How to Choose a Pet ID Tag for The Welsh Springer Spaniel

Choosing a pet identification tag for your Welsh Springer Spaniel is like buying an insurance policy – you do it with the devout wish that you won’t need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “real price” of buying the pet tag itself.

The type of pet ID tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to consider it. Impulsively purchasing a collar tag because it’s cheap or cute usually proves to be foolish, long-term.

Consider this before picking any pet identification tag for your Welsh Springer Spaniel:
1.What is the level of risk to your Welsh Springer Spaniel?
Lost Welsh Springer Spaniels are very common – we have all noticed “Lost Welsh Springer Spaniel!” signs posted around town, or deceased dogs lying on the edge of the road. If your Welsh Springer Spaniel is a pro at tunneling under the fence, or cannot resist chasing a scent, or youthful and energetic, or is not properly trained, the possibility of a lost Welsh Springer Spaniel is high.

But losing your Welsh Springer Spaniel isn’t the only concern.

Some Welsh Springer Spaniels are stolen. A pet thief may take 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 for “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the danger to your Welsh Springer Spaniel if something happens to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Welsh Springer Spaniel, 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 furry friend, maybe with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy which renders you unable to care for your companion.

In this case, will your Welsh Springer Spaniel’s temporary or new caregiver know that Spot hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that contains more than your phone number and name would be extremely helpful.

2.What amount of risk are you ok with?
Some Welsh Springer Spaniels are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal demands a specific, higher priced kind of pet ID tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Note that there is more than one way to assess the value of your Welsh Springer Spaniel. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred Welsh Springer Spaniel) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Welsh Springer Spaniel owners, the sentimental attachment they have to their Welsh Springer Spaniel determines its value. For many owners, Welsh Springer Spaniels are family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.From your answers to the two previous queries, what do you need in a pet ID tag?

Pet identification tags come in various materials, shapes and sizes and can contain varying amounts of information. Some contain artwork or logos, as well. Most pet identification 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional types of tags can purchased from any vet or pet store. They’re low cost yet the amount of information they can contain is limited to the size of the tag.

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

One of the newer entrants in the pet identification game is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your pet’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which can hold 64MB of data (including complete 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 vet or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is low, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Welsh Springer Spaniels

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