Picking a Pet ID Tag for Your American Water Spaniel

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

The kind of pet identification tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to consider it. Whimsically buying a collar tag just because it’s low cost or trendy usually proves to be foolish, down the road.

Think about the following before buying any pet id tag for your American Water Spaniel:
1.What is the level of risk to your American Water Spaniel?
Missing American Water Spaniels are definitely common – we have all come across “Lost Dog!” signs tacked around the city, or deceased dogs lying on the edge of the road. If your American Water Spaniel is a master at breaking through the fence, or can’t resist tracking a smell, or young and full of energy, or is not properly trained, the possibility of a missing American Water Spaniel is high.

But losing your American Water Spaniel isn’t the only possibility.

Sometimes American Water Spaniels get stolen. A pet thief may steal Fifi or Spot in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in dog 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 risk to your American Water Spaniel if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a American Water Spaniel, especially if you live by yourself or are in poor health, there’s a good chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your furry friend, maybe with little notice. And anyone can be hit with a tragedy or disaster that renders you unable to care for your companion.

In this instance, will your American Water Spaniel’s new or temporary caregiver know that Rover hates cats, or needs medication, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that has more than your name and phone number would be very beneficial.

2.What level of danger are you comfortable with?
Some American Water Spaniels are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal calls for a specific, higher priced type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportional to value.

Realize that there is more than one way to calculate the value of your American Water Spaniel. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred American Water Spaniel) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most American Water Spaniel owners, the sentimental attachment they have with their companion sets its value. For many, American Water Spaniels are 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 ID tags come in varying materials, shapes and sizes and can contain varying amounts of info. Some have artwork or logos, also. Most pet ID tags are meant to be attached to a collar.

At the minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the American Water Spaniel’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are lightweight but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These customary kinds of tags can purchased from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re inexpensive however the amount of information they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Fortunately, there are many more options for pet identification tags for your American Water 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 ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your American Water Spaniel’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which holds 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 easily 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 low, due to bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about American Water Spaniels

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