Chances of losing your beloved pet while it’s running around the backyard or walking through the park with you are higher than you might think. The dog may wander off in the most unpredictable of situations and finding them without a proper ID on them lessens the probabilities of you ever seeing your furry friend ever again. Therefore, it would be smart for you to pay a visit to the vet and consider some of the many convenient tag options for your dog’s ID.
Why you should put a tag on your dog
One of the reasons you want your dog to have an ID is to verify that the pet is actually yours. While in some places nobody would mind your dog not having a tag, elsewhere you might get a serious fine because your pooch does not have a collar or a chip. Furthermore, if you put a tag on your dog, it’ll be much easier for others to identify it if it ever gets lost.
Having all the necessary info on the tag, such as your dog’s name, one or two phone numbers to contact you, a message like “I am microchipped”, your city, will ensure your dog doesn’t end up missing for too long if it ever wanders away. Once you decide to put a tag on your dog, you can choose between a few options: microchips, ID tags and GPS devices.
Microchips are one option
Microchips are one of the most popular modern ID tags for dogs. They are very small, so they do not cause any discomfort to the canine after they’re being injected. A microchip is a permanent form of identification that’s injected under the skin in the neck area between the shoulders. The process of microchipping is very similar to that of vaccination, so you won’t have to worry about the dog being in pain or any form of discomfort.
Many vets will use a local anesthetic to make the process even easier for the pooch. In case your dog goes missing, it’ll be easy for the veterinary offices, shelters, and humane societies to locate the chip inside the animal with scanners. One of the best benefits of microchipping is that you don’t have to worry about your dog losing its ID.
However, sometimes the chips tend to stray away from the insertion point, which makes it a bit more difficult for the vet to locate it afterwards. Make sure you keep all the info on the chip up-to-date so that your dog can be returned to you in case it goes missing.
ID Tags will work great
ID tags have been popular for years, and are one of the most noticeable signs that your dog is not a stray. What’s more, having a collar with an ID tag is also a cute accessory for the dog. The benefit of getting your dog engraved dog id tags is that anyone can easily read the info on the tag, without having to take the dog to the vet.
All the important info can be read easily and quickly, meaning that your dog will find its way home much quicker since it won’t require a trip to the vet for a chip identification. Furthermore, dog ID tags are also more affordable than chips.
However, every good side has a bad side too, which means that you won’t be able to fully rely on ID tags because sometimes they can be detached from the dog’s neck. Some tags tend to jingle and irritate both the dog and the owner as well.
GPS devices are very convenient too
If you’ve thought that microchips are improved GPS systems, we’ve got news for you – the two are completely different. Microchips cannot be tracked until your dog is at the vet’s office or shelter. Only then can the staff read the chip with a scanner and know who the dog belongs to. Unlike microchips which are activated only when the dog is found, a GPS tracker is active 24/7 and linked to real-time cell-phone modems or satellite receivers.
The GPS devices are bigger than microchips and ID tags, and they’re the size of a business card. They can transmit the direction of your pet’s route and the exact location of the pet whenever you ask for the info. Another amazing benefit is that a GPS device can alert you if your four-legged friend strays away. You’ll be able to locate your dog from virtually any area, and no insertion is needed because the dog will wear the tracker around its collar.
What you might not like about this type of ID is that it’s not as affordable as microchips and it often requires a monthly subscription fee. If you have a small dog, he or she may not be very comfortable wearing it, and the GPS device can be easily lost as well when attached to a collar.
Final thought
Getting your dog an ID is paramount if you want to be sure you don’t lose your little furry friend forever. No matter how obedient the dog is, any pooch can stray away unintentionally and leave you devastated. Therefore, provide your dog with an ID tag so that you can always have peace of mind and your dog safely with you.