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Eromit Labrador Retrievers
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Identification
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Permanent I.D.
All dogs registered with the Canadian Kennel Club must be individually identified prior to leaving the
breeder's residence, either with permanent tattoo, or with a selected type of microchip.
Tattoos can be placed either in the ear of the pup or on the flank. We choose to tattoo our puppies in the
ear, as it is less likely to become covered in hair as the dog gets older (some Labs do have pretty hairy
bellies!) We also microchip our puppies with chips that come directly from the CKC - these chips are
inserted between the pup's shoulder blades, just under the skin. The benefit of the microchip is that in
case the dog loses it's collar, or it's tattoo becomes unreadable due to age, injury, or otherwise, there
will be a permanent form of ID on the dog that can never be removed. Both the microchip and tattoo
number will be recorded on the dog's registration certificate.
How to Read A Tattoo
In Canada, a purebred dog is tattooed in accordance to the rules of the Canadian Kennel Club. This
makes it easy for finders to trace back a lost dog just by reading the tattoo. Each tattoo is made up of 5-6
digits and will look something like this:
X5F 2N or X5F 12W
The first three digits represent the breeder's code. In the above examples, X5F is the code that is issued
to Eromit Labrador Retrievers. Every puppy ever bred by me will have these three letters as part of their
tattoo code. The next number (or numbers) represents the individual puppy's number. Puppi5-es are
numbered 1,2,3 and so on. Each year the numbering starts over. The last letter indicates the year in
which the dog was born.
In the first example above, the tattoo would tell us that this was the 2nd puppy registered to Eromit
Labrador Retrievers in the year N (which was 2003). The second example is for the 12th puppy
registered to us in 2009 - year "W".
If you find a lost dog with a 5 or 6 digit tattoo, you can contact the Canadian Kennel Club to get the owner
AND breeder's contact information. (It is also a good idea to check with vet clinics or animal shelters in
the area as many people will contact them first to report a missing pet).
Reading A Microchip
You will not be able to tell just by looking at a dog whether or not he is identified with a microchip. A
microchip scanner is required to acquire the data from the chip. Unfortunately, not all microchips are the
same frequency, so some of them won't be read on all scanners. Most vet clinics and shelters have a
universal scanner that will scan all chips, but it is still a good idea to have the vet check the dog with their
scanner to ensure it can be read. A microchip that can't be read in your area is not useful.
When a microchip is scanned, a series of numbers will appear on the scanner's digital screen. These
numbers are individually traced back to you, the owner. In most cases, you can add extra contact people
to the database by simply contacting the microchip company (in your case, the Canadian Kennel Club).
My puppy people are encouraged to add me as an emergency contact. Eromit puppies are automatically
enrolled in the Canadachip Recovery program which is run by the CKC - they will have your contact
information on file as soon as the puppy is registered in your name. There is no renewal required for
this service, as it lasts for the lifetime of your pet.
Non-Permanent I.D.
Although tattoos and microchips are very useful for helping to return lost pets to their rightful owner, and
are required for purebred dogs, there is still nothing better than a good old-fashioned ID tag attached to
the dog's collar. After working for a shelter in many years, I can attest that the easiest way to track an
owner of a missing dog is to simply call the phone number listed on the tag. This can be done by
anyone without the help of an outside agency, scanner, or knowledge of where to look for tattoos, and is
your best bet to get your dog back quickly. Be sure that your dog always has a collar with an up-to-date
tag on it whenever he or she is out of the house. In the situation where the collar falls off or is removed,
you will have the tattoo and microchip as backup. Check the tag periodically for signs of wear and
replace it when the information becomes difficult to read.
In addition to the above mentioned forms of ID, it is a good idea to take regular photographs of your pet
and to record anything about them that might help to make them stand out. If your dog ever is in the
unfortunate position of being missing, information such as a missing tooth, scar, bald spot, etc can
prove very useful to people trying to help reunite you with your pet. Be sure to let your local pound,
shelter, and vet clinics know right away when you discover your dog is missing. A Lab can travel a long
ways in a short time if they are out and about, so try to act as quickly as possible to locate your pet and
don't assume he or she will just come home - many times people will capture a loose pet and keep it
safe until an owner is found, so even if the dog knows his way home, he may not be able to get there.
All dogs registered with the Canadian Kennel Club must be individually identified prior to leaving the
breeder's residence, either with permanent tattoo, or with a selected type of microchip.
