Buying a pet ID tag for your Broholmer is like buying insurance – you do it with the faith that you’ll never need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “actual 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 think it through. Whimsically buying a collar tag because it’s cheap or trendy often proves to be unwise, long-term.
Consider this prior to purchasing any pet id tag for your Broholmer:
1.What is the level of risk to your Broholmer?
Lost Broholmers are very common – we have all seen “Lost Dog!” signs plastered around the city, or deceased dogs lying by the side of the road. If your Broholmer is a master at jumping the fence, or can’t help tracking a smell, or young and energetic, or isn’t properly trained, the chance of a lost Broholmer is high.
But losing your Broholmer isn’t the only possibility.
Sometimes Broholmers get stolen. A pet thief may take Rover or Spot in hopes of getting 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 cult rituals.
And what is the danger to your Broholmer if something were to happen to you, the owner?
If you’re a senior citizen with a Broholmer, particularly if you live alone or are in ill health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your Broholmer, maybe with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy that renders you incapable of caring for your companion.
In this case, will your Broholmer’s temporary or new steward know that Spot hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that has more than your name and phone number would be extremely helpful.
2.What level of risk are you ok with?
Some Broholmers are simply more important to their owners, and the chance of losing that pet demands a specific, higher priced type of pet ID tag. Risk is proportionate to value.
Keep in mind that there are several ways to calculate the value of your Broholmer. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Broholmer) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).
However for most Broholmer owners, the relationoship attachment they have with their companion determines its value. For many owners, Broholmers are family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.
3.Based on your responses to the two previous queries, what do you require of a pet identification tag?
Pet ID tags come in various materials, shapes and sizes and hold varying amounts of info. Some contain logos or artwork, as well. Many pet identification tags are designed to be hung from a collar.
At a bare minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Broholmer’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are light but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags don’t rust or fade and are durable. These traditional types of tags can purchased from any vet or pet store. They’re low cost however the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.
Luckily, you have many more options in pet identification tags for your Broholmer these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.
One of the newer entrants in the pet identification market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your Broholmer’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which holds 64MB of data (including comprehensive diet and medical information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be used in any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your animal doctor or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is severely limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about BroholmersWas 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 🙂
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