How to Buy a Pet Identification Tag for The Shetland Sheepdog

Picking a pet identification tag for your Shetland Sheepdog is like purchasing insurance – you do so with the faith that you won’t use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “real cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The type of pet identification tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Whimsically purchasing a collar tag just because it’s inexpensive or cute often ends up being foolish, in the long term.

Think about this prior to choosing any pet identification tag for your Shetland Sheepdog:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Shetland Sheepdog?
Missing Shetland Sheepdogs are certainly common – we’ve all noticed “Lost Shetland Sheepdog!” signs posted around town, or dead Shetland Sheepdogs lying along the side of the road. If your Shetland Sheepdog is a master at hopping your fence, or can’t resist tracking a smell, or young and energetic, or is not properly trained, the possibility of a missing Shetland Sheepdog is high.

But losing your Shetland Sheepdog isn’t the only risk.

Some Shetland Sheepdogs are stolen. A pet thief may steal Fido or Fifi hoping to get 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 risk to your Shetland Sheepdog if something were to happen to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a Shetland Sheepdog, especially if you live by yourself or are in ill health, there’s a good chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your Shetland Sheepdog, perhaps with short notice. And anyone can be struck by disaster or tragedy that leaves you incapable of caring for your Shetland Sheepdog.

In this case, will your Shetland Sheepdog’s temporary or new caretaker know that Fido hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that has more than your phone number and name would be extremely beneficial.

2.What level of danger are you ok with?
Some Shetland Sheepdogs are simply more important to their owners, and the chance of losing that pet calls for a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

Keep in mind that there is more than one way to determine the value of your Shetland Sheepdog. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Shetland Sheepdog) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most Shetland Sheepdog owners, the companionship attachment they have with their Shetland Sheepdog determines its value. For many, Shetland Sheepdogs are like family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

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

Pet identification tags come in varying shapes, sizes and materials and hold varying amounts of info. Some contain logos or artwork, also. Most pet ID tags are designed to be attached to a collar.

At a bare minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the name, address and phone number of the Shetland Sheepdog’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags don’t rust or fade and are durable. These customary types of tags can purchased from any veterinarian or pet store. They’re economical 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 Shetland Sheepdog these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet identification tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the newest entrants in the pet identification game is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your Shetland Sheepdog’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which can hold 64MB of data (including comprehensive medical and diet information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy plastic case and can be used in 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 Shetland Sheepdogs

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