How to Buy a Pet Identification Tag for Your Alaskan Malamute

Picking a pet identification tag for your Alaskan Malamute is like purchasing an insurance policy – you do it with the devout wish that you’ll never need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “actual price” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The kind 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 cheap or pretty often ends up being a regret, long-term.

Consider the following prior to choosing any pet id tag for your Alaskan Malamute:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Alaskan Malamute?
Missing Alaskan Malamutes are certainly common – we’ve all come across “Lost Dog!” signs posted around town, or deceased dogs lying along the side of the road. If your Alaskan Malamute is a master at tunneling under your fence, or cannot resist chasing a scent, or young and spry, or isn’t properly trained, the chance of a missing Alaskan Malamute is high.

But losing your Alaskan Malamute isn’t the only concern.

Some Alaskan Malamutes are stolen. A pet thief may steal Spot or Rover hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in dog battles (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used for “bait”), or for use in satanic rituals.

And what is the danger to your Alaskan Malamute if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Alaskan Malamute, particularly if you live by yourself or are in ill health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else may need to care for your Alaskan Malamute, maybe with little notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy that leaves you incapable of caring for your Alaskan Malamute.

In this case, will your Alaskan Malamute’s new or temporary steward know that Fifi hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet identification that has more than your name and phone number would be very beneficial.

2.What amount of danger are you comfortable with?
Some Alaskan Malamutes are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal calls for a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

Note that there is more than one way to calculate the value of your Alaskan Malamute. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Alaskan Malamute) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most Alaskan Malamute owners, the emotional attachment they have to their companion sets its value. For many people, Alaskan Malamutes are members of the family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

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

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

At a minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the Alaskan Malamute’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional kinds of tags can purchased from any veterinarian or pet store. They’re low cost but the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, you have many more options in pet ID tags for your Alaskan Malamute these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet identification tags.

One of the newest entries in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your Alaskan Malamute’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which holds 64MB of data (including comprehensive medical and diet information). The tiny 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 also exist bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Alaskan Malamutes

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