Dog ID

[vicky payne]

When do you chip your dogs? Do you use tattooing instead or as well as? Which do you prefer and why? Any propblems with either technique?

I ask as I'm nosey! And I have been really surprised to see from comments on a different thread that some owners are happy to leave identifiying their dogs by microchip until 5 or 6 months. I have chipped all my dogs as soon as I get them home (7weeks) and the latest had been done by the docking vet (not me!) before I picked her up. I chip litters for several breeders of labradors before their pups go and all the pups I dock at 6-8 weeks and at work we chip with the second vaccination at 10weeks in most cases (unless the pup had a vaccine reaction basically). Several other local breeders are trained implanters and do their own pups before sale.

With increasing dog theft, including litter thefts, are those who chip later using other identification? I now tattoo my dogs too and i know this is routinely done for litters at 6weeks of age. None of my own dogs have had any issues with either the chip or tattoo process (except the 'no swim' rule for two weeks afer the tattoo!) and I have seen very few problems with microchipping (less reactions than from vaccinations certainly).

I have contacted the Microchip Advisory Group today so see if there is any data on reported chip reactions related to age at implantation because it sounds like some breeders have real concerns.

[flattie1]

I microchipped my litter (well had them chipped) before they left me and i am also considering tatooing my dogs.

[cjaus]

I got my litter of pups docked within 24 hours of being born then chipped at 8 weeks before they went to their new homes.

Willow i got at as a pup at 8 weeks, she wasn't chipped so i got her chipped when i took her for her vaccinations

[Everything's Rosie]

my pup was chipped by the breeder.
I wanted to use a different register as we were across the border, so I had to pay extra to have it logged as a 'foreign' chip.

[Teddy]

My vet would only dock my pups if he chipped at the same time (2 days old) He wouldn't change his mind so I found a vet who said he was happy to chip at 6 or 7 weeks.

[Judy]

Both younger Cockers chipped at 7.5 ~ 8 weeks. Oldest was pre docking law so was chipped at 2 yrs old. No problems.

[Polmaise]

I chip litters for several breeders of labradors before their pups go and all the pups I dock at 6-8 weeks
Several other local breeders are trained implanters and do their own pups before sale.

I may be reading this wrong ?.so I apologise, Can you clarify these highlighted bits of your post Vicky?
atb
R.

[Feebarn]

I chip my pups as soon as they are in my ownership. When I got my first lab though there was a lot of negative press from the experienced crowd about doing it. Things seems different now that there has been so many thefts.

[vicky payne]

I chip the puppies which I have previously docked (at 2-4days) when they reach 6-8weeks old.
Local breeders of non-docked breeds including non-gundog breeds who are trained microchip implanters chip their own litters before sale.
Several labrador breeders who do not chip themselves ask me to do litters before sale and I thow in a free vet check for them too
Clear?!

[Polmaise]

Clear?!

Crystal