Lost Dog Behaviour

This article is brought to you by the NZCAR Pet Detective Service.


Back in 1997, MAR Network Director Kat Albrecht began to study the behavioral patterns of lost cats and dogs. Due to a background in search-and-rescue (searching for lost people), Kat understood the critical connection between behavior and the distances that people travel when lost. It made sense to Kat that the behavior of dogs (and cats) would also influence the distances that they travel.

There’s an important distinction to make between the behavior of lost dogs and lost cats and it has to do with people. When would-be-rescuers see a cat walking down a sidewalk, they rarely (if ever) say, “Look! That cat must be lost!” However, when that same would-be-rescuer sees a helpless, shivering Chihuahua trotting down the same sidewalk, they likely would say, “Look! That dog must be lost!” Both the cat and the Chihuahua could be lost pets, but people perceive loose dogs differently and they are more inclined to intervene (and “rescue”) the dog. This means that in the majority of lost dog cases, you are actually looking for people - people who found your dog (and have him in their possession) or people who have seen your dog (and know the area where you should be searching). Posting a lost (and a found) dog on this site, Lost & Found Facebook pages and on places like Neighbourly are highly effective. You need to mass market your missing dog because you need to get the information to as many people as possible that your dog is missing. Social media, giant neon posters, “tagging” your car, and “Intersection Alerts” are also highly effective methods that can and should be used. You can also check to see if you can find local volunteers or professionals that can help you in your effort to recover your missing dog.

Below is a small sample of what Kat has learned and now teaches her consultants and pet detectives. We hope that this info helps you to recover your missing dog!

Panicked Dogs

Many dogs, even dogs that normally are not fearful at home, become terrified when they become lost. While some dogs will ultimately calm down and then approach people, other dogs will continue to run from everyone, including their owners! One of the worst things that you can do is CALL a stray, loose, or panicked dog. That’s because if too many people have already tried to capture the dog, calling him becomes a “trigger” that can cause him to automatically take off in fear when anyone, including his owner, calls him. Instead, you will want to use “Calming Signals” to calm the dogs fear and attract him to come towards you using specific body language and a food lure. MPP Founder Kat Albrecht demonstrates how to calm and lure a panicked dog in her YouTube video Calming Signal Panicked Dogs, click here to view.

Our first major tip is Don’t Call Your Dog! We know. It sound’s crazy-stupid to say “Don’t Call Your Dog!” after your dog has escaped and is running loose (or when you encounter a stray dog). You’re probably thinking, “But he always comes to me when I call him” or “So HOW will I get the dog to come to me if I see him but I can’t call him?” The answer is BY CALMING HIM and ATTRACTING HIM to come to you. Your next instinct, when the dog runs, is then to chase after the dog and this is the WORST thing that you can do! Thus, when you hear or see the words “DO NOT CHASE YOUR DOG if it is lost” this includes DO NOT CALL your dog (since calling a dog can create chasing). Visit our Don’t Call Your Dog! page for more information.

Reasons Why Dogs Leave


Opportunistic journey is when a gate or door is accidentally left open. While some dogs will remain in their yards or at their homes, most simply can’t refuse the temptation to explore when presented with the opportunity. Although these dogs might not actively attempt to leave, their noses just lead them on a journey that can take them blocks or even miles from home.



There are human behaviors, animal behaviors, and other factors that influence the distance that a lost dog will travel. Be sure to consider the following:

Factors That Influence Distances Traveled


Temperament of the Dog

How a dog behaves towards strangers influences how far it will travel (when lost) before someone intervenes and rescues it. There are three primary behavioral categories of lost dogs: Gregarious Dogs, Aloof Dogs, and Xenophobic Dogs.

Gregarious Dogs: Wiggly-butt, friendly dogs are more inclined to go directly up to the first person who calls them. Depending on the terrain and population density where the dog was lost, these dogs will generally be found fairly close to home or will be picked up by someone close to the escape point. Gregarious dogs are often “adopted” by individuals (not shelter or rescue workers) who find them.

Aloof Dogs: Dogs with aloof temperaments are wary of strangers and will initially avoid human contact. They will be inclined to accept human contact only after they have overcome fear issues and become hungry enough. While these dogs can travel a great distance, aloof dogs eventually can be enticed with food and patience, typically by experienced rescuers who know how to approach and capture a wary dog. These dogs are often recovered by animal control officers and rescue group volunteers. Their wariness can be easily misinterpreted as “abused.” In addition, these dogs if not recovered for weeks or months after their escape, often have the physical appearance (thinness, injuries, stickers, ticks, etc.) that they are homeless, abused, and unloved.

Xenophobic (Fearful) Dogs: Xenophobia means “fear or hatred of things strange or foreign.” Dogs with xenophobic temperaments (due to genetics and/or puppyhood experiences) are more inclined to travel farther and are at a higher risk of being hit by cars. Due to their cowering, fearful behavior, people assume these dogs were “abused,” and even if the dog has ID tags, they will refuse to contact the previous owner. Some of these panic-stricken dogs will even run from their owners! It may be necessary to use other dogs to get close enough to capture them or to use baited humane dog traps.

Circumstances Surrounding the Disappearance



Terrain: A dog that escapes in a residential area will not travel as far as a dog that escapes in a rural area. Fences that create barriers will influence a dog’s travel since a dog will tend to take the “path of least resistance” when traveling. Heavy bush, and steep cliffs can be barriers that influence whether a dog continues on a path or changes directions.


Population Density: A dog that escapes in Auckland will tend to travel a shorter distance than will a dog that escapes in rural farmland. When dogs escape into areas with a high number of people, their chances of being found close to the escape point are increased. But in areas with an extremely low number of people, dogs tend to travel farther and their chances of being found close to the escape point are decreased. A dog that escapes in the middle of the night will travel farther before being seen than a dog that escapes during rush hour traffic.

Owner Behaviors That Create Problems



Rescuer Behaviors That Create Problems


How Can NZCAR Help?

If you would like more help discussing your dog type and how they are likely to react, you can book time with an NZCAR Pet Detective for a one-on-one personalised service. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This page has been created by the NZCAR team based on advice written by Kat Albrecht, Network Director for the Missing Animal Response network and founder of the Missing Pet Partnership. Her website is missinganimalresponse.com. This article is one of a series of articles designed to help your lost pets get home. This content is copyrighted to the Missing Animal Response Network and may not be reporduced without consent.





