microchip or tattoo

[Ostory]

Originally Posted by Skip

Huh? Not sure what you are getting at. Of course the judge can't check for a tattoo if the dog doesn't have one. But I THINK a microchip (only) is allowed nowadays as verification. I don't think the dog HAS to have a tattoo for verification at a schutzhund trial, but it must have one or the other.

You mentioned that a Judge prefferred a tattoo over a chip. If the dog only has a MC, then the Judge's preference doesn't matter. MC only is allowed, but the owner is the one responsible for the reader.

[missingmarley]

thoroughbred horses are tattooed under their upper lip - you've got to sort of fold the top lip over to read the thing, and then they're sometimes all blurred and faded. it's a lot of fun to watch the officials check the tattoos at a thoroughbred show! some horses really really really hate it (like my daughter's normally sweet boy), some don't care. microchips would seem to make sense for horses too, though.

as far as dogs go, there was a sort of scandal around here a while ago - one of the local shelters wasn't scanning - claimed to not have the equipment. they made excuses all over the place - it was weird. they've since come around, and i think scanning for chips is a lot more common, but it still may not be the first thing somebody thinks of when trying to locate the home of a lost dog. probably the best that's out there, though.

[kala]

From my experience working at a shelter, the chip is more likely to get the dog home if lost. Unfortunately our workers don't look for tatoos on a regular basis. We've caught a couple but tracing them is a problem.

When dogs come in to our shelter, owned, stray, or injured one of the first things we do is scan for a chip. We use the AVID scanner and it picks up AVID, Homeagain, 24hour, and one or two others. As the animals move through the system they are scanned again with a universal scanner also. We've caught Euro chips, and others. The one thing owners seem to forget though is to keep the info updated.

We've returned pets to the original owners after years of being gone. People do find pets and keep them, and later maybe surrender them to a shelter. At that time the person who the chip is registered to is called and have the option of getting the pet back.

One of the most touching stories from our shelter is an older Border Collie mix that was brought in for euthanasia. The owner said they had the dog for a few years and she was old and it was time to PTS. We scanned the dog and the chip was registered to someone else. We called that person who said the dog had went missing two years earlier and she would come down to get the dog. The next Christmas she came in with the old dog to make a donation to us for saving her dog and reuniting them. Oh, an the dog wasn't sick or anything that jusitified the PTS, just a 10 year old dog that the person thought was done. I don't know if that dog is still alive, but if she isn't, she did get to live with her original owner for the last years of her life. That person never gave up and kept her info updated with the chip company.
sue

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Ostory

You mentioned that a Judge prefferred a tattoo over a chip. If the dog only has a MC, then the Judge's preference doesn't matter. MC only is allowed, but the owner is the one responsible for the reader.

ALL I'M SAYING is that, when the dog had BOTH, this particular judge preferred to check the ear tattoo, rather than the chip. We had a reader on hand, and gave the judge a choice. I will always use both on all dogs in the future, and then any judge can have their choice.

[Ostory]

I understand you point Skip. My point is Why? I don't care if the Judge has a choice or not. I only care what is the best way to report in with my dog. I have seen too many Judges that poorly handle a dog, or try to test dogs by checking the dog ears.

For anyone that complete trust the Judge's abilities, and intentions, then I can understand you willingness to have both a tattoo and MC. For me, I have seen enough to know some have agendas, and some are just incompenent.

[speedy78]

I had my first dog tattoed and chipped, got it down when she was under for spaying. easier that way and less stress then having to put them to sleep twice to have it done. the chip is great cause if they scan it they can find out where your vet is and contact them just in case. I did it because it came with her fee.

[Blitz31]

I recently had this same delima. I had my new puppy Micro Chipped. Mainly by the advise of my Vet. He thought that today, recovery rates were far better. In the event someone truly wanted to return your dog.

[JemarsSerena]

I had both of mine chipped within two days of bringing them home. I was required per contract, but it was easy enough just to get them done young.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Ostory

... I only care what is the best way to report in with my dog. I have seen too many Judges that poorly handle a dog, or try to test dogs by checking the dog ears.

For anyone that complete trust the Judge's abilities, and intentions, then I can understand you willingness to have both a tattoo and MC. For me, I have seen enough to know some have agendas, and some are just incompenent.

Hadn't really thought about those, but I can understand the possibility.

[JagerLiLi]

Is it ever to late to get the dog chipped? My male (Jager pronounced like the liquor) and my female (LiLi pronounced LEELEE) are 4 months and 4.5 months. They shouldn't be to old to get the chips?

[MarleysMama]

Marley is about to get microchipped this weekend.

There are actually 2 different scanners, no universal scanner as of right now, so if you have one type of chip and where ever he's found has the other..that's the problem. They wouldnt be able to obtain the info on that chip.

However, the Banfield here actually does both for $35 total...so we will never run into that problem. It's just ashame they dont have a universal one yet.

[Nina&Bill]

Originally Posted by JagerLiLi

Is it ever to late to get the dog chipped? My male (Jager pronounced like the liquor) and my female (LiLi pronounced LEELEE) are 4 months and 4.5 months. They shouldn't be to old to get the chips?

We adopted Amber when she was about 2 years old & had her chipped then. She didn't even notice it. So I don't think that you have to worry about being too late. I wonder, though, if you can chip a pup too early? If the chips might shift as they grow? Questions for the vet but I would definitely chip sooner rather than later.

Once we chipped her we started calling Amber our "boomerang" since we'd never be able to get rid of her .

Nina

[JagerLiLi]

Good!! Next vet visit they will definately come out chipped. Thanks...

[annamack]

I would have to stick to the microchip because well, tats are painful in places and well should only be for the folks like myself who like the ink!