Tattoos can be placed either in the ear of the pup or on the flank. We choose to tattoo our puppies in the
ear, as it is less likely to become covered in hair as the dog gets older (some Labs do have pretty hairy
bellies!) We also microchip our puppies with chips that come directly from the CKC - these chips are
inserted between the pup's shoulder blades, just under the skin. The benefit of the microchip is that in
case the dog loses it's collar, or it's tattoo becomes unreadable due to age, injury, or otherwise, there
will be a permanent form of ID on the dog that can never be removed. Both the microchip and tattoo
number will be recorded on the dog's registration certificate.
How to Read A Tattoo
In Canada, a purebred dog is tattooed in accordance to the rules of the Canadian Kennel Club. This
makes it easy for finders to trace back a lost dog just by reading the tattoo. Each tattoo is made up of 5-6
digits and will look something like this:
X5F 2N or X5F 12W
The first three digits represent the breeder's code. In the above examples, X5F is the code that is issued
to Eromit Labrador Retrievers. Every puppy ever bred by me will have these three letters as part of their
tattoo code. The next number (or numbers) represents the individual puppy's number. Puppi5-es are
numbered 1,2,3 and so on. Each year the numbering starts over. The last letter indicates the year in
which the dog was born.
In the first example above, the tattoo would tell us that this was the 2nd puppy registered to Eromit
Labrador Retrievers in the year N (which was 2003). The second example is for the 12th puppy
registered to us in 2009 - year "W".
If you find a lost dog with a 5 or 6 digit tattoo, you can contact the Canadian Kennel Club to get the owner
AND breeder's contact information. (It is also a good idea to check with vet clinics or animal shelters in
the area as many people will contact them first to report a missing pet).
Reading A Microchip
You will not be able to tell just by looking at a dog whether or not he is identified with a microchip. A
microchip scanner is required to acquire the data from the chip. Unfortunately, not all microchips are the
same frequency, so some of them won't be read on all scanners. Most vet clinics and shelters have a
universal scanner that will scan all chips, but it is still a good idea to have the vet check the dog with their
scanner to ensure it can be read. A microchip that can't be read in your area is not useful.
When a microchip is scanned, a series of numbers will appear on the scanner's digital screen. These
numbers are individually traced back to you, the owner. In most cases, you can add extra contact people
to the database by simply contacting the microchip company (in your case, the Canadian Kennel Club).
My puppy people are encouraged to add me as an emergency contact. Eromit puppies are automatically
enrolled in the Canadachip Recovery program which is run by the CKC - they will have your contact
information on file as soon as the puppy is registered in your name. There is no renewal required for
this service, as it lasts for the lifetime of your pet.
Non-Permanent I.D.
Although tattoos and microchips are very useful for helping to return lost pets to their rightful owner, and
are required for purebred dogs, there is still nothing better than a good old-fashioned ID tag attached to
the dog's collar. After working for a shelter in many years, I can attest that the easiest way to track an
owner of a missing dog is to simply call the phone number listed on the tag. This can be done by
anyone without the help of an outside agency, scanner, or knowledge of where to look for tattoos, and is
your best bet to get your dog back quickly. Be sure that your dog always has a collar with an up-to-date
tag on it whenever he or she is out of the house. In the situation where the collar falls off or is removed,
you will have the tattoo and microchip as backup. Check the tag periodically for signs of wear and
replace it when the information becomes difficult to read.
In addition to the above mentioned forms of ID, it is a good idea to take regular photographs of your pet
and to record anything about them that might help to make them stand out. If your dog ever is in the
unfortunate position of being missing, information such as a missing tooth, scar, bald spot, etc can
prove very useful to people trying to help reunite you with your pet. Be sure to let your local pound,
shelter, and vet clinics know right away when you discover your dog is missing. A Lab can travel a long
ways in a short time if they are out and about, so try to act as quickly as possible to locate your pet and
don't assume he or she will just come home - many times people will capture a loose pet and keep it
safe until an owner is found, so even if the dog knows his way home, he may not be able to get there.
Is it safe to have your pet tattooed or microchipped? Provided it is done in a sterile manner, yes. With tattoos, the primary risk comes from contamination of the puncture wounds during or after the tattoo process. Keep an eye on the pup's ear to make sure it is not infected. Scabs are normal and should be expected. Some microchipped dogs have developed abcesses. This is not terribly common, but is a definite possibility even with sterile conditions as the needle used to insert the chip is quite large- it is possible for a 'plug' of skin and hair to be pushed beneath the surface of the skin. There have been a very small number of reports of tumours located in and around the chip site- this is also extremely rare. Some dog's have immune systems that are very sensitive to foreign bodies. Tumours have also been reported after vaccinations. We feel that the chances of this happening is quite low compared to the chance of your pet getting lost at some point. However, if you would rather not have your puppy chipped, please let us know prior to it's 6th week. |
