As numbers of dogs being reported missing increases across Berkshire, one member of the community has come forward with an answer as to why this keeps occurring.

Since the start of 2024 numerous people have posted photos of their escaped dogs on social media asking the public to keep an eye out for them.

But why do these dogs go missing in the first place? Full time dog trainer Natalie Emmersons says the problem is due to dog owners failing to invest in puppy training.

“Unfortunately, this is the world we live in,” Ms Emmersons said. “A lot of people have dogs, and a lot of people don’t invest in puppy training.

“They let them off the lead on walks and they have no recall so there’s the main issue. In Bracknell everyday there is a post on Facebook about a missing dog.”

This issue is also very much present in Reading and Slough with multiple posts on social media daily from owners frantically searching for their pets.

Ms Emmersons continued: “How is it possible that every single dog is like a ninja getting out of their house. These are 100% dogs that have been taken on walks and are off lead and have not come back when called.”

Ms Emmersons said that she has found it very hard to raise this issue as dog owners can be very hostile when she suggests that they haven’t properly trained their pet.

“If you say to someone that they are being irresponsible and they don’t have recall so their dog shouldn’t be off its lead and they act like you’ve just shot their first born child,” she said.

Ms Emmersons said that dog owners get very defensive and that people that are responsible with their dogs become targets.

She said that being in the dog training industry she is faced with this kind of adversity every day.

“I know so many people with reactive dogs that will now not walk their dogs in local parks due to the number of other pets without recall,” she said.

“When something is wrong I am going to say that it’s wrong. I don’t have an issue with doing that. But that makes me easy pickings I suppose.

“It almost doesn’t matter that I’m a dog trainer. Whether I know what I’m doing or not it’s like their blinded by this love for their dog, and that’s wonderful but other people’s actions have consequences.”