BOZEMAN — The missing dog named Pie, whom we reported on last week, has been found safe. This raised many questions in the community about how we keep our four-legged friends safe and what we do when they actually go missing.
Alison Totten and her family visited social media to find their missing Bernese Mountain Dog, Pie.
On Sunday, she was able to get the exhausted dog back home.
Upon examination, Pie had lost fifteen pounds and had walked great distances throughout the days she was missing.
"After 30 days out on her walkabout, she has somehow come home, and I am just excited to have a second chance with her," Totten says.
Since Pie’s return, Totten has had her attached at the hip.
"Yeah, I haven't taken the leash off, either. I’ve got a tracker on her, and I have a second tracker that I might put on her as well! I am trying not to be a nervous mother, but I am keeping very close tabs on her," Totten says.
Dog trainer and veterinarian Patricia Brewster says trackers are the best way to keep an eye on your pet. She advises against using the Apple Air Tag, though.
"It's hard in Bozeman because a lot of us hike around here, so I would say in Bozeman, Montana, Garmin would be the best because it has a GPS tracker. They are expensive. They are up to 300 bucks, but it is worth it," Brewster says.
She says the veterinarian is a great place to start when a dog goes missing.
"I would just say whenever you have a dog that goes missing, don't underestimate calling all of the vets in the area first. If your dog is microchipped, which all dogs should be, make sure when you go to all of your vet visits to check the microchip and make sure it's working every time," Brewster says.
She says to train your dog to have positive experiences with their collar being grabbed in case they need to be captured.
"Whenever you get a new puppy or adopt a dog, a life-saving behavior to train is called 'collar grab.' Training your dog positively with food by feeding the dog while touching and grabbing the collar. This would allow people to grab their collar since the dog has had a positive experience from strangers if the dog were to go missing."
Brewster also says it takes dogs at least three months to settle into a new home, but if they do manage to escape?
"Don't underestimate Facebook, don't underestimate Instagram."
Something Totten can attest to: "Certainly, the social media just blew up. It was a great tool. It's not one I am familiar with, but I learned it was such a huge asset."
And her bottom line is,
"I know so many people were looking out for her, the hours people spent, the signs people made, and the efforts that they made to find her. I will forever be grateful, and I will be the first to sign up and help anyone else find a dog."
