Landing back in Salt Lake City on July 3, the plane touched down and my phone exploded with messages.
“Call me ASAP.”
My friend had let my Swiss Mountain Dog, Barron, out to relieve himself before turning in for the night, and a nearby neighbor decided to shoot off a firework.
“He just ran. I couldn’t catch him,” my panicked friend said.
“It’s ok, we’ll find him.” Barron had never run away, and while he could be skittish from time to time, I’d always been able to locate him no matter the situation. And we’d had plenty of situations together.
Given it was 11pm, I raced home, grabbed my e-bike and thermal scope, and headed out to find my dog.
“The last I saw, he was running through here.” My friend pointed down a dark, one-lane road leading from a group of apartment buildings, through a small golf course, and into Midway, Utah.
I assumed he’d be nearby. Nervous to return to where the firework went off, maybe hiding on the golf course. I just had to find him and he’d trot up. We’d be headed home in no time.
But as the miles and hours stacked up, I started to worry. I picked up the pace, yelled louder, and frankly, began to panic. This was a real problem.
Over the next four days, I searched day and night alongside an army of friends and strangers who gave up their holidays, evenings, and mornings to help me find my buddy. In the heat of the day, when I assumed he’d be hiding in the shade, I researched how to find a lost dog and called experts from around the country.
What I learned was shocking: what instinctually feels right is often the opposite of what you should do when searching for a frightened dog. I was lucky to find the right information quickly. Without it, this story likely would have had a very different, and tragic, ending.
Barron showed up four days later on a golf course. I received half a dozen calls in seconds. People had seen the flyers, and he had finally come out of hiding. Just like the experts predicted.
In an effort to help educate others and prevent the same mistakes, here are the most important things I learned:
1. Understand Survival Mode
A dog spooked by fireworks doesn’t always calm down once the noise stops. Many enter a prolonged fight-or-flight state that can last for days. During this time, they may hide, avoid people, travel at odd hours, and even run from their owner when called.
This is why chasing, yelling, or rushing toward a sighting can make things worse. A frightened dog may not be thinking like the pet you know. They are focused on finding cover, water, food, and safety.
2. Get the Word Out, But Don’t Yell
Time is critical, but your first move should be getting the word out, not running through neighborhoods yelling your dog’s name. My instinct was to do exactly that, but Barron was already frightened, and I had no idea where he was. I wasted valuable time on an ineffective tactic.
Make large, bright posters and place them in expanding circles from where your dog was last seen. Start within a two-mile radius, then expand as days pass. Social media helps, but I learned that most dogs are found because a stranger saw a sign, then saw the dog.
You are not just looking for your dog. You are looking for someone who has seen your dog.
Call local police, fire, animal control, humane societies, and shelters. Make sure they know your dog’s name, description, and last known location. Keep checking in.
3. Be Patient, But Stay Active
Being patient does not mean doing nothing. Hand out flyers, put up posters, talk to neighbors, and speak with anyone walking a dog. Barron loves other dogs, so I guessed he might approach a dog before approaching a strange person.
It takes time to build an army of people looking, and it often takes days for a frightened dog to calm down, get hungry, and come out of hiding. Make sure people know what to do when that moment comes.
4. Call a Professional Tracker Early
There are professional dog and cat finders out there. Contact them as soon as possible. Even if you don’t hire one, they often know local patterns, common hiding places, and the best next steps for your area.
The trapper I hired, though we didn’t end up needing her, told me she had a 95% success rate. The scent dog I had on the way could follow a trail over 30 days old. The sooner you call, the better your options are.
5. Use Scent as an Anchor
I slept in my truck near Barron’s last known location for three nights. He didn’t come back there, but I heard from experts that this often works. Dogs can smell where you’ve been long after you leave, and the longer you stay in one place, the stronger that scent anchor becomes.
Leave familiar clothing, a dog bed, or other scent-heavy items near their last known location, your home, a friend’s house, or a familiar trailhead. If your dog has a strong food drive, cooking something fragrant, like bacon, can sometimes help draw them in.
6. Think Like Your Dog
Dogs often seek out places that feel or smell familiar. I found Barron on a golf course around 7:30am. We ran through a different golf course around 6:30am most mornings, and I can only assume the grass, smells, and open space felt familiar to him.
Think through your dog’s routines. Where do they walk? Where do they play? What places smell like home? If they return to your house, make sure there is a way for them to stay nearby, like a dog bed, familiar blanket, or safe access point outside.
7. Use Anchor Dogs
A dog’s dog-friend can be a powerful asset. Finley, a co-worker’s dog, was with Barron almost every day at the office, and Barron often stayed with Fin and Kate when I traveled.
The day before we found Barron, Finley pulled Kate to a random yard and didn’t want to leave. His nose was “going crazy,” according to Kate. We later found Barron just a few hundred yards from that spot. Finley knew Barron was close.
8. Don’t Assume the Worst
Despite being surrounded by national forest filled with mountain lions, black bears, and coyotes, the professionals I spoke with all said the same thing: predators are rarely what causes lost dogs to disappear.
The bigger challenge is a frightened dog staying hidden long after the fireworks stop.
9. Don’t Give Up
Dogs are incredible survivors. A frightened dog can stay hidden for days before finally calming down enough to emerge. Keep putting up signs, keep talking to neighbors, keep checking in with shelters, and trust the process.
I was blown away by the help I received from friends, family, and strangers. The love between a dog and their human is something most people understand, and because of that, most people want to help.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Get the word out, stay calm, and don’t give up.
