Means of Identification

Plover · Means of Identification

Hi Everyone

I was just wondering how many people get their dogs ears tattooed. Our dogs are all microchipped but I have heard so many stories about the police and dog wardens not bothering to check microchips or missing them because they have moved that I am wondering whether tattooing is a better option. Plovers pups are only 3 weeks old at the moment and it was my intention to have them microchipped. Now I am wondering whether I should have their ears tattooed instead. Has anyone had any problems with this?

Has anyone had an adult dog tattooed? I was thinking of getting Plover done at the same time (she is microchipped but what good is that if someone might not bother checking).....and there is the arguement that thieves are less likely to lop an ear off than remove a microchip (something to do with the re-sale value)!

Thanks

Jackie

Helen

My oldest gwp is tattooed but he was done as a pup. His breeder said he squealed more having his tattoo than when he was docked. I've only ever seen it done on tv to an adult dog and that dog yelped as well. You can JUST about read it but whether anyone would actually check his ear if he ever went missing, I don't know.

We've just had 4 of our dogs chipped (that's all of them done now) after we had an escapee last week. Made me realise, while I was ringing round the local kennels and dog warden, that there is no way that one of our dogs could be identified as they don't wear collars.

Helen

Tracy

Have all my pups tattooed and they object more to being held tightly to the actual tattoo being done. Within seconds of the tattoo being done the pups are playing, also depends on the experience of the tattooist, I used a different person this time and was over really quick and pups never made a noise.

Had an adult done once and never again, was really stressful to the dog, took 3 people to hold her. The tattooist I now use dosnt do adult dogs due to it being stressful to them.

Tracy

DesO'Neile

Any of the vets in question give an opinion as to why they didn't use a local annesthetic? - to tattoo the adults.

BritAnnie

I certainly wouldn't microchip an 8 week old pup. I had mine tattooed at 6 weeks through the National Dog register. Their scheme for doing a whole litter and the breeder getting teh fee back when they are transferred to the new owner is a good one, and ALL my puppy buyers were only too pleased to pay the fee - I think it was £13 each then, may have gone up.

Bareve

Why wouldn't you microchip a 8 wk old puppy Annie?

If you're going to "dock" puppies then you have no option but to get the puppies microchipped at that sort of age and certainly before they go to their new homes.

Not sure if I would get puppies tatto'd but have seen many pups "chipped" and that doesn't seem to bother them at all.

BritAnnie

Don't like the idea of chipping at all to be honest, and feel baby pups are far too young - chips have been known to travel. A friends dog went missing, he was chipped in France and when he was eventually found they couldn't find his chip, none of the readers here could find it. A tattoo causes the pups to squeal for 10 seconds then it's forgotten and the mark is there forever. It's certainly no worse than any pain caused by docking.

We can't dock at all so don't need to chip anyway. I was told that even if they are docked, provided there is a means of ID at that time then they can be chipped at 3 months - that's better, I think.

I can't see that chipping at 8 weeks is any more secure than tattooing for pups that are docked at 2 days - their coats and markings can change in that time so how can there be a positive identification?

lagopuslagopus

Ekko was chipped at 7 weeks and there was no reaction (squealing) - just like with the vaccinations. I know some people say they can move but I've had 7 dogs chipped now and none of them either ever moved or have not yet done so.

Bareve

I've had quite a few pups done at 7 wks and there is very little if any reaction at all. Of those that we've kept most have stayed put but two have moved but I know where they are so that isn't a problem.

Of the dogs that I've had who have been tatto'd before I had them there is a great variation on the ability to read then when the dogs became adults. You can read Freddy's very clearly but of the other two Dutch imports we had one was un-readable before he came out of quarantine Very Happy

BritAnnie

Friends of mine breed cattle. They chip their calves. When killed out one chip was found right beside the heart. I know it's an isolated incident but it still worries me.

Plover

Sharon

It is the moving chips that worry me. You may know where they are but if one of your dogs was stolen and later found and scanned, unless the vet scans in the right place, it will be assumed that he is not chipped. Even if you contact everyone possible and tell them where his chip is, the chances are that in a months time nobody will remember about it and not all rescue kennels seem to contact the breed rescue.

