Dog ID tags

[eeeefarm]

@Patty:

eeeefarm - we are always warned by the police not to put the dog's names on tags as it could help somebody planning to steal them if they can call them by their given names.

Yeah, but we are talking about Basenjis here! :D:D

Seriously, my dog doesn't trust strangers, but would likely respond to "s**thead" if there was food in the offing. (not that he hasn't been called that before)

[lvoss]

If a person is close enough to read the tag then they are close enough to steal the dog. Changing a dog's name is easy if you know anything about training.

[nobarkus]

Someone once stole or found my Mother's ****er Spaniel. She got word that a guy down the street had the dog. When she went to the house she said "you have my dog". He said "no that's not yours!" They were in the front yard. The dog was in the house and the door was open with the screen door closed. He said "call the dog and we'll see what happens". She calls out "TAFFY!" and the dog came running and slammed into the screen door. He said "OK, OK that must be your dog then" and instantly gave it back.

[Tesla]

I've had a similar problem with Tesla. She has all three of those tags too and at first I was confused as to what she was getting into. Then after thinking about it, I realized it was her tags so I started taking it off when in the apartment. It took me a couple baths to be able to get the color out. I'll be interested to hear what other options people suggest

[KMac]

I just purchased this tag on etsy. I am very excited for it to come in the mail. So adore and masculine!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78262709/custom-pet-id-tag-personalized-mixed

[Kipawa]

@KMac:

I just purchased this tag on etsy. I am very excited for it to come in the mail. So adore and masculine!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78262709/custom-pet-id-tag-personalized-mixed

I just found some hard plastic tags on Etsy - I can put name/phone number on one side, and rabies info/city license # on the other side. I love the look of the metal tags on your link, but will I have the same problem of discolouration with them? Does aluminum leave discolouration? What about stainless steel? Other types of metals such as sterling silver?

[Vintinck]

The puppy trainer that I did Malu's last session with said that the jingling tags can irritate the dogs and cause some dogs to become neurotic. He then pulled out a large cow bell on a necklace and said anyone who showed up to class next week with jingling tags would have to wear the cowbell. I never really thought about how annoying it might be to have something jingling near your head every time you moved. I used a small hair band and banded malu's collars together for now. I will probably purchase a pocket or tag silencers soon.

[Patty]

Eeefarm - I suppose you're right I hadn't thought about it a great deal I was just automatically taking the advice without really reasoning. I suppose, though that if someone has stolen a dog and it is responding to a name one might not think any more about it whereas if they didn't know what to call it that might arouse suspicion.

Re food - I mentioned elsewhere that I've taught mine only to take food on command and although this doesn't always work with people they know it definitely works with strangers.

I do know it's quite easy to retrain a dog to a name but it does take time.

Vintinck - i wonder what your instructor would say to the hunting bells native Basenjis wear?

[eeeefarm]

@Patty:

I do know it's quite easy to retrain a dog to a name but it does take time.

I would be willing to bet money I could clicker train the average dog to respond in 15 minutes flat! But that said, the average dognapper probably doesn't do clicker training.

I don't like jingling tags in the house, and I am sure sensitive dogs are annoyed by them…...especially a Basenji that is getting into trouble and the jingle gives the game away!

I think it is very important to have ID on the dog. Microchips are fine, but only if there is a reader handy. I love my embroidered collars because they are "noise free", but I have used tags in the past and don't want my dog out and about without his identity easily accessible.

[Kipawa]

@Vintinck:

I will probably purchase a pocket or tag silencers soon.

What are these?

[Kipawa]

@eeeefarm:

I love my embroidered collars because they are "noise free", but I have used tags in the past and don't want my dog out and about without his identity easily accessible.

I looked at collars that have the names/phone # either embroidered on them or on a metal plate that is part of the collar. But what happens if the collar (either embroidered or metal plate) comes off while the dog is lost? Then you have to rely on the microchip (if your dog has one).

Yes, basenjis used for hunting have HUGE bells around their necks. I suppose it is possible for the clanking of multiple tags to disturb an individual dog. I, for one, really don't like long noisy metal earrings that clack right near my ear. So what does one do? I guess I could get Kipawa's name and phone number on one side of a plastic tag, and his rabies number and licence number on the other side? And then of course, he already has a microchip.

[nobarkus]

@Kipawa:

What are these?

You can get tag silencers on line. It's just a rubber piece that goes around the edge so the tags don't make noise.

[sharronhurlbut]

So, if the tags don't ring, how can you tell where they are??

[Patty]

Mine just get used to their own jingling - doesn't seem to trouble them ast all. The silencer sounds a great idea for those that find the noise annoying but my idea of having more than one is soloely so that I acn trace them whenthey're in the bushes or undergrowth.

[QuizBasenji]

Those metal tags are very pretty, but doesn't the patina rub off?

[sharronhurlbut]

I just got 3 new tags at PetSmart. They were laser printed and then they had a cut piece of plastic to put over to keep the printing "fresh".
They look great and I found them easy to read, once on the dogs collars.

[Kipawa]

@sharronhurlbut:

I just got 3 new tags at PetSmart. They were laser printed and then they had a cut piece of plastic to put over to keep the printing "fresh".
They look great and I found them easy to read, once on the dogs collars.

So I guess the plastic over the tags would also stop the metal from discoloring the white throat area of a basenji? Sharron, do you think the the plastic will stay on well? Do you We do have a PetSmart not that far from us, so I think I will check this out!

[khanis]

@Vintinck:

The puppy trainer that I did Malu's last session with said that the jingling tags can irritate the dogs and cause some dogs to become neurotic. He then pulled out a large cow bell on a necklace and said anyone who showed up to class next week with jingling tags would have to wear the cowbell. I never really thought about how annoying it might be to have something jingling near your head every time you moved. I used a small hair band and banded malu's collars together for now. I will probably purchase a pocket or tag silencers soon.

Sorry, but this guy is a dork.
If it only takes jingling tags to cause a dog to be neurotic..
the dog has much larger issues to consider…

Sorry, but tags tell us WHERE the dog is getting into trouble!! :eek:

[krunzer]

HAHAHA I always say a quiet basenji is probably a bad basenji (as in doing something bad), and its usually true….if they are being super quiet they usually have layed down to chew on something....a pen, cell phone, stick....

[sharronhurlbut]

Fran, I do know tags do wear out, but these look good to me. So, give them a try and lets compare info. I don't leave anything on my dogs when they are home, but put the
tags on the collars/harness when we travel. Course, the b's are micro chipped. But with Wheat, looking so "unique" I don't want someone to think she is a wild dog..
I put on mine, REWARD on one side, my phone number on the second side and the word microchipped. They say put the dogs name on the tag, but as we switch collars/harness so much, doesn't seem important.