I have just ordered five "big" collars with slide tags from Boomerang Tags.
“Big” is relative, of course.
These are 3/8 inch “house” collars that will be cut down and re-sewn for my two very small working terriers, two Italian Greyhound crosses, and a mid-sized Jack Russell cross. No neck on any of these dogs is bigger than 12”.
In addition, I have ordered two very thin nylon mini collars for field work. These nylon mini collars with mini tags are put on my dogs when they are in the field with me. These fit a maximum of an 11” neck.
Yes, my dogs go to ground with two collars on (leather Deben locator collar with tag, and nylon Hamilton collar with tag).
I have dug north of 1,000 holes over 23+ years, and I have never had a collar problem of any kind, either above or below ground.
I have older mini nylon collars and tags with my phone and web site URL that I put on other folks’ terriers if they are out with me. All dogs out with me are tagged to me, as I am the holder of the group fur bearer license.
I also ordered six mini slide tags for the Deben locator collars and my key rings. I trust nylon more that leather, and I trust two tags over one. I will not tie a dog out to a leather Deben collar, as they will break.
ALWAYS, always, have a tagged collar on your dog.
No excuses.
NO, a microchip is NOT a substitute for a collar and tag — it’s a back up to the collar and tag.
No one will be able to grab and leash your dog if it has no collar, and a dog at the pound or vet for a microchip scan is a dog five days from the gas chamber and dependent on a poorly-trained minimum wage worker to find a chip that may have migrated.
Relying on microchips alone is stupid on a stick.
To repeat: MICROCHIPS ARE A BACKUP to collars and tags — NOT a substitue.
As for mini tags on my key ring, a phone number and email address (no street address) means if they are lost they *might* come back to me.
Yes, it feels like a lot of money was spent on tags and collars today, but if you lose a dog or a set of remotes for your car, and you will *wish* you’d covered every base on the front end.
Boomerang Slide Tags are guaranteed for life. The snap collars are made by Hamilton and are tough kit.
Full recommendation.
2 comments:
My state requires the dog's rabies tag and state/town license to be worn also. Those were always on my dogs in addition to the tag I had engraved with our phone numbers. The rabies tag can be traced to your vet and if your contact info is up to date with them, that's helpful in rehoming, too. I've been in the waiting room at the vets a few times when they've gotten calls to ID a dog from a rabies tag.
Microchipping is a back up when collars are lost, I agree. Interestingly, they are most useful here in proving theft, mostly for valuable toy and small dogs that don't have lip tattoos.
My dog (JRT) is microchipped, and wears 24/7 a reflective US made Biothane collar with a slider tag and a large falconry bell so I can hear her. She is spayed. She is a sneaky as a fox and as silent as a cat when needed. She can keep the bell from ringing at times when sneaking around the house. I even keep the collar on her when give her baths.
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