wearing. I was getting concerned, but all of a sudden, a woman came around the corner and Ms. Doggy ran over to her and they had a reunion moment and I was so happy to celebrate with them. Apparently, Ms. Doggy had slipped out of the house while her mom was on the phone and the door wasn’t fully closed. Her mom was frantic when she realized that Ms.Doggy was missing a half hour later.
This could have had a tragic ending. Ms. Doggy could have been hit by a car, taken by unscrupulous people, or picked up as a stray and stuck in a shelter indefinitely. It is helpful to take common sense steps to make sure our Habibi Bear pups stay safe and in our care.
Be sure you have your information correct on your puppy tags. We love our pets and always advocate for them to have their best lives! Check out our Pup Start program to get more tips on building the best relationship between you and your Habibi Bear pup. We’re always here for you, cheering you on!