These are the indicating factors that will predispose a dog to shyness or elusiveness.
1) Demeanor: A shy or wary personality. Is the dog wary of strangers or men, or people wearing hats? Is he slow to warm up to new people?
2) Origin: Dogs rescued from abusive situations, puppy mills or purchased at a very young age (6 weeks or younger) are more likely to be predisposed to shyness. They may lack socialization skills or missed the early socialization period with their mother and littermates by being taken away from the litter too young.
3) Breed: Some breeds seem predisposed to becoming shy and wary very quickly when they are lost. They are:
- Herding breeds such as Shelties, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies
- Sighthounds such as Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Whippets
- Chihuahuas, Rat Terriers and other small sensitive breeds
4) Dogs lost from a location other than home such as:
- Boarding kennel, training facility, doggy day care
- Pet sitter
- Vet clinic
- Animal shelter
- Foster home
- Rescue transport
- Newly adopted or purchased
- Family or friends’ home
5) Dogs lost from a stressful situation which may or may not include loud noises such as:
- Cars backfiring
- Car accidents
- House fires
- Natural disasters
Any one or a combination of the above will predispose the dog to being an elusive dog to catch.