Picking a Pet Identification Tag for The Lowchen

Buying a pet identification tag for your Lowchen is like purchasing insurance – you do it with the faith that you’re never going to use it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “real cost” of purchasing 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 low cost or cute usually ends up being unwise, down the road.

Consider the following prior to choosing any pet id tag for your Lowchen:
1.What is the level of risk to your Lowchen?
Missing Lowchens are definitely common – we have all come across “Lost Dog!” signs setup around the city, or dead Lowchens lying along the side of the road. If your Lowchen is a pro at breaking through your fence, or can’t help following a smell, or youthful and full of energy, or isn’t correctly trained, the possibility of a lost Lowchen is high.

But losing your Lowchen isn’t the only risk.

Sometimes Lowchens get stolen. A pet thief may take Fifi or Fido 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 religious rituals.

And what is the risk to your Lowchen if something happens to you, the owner?

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

In this case, will your Lowchen’s temporary or new caretaker know that Fido hates cats, or requires medication, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be extremely beneficial.

2.What amount of danger are you ok with?
Some Lowchens 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 proportionate to value.

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

But for most Lowchen owners, the emotional attachment they have with their companion sets its value. For many, Lowchens are members of the family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

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

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

At the minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Lowchen’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are lightweight but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional types of tags can bought from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re economical but the amount of information they can contain is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, there are many more options of pet identification tags for your Lowchen these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet identification tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the most recent entrants in the pet identification game is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your Lowchen’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which can hold 64MB of data (including complete 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 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 small, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Lowchens

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