Choosing a Pet ID Tag for Your English Mastiff

Buying a pet identification tag for your English Mastiff is like buying insurance – you do so with the devout wish that you won’t use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “real cost” of buying the pet tag itself.

The type of pet ID tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Impulsively picking a collar tag just because it’s low cost or trendy usually ends up being a regret, down the road.

Consider the following prior to picking any pet identification tag for your English Mastiff:
1.What is the level of risk to your English Mastiff?
Lost English Mastiffs are definitely common – we have all come across “Lost Dog!” signs posted around town, or dead dogs lying by the edge of the road. If your English Mastiff is a pro at escaping your fence, or can’t resist tracking a scent, or young and energetic, or is not well trained, the risk of a missing English Mastiff is high.

But losing your English Mastiff isn’t the only concern.

Some English Mastiffs get stolen. A pet thief may steal Spot or Rover in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in pit battles (even small or gentle dogs are susceptible – they can be used for “bait”), or for use in satanic rituals.

And what is the danger to your English Mastiff if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a English Mastiff, particularly if you live alone or are in ill health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your English Mastiff, perhaps with little notice. And anyone can be hit with a tragedy or disaster which leaves you incapable of caring for your English Mastiff.

In this case, will your English Mastiff’s new or temporary caregiver know that Fifi hates cats, or requires medication, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that contains more than your name and phone number would be very beneficial.

2.What level of danger are you comfortable with?
Some English Mastiffs are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal demands a specific, more expensive type of pet ID tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

Keep in mind that there are several ways to assess the value of your English Mastiff. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred English Mastiff) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most English Mastiff owners, the companionship attachment they have to their companion determines its value. For many, English Mastiffs are like family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.Based on your answers to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet ID tag?

Pet identification tags come in varying shapes, sizes and materials and hold varying amounts of information. Some have artwork or logos, as well. Usually pet ID tags are meant to be attached to a collar.

At a minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the English Mastiff’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags don’t rust or fade and are durable. These traditional kinds of tags can gotten from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re low cost yet the amount of information they can display is limited to the size of the tag.

Fortunately, there are many more options for pet ID tags for your English Mastiff these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the newer entries in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your English Mastiff’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which holds 64MB of data (including comprehensive diet and medical information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy plastic case and can be plugged into any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your animal doctor or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth trackers, but their range is limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about English Mastiffs

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