tatoo versus chip - Page 1

Good Morning,
Just wondering what people do tatoo or chip.The pros and the con.And what age do you tatoo your pups?
Thanks
Steve

I do both if available, can't think of a single con for either.  My pup was tattood around 12 weeks.  If you only do one, I'd absolutely do the microchip.

I did both when the SV was still requiring a tattoo but now only a microchip is required for identification.  When I tattoo'ed, it was at 8 weeks.

The SV was the last hold-out from the Micro-Chip...The Tattoo can fade and hair grows over it and just plain hard to read and see...The Micro-Chip isn't my favorite because I'm not into putting things into my dogs that aren't natural...The Micro-Chip can float and get lost or sometimes just doesn't work...You need the correct type Micro-Chip Reader to read your chip too...So there are pros and cons to each...Out of the two I think the Micro-Chip is much more legiable...but is more expensive...

~Bob~

There's quite a range in costs for chips, I agree.  Our local shelter does them for $10 though and that seems more than fair to me.  They can shift around but all the shelter workers and vets I've seen scan for a chip scan the ENTIRE body very thoroughly, several times if they don't get a hit right away on the neck or shoulder.

Over here in the U.S., the new SV identification can be a problem, but most people do not know how it works in Germany:
At the breeder's kennel, the whole litter is microchipped and a blood sample is taken at the same time. A drop of blood is extracted from the ear of the puppy right after the chip implantation and pressed onto a piece of paper which is part of the litter registration form and signed by the appointed SV Identification Agent/Delegate (formerly the Tattooer). This is done at no cost to the breeder. The blood sample is stored with the SV and if the owner of the puppy wishes to have the individual dog DNA tested, he/she will have to pay the appropriate fees to the SV. This safeguards against the loss of the microchip and is also a great opportunity for foreign owners to participate in the SV DNA certification process.
As a breeder in the U.S., I continue to tattoo my puppies at 8 weeks before they leave and it is up to the new owner to microchip the puppy, in addition to the tattoo. The puppies we keep back will be microchipped with the EURO chip if they go to Germany for titling and breeding (in addition to getting a blood sample drawn for SV DNA certification). This has to be done that way because a German owner or co-owner can only incorporate a foreign dog into the breeding program if that dog is DNA certified by the SV (meaning that both parents have to have their sample stored with the SV).
Our homebred black male Onyx and his sister Olympia are only identified by their German microchip. It is stamped on everything and the breed survey report only uses that number as identification, not the fading tattoo No. we tattooed them with at 8 weeks of age. In turn, it is our responsibility as owners to have the correct scanner available for a judge to use and identify the dog. I bought a scanner last year in Germany.
Chris

In the U.S. dogs are microchipped, or at least they should be.  If you adopt from a shelter or local humane society (NOT to be confused with HSUS - the local humane societies are not associated with them) you will pay for the chipping as part of the adoption fee. Some breeders of both American line and German line dogs will chip their pups (they will transfer chip ownership after the check clears.) Others will expect the new owner to chip the puppy, which you should do. German line dogs bred in America are often tattooed by the breeder at 7 - 8 weeks and chipped by the owner. The type of chip is up to the owner. If your dog won't be shown in Germany, use one of the American chips. 

I know that the local shelters have multiple types of chip readers and they scan extensively looking for wandering chips during intake of animals. A "Homeagain World Scan" scanner will read chip frequencies: 125 kHz and 128 kHz (HomeAgain, Avid and Trovan), as well as the 134.2 kHz ISO chip (European) and will read some of the 134.2 kHz Digital Angel chips. It won't read all of the chips used around the world, but it will indicate the presence of a chip.

My German boy has an ear tattoo and an American chip. His tattoo has faded some and he has grown a line of black hair over the tattoo, making it hard to read. His chip, however, is still in place and readily readable (the vet scanned it last week.)

To my knowledge, most of the organizations that run dog competitions are going to the microchip as a definitive ID for dogs rather than the tattoo. Tattoos fade, hair grows over them, they can be changed. Removal of a chip is a surgical procedure and will probably leave a scar. Chip removal is less likely than tattoo change if a dog is stolen. 

As far as aiding recovery if a dog gets lost, a microchip is definitely the way to go.

My girls have both tattoo (SV) and micro-chip (Avid).  My male has tattoo (from his breeder) and micro-chip (Avid)  All are DNA'd through the AKC.

I went to a trial this past weekend and the judges used a "universal" scanner to scan for my dog's chip. They weren't able to find it and told me I would be dismissed if we were in Germany. After that heart-stopping experience, I got back home and went straight to the vet. They scanned him about 8 times right in front of me and it popped right up each time. The moral to the story is, with a chip, you are at the mercy of the host club, hoping they have the latest scanner that picks up the higher frequencies.

Firstly,
Modern chips are perfectly safe (or at least the ones i implant are), they contain no chemicals, no moving parts and nothing that can hurt the dog.
Microchip implanters must be trained to implant chips correctly.

The chips I use are 2mm x 11mm so about the same size as an UNcooked grain of rice. If implanted correctly there is little chance (although it does happen rarely) of the chip migrating.

Universal scanners will detect a chip implanted in ANY country as long as the person using the scanner uses it CORRECTLY and the scanner has a decent battery.

The scanner should be passed SLOOWWWWLY over the animal being scanned not quickly as the inexperienced or badly trained do. The only dog I have failed to find a chip on when the owner thought there was one, was one that had been implanted by a vet during a seperate operation when the dog was under GA and the chip had fallen out upon removal of the needle and the vet had not noticed.
The chip had sat in a jar at the vet for over 6 months waiting someone to question where their dogs chip was!!
Price to implant a chip? I charge £15 if the owner brings the animal to me...£20 if I go to the dog within the local area...and registration on Petlog is included in that price.
Vets generally change £17-£25 if you take the dog to them.