Recommended Tattooing kit??? - Page 1

A friend of mine is looking for a really good tattooing kit for his puppies. Since I never use a tattoo (I use HomeAgain Microchip) I had no idea what to tell him. He frequents this board, and has been informed to look out for this post, so any info provided would be of great help! If possible, please provide links to good websites with the tattooing kit of your preference. Him and I would also love to hear the good brands/kits and the bad ones. Thanks, hope to hear some good feedback!

I have a question along the same lines, do you mind if I post it here? Hope not :)
Is it OK to tattoo the puppies yourself or should they be tattoo'd by the vet? At what age is best to tattoo? Is there a set protocol for the tattooing? I dont mind doing it myself , I have done rabbits no prob.  I am also going to microchip the pups but from what I understand, certain arenas ( SCH etc) require tattooing.

Thanks

Therese

Leerburg sells the most in the US. I have it, used it for a while, it came with a video of how to use . I had someone else teach me how to tattoo before I ordered it- that was more helpfull than the video. I also now use a roll on ink along with the paste that it comes with or you can buy seperate. I roll on the ink, use the tattooer, then rub the paste in heavily for several minutes- the tattoo's look really good and still can be seen/read on the adults.

I bought a Hauptner tattoo kit from Leerburg.  It was expensive, but it is a quality kit.  I tattoo my own puppies.  It's really not that hard, you just have to be careful, and it greatly helps to have an extra pair of hands.  The ink that comes with the kit is also supposed to have some sort of a antibacterial salve that is mixed in.

Thanks everyone, I still prefer to use Micochips, but I think my friend is strongly considering purchasing a kit. I gave him a few price quotes from Labert Veterinary Supplies, and most seemed reasonably priced. Its funny, I cry every single time I have to give one of my puppies or dogs a Microchip. Its quite funny, because today I FINALLY got around to giving my new Czech import her's and she yelped and it damn near broke my heart! I've had her for only a few days, and we have REALLY bonded, and I called her over to me, and she was SO happy to see me, then I grabbed the scruff of her neck, and she yelped once, but it was the look she gave me...like she was betrayed by her best and closest friend...It really hurts me, but I imagine it hurts them worse with that HUGE needle! Oh well, it'll save their butts if a pound picks them up!

One of my females was microchipped, but had no tattoo.  A couple years ago I entered her in a trial in Canada for a BH.  I was almost not allowed to enter, since there was no tattoo.  They made an exception, and I got to complete.  I had her tattooed a few weeks later by a vet.  If you compete in Schutzhund, not having a tattoo is a real problem, and most judges won't allow you in the trial.  You can scan your chip, but it's up to you to bring your own reader, it is not the responsibility of the club.  There are also several different kinds of chips out there, each requiring their own readers.  The chip readers are not cheap, several hundred dollars.  Schutzhund is an old world sport, and tattooing, is just part of it.

SchUSA has a microchip reader priced at $225, that scans everything, it did a fine job at our local trial and picked up three different kinds of mircochips.  I have ordered two tattoo kits in the past.  The first was not a haptner, and it did not do a good job.  Go with the Haptner tattoo kit, it does a fine job.  I hope your freind is prepared for screaming puppies and some blood at times.  You know when you've got a good tattoo when the needles stick and do not easily pull back out of the ear.  The green ink gets everywhere although it will come out of the carpet after the spot has been washed a dozen times.  I offer tatoos...but I hate giving them. 

Veronica

I use the stone kit 5/16" inch size with ear release, have for about 5 yrs now.  Tattoos still look good.  It's 5 digits, they're about $100.00 now, it comes with the numbers, you have to buy the letters.

bunnyrabbit.com/price/tattoo2.htm

Valley vet has the main kit for 38.00

www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html