Protection:

Make Sure Your DOG Can Be Identified

Submitted by Deb Dempsey

Millions of pets are lost each year so it's imperative for your pet's safe return home that your dog has a form of identification. Here are a few easy and cost-effective suggestions to make sure your dog can be identified with a collar, dog tag, microchip or tattoo!

TAGS: Dog tags made in a tag machine tend to bend and scratch to the point that they become unreadable. It's a good idea to use a highquality,sturdy tag that has current information on it. A few companies to check out for dog tags are Red Dingo (www.reddingo.com) and Jazzy Tags (www.jazzytags.com). Be sure to include a cell phone, so if Fido is lost during the day or while you're out of town, you'll learn about it right away. Another option is the YappyHappy Dog Tag that looks like a driver's license. While most dog tags have just a name and phone number, this new dog tag contains everything a standard driver's license might include- even a photo. Tags cost $20 and are available online at (www.yappyhappy.com).Orvis (www.orvis.com) also has a fun and functional dog driver's license, which includes a tag for your dog's collar and a sturdy plastic card for your wallet. Important pet information, such as dog's name, picture, weight, color, birth date, address and phone number are imprinted. Licenses cost $29. If your dog has numerous tags and the clanging of tags disturbs you, attach a tag silencer (www.itzadog.com) and the sound will dissipate.

MICROCHIPPING: Because tags and collars do come off, the safest way to ensure that you'll be reunited with your pet is through microchipping. Microschipping is a permanent identification for your dog and is considered an effective and reliable way to help finda lost pet. The microchip is small and easily inserted under the skin of your pet; most vets offer this low-cost service. For information on microchip companies, visit (www.avidid.com) or (www.homeagainid.com). Your pet must be registered with a microchip company, so they can be identified if they are lost and reunited with you.

COLLARS: Countless dogs are able to back out of their collars because the collar is not correctly adjusted. Collars should fit fairly snugly, with room to slip just a few fingers underneath them (if you have a dog with a very small head (i.e. a whippet or basenji) use a martingale-style collar that tightens when the dog backs up). If you use a harness for walking, leave the collar with tags on and attach the leash to the harness. There are also collars on the market that have safety features. Bitch New York carries a collar
that glows in the night (www.bitchnewyork.com) and PupLight has an illuminated collar that makes your dog visible at night (www.puplight.com).

TATTOOS: Dummies.com notes another option; that "some breeders tattoo all their puppies for ID purposes or that you may choose to have your pet tattooed with his registration number or a phone number (a vet can tattoo your dog). Tattoos usually appear on the inner thigh or on the inside of the ear flap. The advantage to a tattoo is that it's permanent; the problem with ID tattoos is that they can stretch and fade as a dog grows, and they can be covered by hair.