“My dog doesn’t need an ID tag because they are microchipped/ obedient/ leashed etc.”
Mia doesn’t wear a collar at home to avoid any chances of getting stuck on something while unattended. However, I like to have the contact information on her in the car or while on a walk. I am never concerned about her running away or not coming back to me, but anything can happen, and it’s better safe than sorry. If we get into a car accident, she might get out of her crate and run away in panic. If she has a seizure, she might start panicking and gets confused before recovering completely. She might be attacked by dogs/coyotes and get lost while running away from them. Or something I haven’t considered for a long time: I could also lose consciousness/get into an accident dropping her leash in a busy area.
For these reasons, I always want something on her that makes identification fast and easy. She is microchipped, but many people still don’t think about reading the chip or doing it a lot later.
Today there are tons of different options for having contact information on the dog, and there are plenty of choices even for those who don’t like a tag dangling or jingling on the collar!
Check out the brands below for a few different solutions! Hopefully, you will find something you like that would also help your dog get back to you sooner in an emergency!
Northwoofs Silicone Dog ID Tag
The Northwoofs tags are made from a soft silicone material, eliminating clangy sounds when the dog runs, shakes or scratches. They are not only silent but also lightweight, waterproof, and non-fading! We took these tags for many adventures over the last months, and they still look new after a rinse.
The Northwoofs tags come in many bright colors, and you can also customize the text both on the front and the back. The front has room for 16 characters, while the back has four rows of 12 - 18 - 15 - 16 character space that’s plenty to display the most important information or add a quote.
Handmade Burr Tag from Tundrada
If you are looking for something stunning, natural, and unique, check out the handmade antler tags from Tundrada! They offer many different styles and options that are worth the wait!
I love the stunning details of our Burr Tag. These tags are made of the antler’s base, also called “burr” - this is the part that ensures that the antlers were naturally shed. The front of the tag has a unique, handmade design with the dog’s name (optional), while the phone number can be engraved on the back.
Scannable QR Code Tag from WauDog
The water-resistant Wau Dog collar comes with a smart ID Tag that allows someone to scan the tag for all the details. This makes it easier to update your contact information when traveling or if someone else is taking care of your dog while you are away.
They also offer a premium membership ($34.99/year) with extra features - for example, they send you an SMS if the tag is scanned. You can also add plenty of information on the dog and provide multiple contact information. The app can also be used as one space to keep all your pet’s vet documents and display their medical info, chip number, etc.
Embroided Tampa Bay Collar from BayDog
This padded collar from Bay Dog not only has reflective stitching, a separate clip for dog ID tags, and a velcro adjustment strap but also lets you display the dog’s name and the contact information right on the collar. In addition, the collar comes in six colors, five sizes, and you can even choose the thread color for the text.
This is an excellent solution for dogs who run through dense undergrowth because there is no tag or ring that could get caught on something and injure the dog. There is also no way the dog would lose the tag.
The other advantage is that it allows a shorter-haired dog to be easily identified from farther away. This way, there is no need to catch a shy or traumatized dog to read the phone number on the back of a tag.
PetDuro Collars with Engraved Buckles
A similar solution is to engrave the metal buckle instead of embroidering the collar. PetDuro’s collars come in tons of different colors and patterns; ours is called the Bubble.
The engraved buckle provides a safe and easy way to ID the dog and help them get home ASA. Having the text on the buckle instead of the collar makes it less visible - which can be a con if the dog needs to be IDd from a distance, but it can also be a pro if you prefer others not seeing your contact information while out on a walk.
We already have a detailed review on the PetDuro collar and leash set that you can check out for more info!
Summary
Our main goal with this article was to raise awareness of the importance of having an ID on all dogs and to introduce a few untraditional choices. I hope you found a product on this list that you like! If at least one person will have contact information on their dog going forward after reading this article, it was already worth writing it!
