Picking a Pet Identification Tag for Your Welsh Sheepdog

Choosing a pet ID tag for your Welsh Sheepdog is like purchasing an insurance policy – you do it with the faith that you won’t need it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “real cost” of buying the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet ID tag that you buy is crucial, so take five minutes or so to consider it. Impulsively picking a collar tag just because it’s inexpensive or cute often proves to be a regret, long-term.

Think about the following before purchasing any pet identification tag for your Welsh Sheepdog:
1.What is the level of risk to your Welsh Sheepdog?
Lost Welsh Sheepdogs are certainly common – we’ve all noticed “Lost Welsh Sheepdog!” signs setup around the city, or dead dogs lying on the edge of the road. If your Welsh Sheepdog is a master at jumping your fence, or can’t help chasing a smell, or young and full of energy, or isn’t well trained, the possibility of a lost Welsh Sheepdog is high.

But losing your Welsh Sheepdog isn’t the only possibility.

Sometimes Welsh Sheepdogs are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Rover or Spot hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in dog fights (even small or gentle dogs are susceptible – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in religious rituals.

And what is the risk to your Welsh Sheepdog if something happens to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a Welsh Sheepdog, particularly 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 Welsh Sheepdog, maybe with short notice. And anyone can be struck by tragedy or disaster which renders you unable to care for your Welsh Sheepdog.

In this instance, will your Welsh Sheepdog’s temporary or new caregiver know that Rover hates cats, or needs medication, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that contains more than your phone number and name would be extremely helpful.

2.What level of danger are you comfortable with?
Some Welsh Sheepdogs are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal calls for a specific, higher priced kind of pet ID tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Note that there are multiple ways to assess the value of your Welsh Sheepdog. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Welsh Sheepdog) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most Welsh Sheepdog owners, the sentimental attachment they have to their companion determines its value. For many owners, Welsh Sheepdogs are members of the family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.From your responses to the two previous questions, what do you need in a pet identification tag?

Pet identification tags come in varying sizes, shapes and materials and can contain varying amounts of information. Some have logos or artwork, as well. Most pet identification tags are designed to be attached to a collar.

At a bare minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the Welsh Sheepdog’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 vet or pet store. They’re cheap but the amount of info they can contain is limited to the size of the tag.

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

One of the newest entrants in the pet identification market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your Welsh Sheepdog’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which holds 64MB of data (including comprehensive medical and diet information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be plugged into any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your vet or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.

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

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