How far have the chips moved?

I have heard of tattoos becoming smudged but surely (or maybe not!) any dog found with a smudged tattoo would be reported to the regsitry anyway and maybe a partial reading would be enough to identify the dog.

There seem to be problems with both options. I think a tattoo would be harder for a vet/dog warden to miss but if they routinely smudge, and as a result are not reported - not much use!

BritAnnie

Jackie, if the tattoo is done properly by a registered operator they don't smudge - the pups are held (cuddled ) till the ink dries. Bill Orzel did mine for me and they are all perfect. I saw one of my little lads at SKC and his number is very legible at 9 months(and he's done a lot of growing since 6 weeks old) David Bissett is close to you I think - have a look, contact them and discuss it with them. As I said before we can't dock so don't have to have them chipped. There's a special deal for breeders.
http://www.dog-register.co.uk/breeders/index.html

Bareve

Jackie

One of them has moved to the front/side of the shoulder so if the "front end" was scanned it is picked up. The worse one is just above the front of the elbow where the body and leg meet (lovely description) so that might not be so easily picked up on a general scan.

Annie

You cannot categorically say that providing the tattoo's are done by a registered operator they don't smudge - the two I'm talking about were litter brother and sister done by the same person. I've also seen others where you cannot decipher what the characters are.

Unfortunately neither method is as foolproof as we would like Sad

munstyman

You would have thought by now that with all the eye testing thats going on in the dog world someone would have put one and one together and developed a retinal scanner for dogs for id purposes.....their eyes dont move....unless theres food involved Idea

Peter

BritAnnie

Perhaps so, but my first Brittany was tattooed at 6 weeks by Stan Smith, who brought the Breed into the UK in 1982. He was awaited fro almost 2 years, his name was Brett (Dorvalstan Vitalis of Aberdon). He was 15 when he died and his tattoo was clearly legible at that point - PR 843 - Puk (des Pigenettes) x Rolline (de St Tugen), year born 1984, 3rd pup born.

I agree neither method is infallible but I personally would prefer an external wound than an internal one with a risk to internal organs. Having said that all my adult dogs have chips and a collar and tag to say so, but were done at 15 months and (almost) fully grown, so less chance of migration of the chip. I guess I'm just soft and transfer all this into human terms.
BritAnnie

BritAnnie

munstyman

Eye D ( Copyright Me Laughing

)
Both eye scanner and data base technology is already in use for us so you would think that a mass use product would bring the price down.
I really must get out more....and work Rolling Eyes

it stopped raining half an hour ago Exclamation

Peter

Helen

My spaniel's chip has moved down to her shoulder. A vet friend said that it has been normal for them to move but they are better now. No idea how true that is. She did say that if she ever had any stray dogs in, she always checked the shoulder with the scanner.

Helen

Bareve

BritAnnie

The BIG Lottery fund? surely they'd help!

munstyman

Bareve wrote:

Lisa

Liz

i've used both tattoos and microchips - and I do prefer tattoos - as my vet says "people are born with scanners" Shocked

Toby our last Weimaraner was tattooed as a pup and his was still legible when we lost him at 12.

When we had our Brittany litter I had them done as puppies, and Rosie's is still legible at almost 13. I had Bliss, their mum, done at the same time as the pups and had a much better experience than Tracy did - yes she did squeal at the time (Britts have a very indignant squeal if someone offends them anyway) but she very quickly forgave the tattooist and was soon giving her cuddles!

My other 2 Brits have been chipped. Sherry was done when she was about 2 and her chip is OK, hasn't moved at all. Ozzy was done about a year ago when he was about 8 months, and his chip is now down his shoulder. I don't know if it is because he was that bit younger, or because the girl who was doing the chipping wasn't very experienced.

As others have said, I'd be worried about people not finding his chip.

Plover

Well, Quill got his tatoo done last Thursday and after the initial yelp, he forgot all about it. The ink around the inside of his ear has now rubbed off and the tatoo looks good so far. He also has a chip...just incase.