Choosing a Pet Identification Tag for The Black Russian Terrier

Picking a pet ID tag for your Black Russian Terrier is like buying insurance – you do it with the faith that you won’t need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The type of pet ID tag that you buy is crucial, so take 5 minutes or so to consider it. Whimsically choosing a collar tag because it’s inexpensive or trendy often ends up being a regret, down the road.

Consider the following prior to choosing any pet id tag for your Black Russian Terrier:
1.What is the level of risk to your Black Russian Terrier?
Lost Black Russian Terriers are definitely common – we’ve all seen “Lost Dog!” signs setup around the city, or dead dogs lying along the edge of the road. If your Black Russian Terrier is a master at escaping your fence, or can’t resist following a scent, or young and vigorous, or is not correctly trained, the chance of a lost Black Russian Terrier is high.

But losing your Black Russian Terrier isn’t the only risk.

Some Black Russian Terriers are stolen. A pet thief may steal Rover or Fido hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in pit fights (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in religious rituals.

And what is the danger to your Black Russian Terrier if something were to happen to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a Black Russian Terrier, especially if you live by yourself or are in poor health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your Black Russian Terrier, maybe with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a tragedy or disaster which leaves you unable to care for your companion.

In this case, will your Black Russian Terrier’s temporary or new caregiver know that Rover hates cats, or needs medication, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be very beneficial.

2.What level of danger are you comfortable with?
Some Black Russian Terriers are just more important to their owners, and the chance of losing that particular animal warrants a specific, higher priced type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Keep in mind that there is more than one way to calculate the value of your Black Russian Terrier. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred Black Russian Terrier) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Black Russian Terrier owners, the emotional attachment they have to their companion determines its value. For many, Black Russian Terriers are members of the family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.Using your responses to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet identification tag?

Pet ID tags come in varying sizes, shapes and materials and can contain varying amounts of info. Some have logos or artwork, as well. Many pet ID tags are meant to be hung from a collar.

At a minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the name, address and phone number of the Black Russian Terrier’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are lightweight but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional kinds of tags can bought from any vet or pet store. They’re inexpensive however the amount of info they can contain is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, there are many more options for pet ID tags for your Black Russian Terrier these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet identification tags, and pet registry websites.

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

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Black Russian Terriers

Was this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