# Tattoo or Chip



## PuppyKono (Jun 30, 2012)

I read somewhere that in order to join a membership I need my dog to have a tattoo... Does anyone know if that is USCA? I read it about a month ago then totally forgot where that was from... :blush:

Anyway Kono has a chip but i dont know if I would need a tattoo to enter a club or trails... Plus I dont want to buy a $150 reader... Should I get a tattoo? And when? She is already almost 1 years old. Would it be noticeable. Does it have to be done by a registered person?


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I looked into this. You can have tattoo or chip. If you belong to a club, they usually have a reader you can use. The issue I have is this... I haven't been able to find anyone to tattoo Grim. He's almost seven months. I want him done, because to get an "A-stamp" for his hips, he has to have SV certification. THAT requires a tattoo. You don't have to have a tattoo to trial, though. You also shouldn't have to have a tattoo to join a club. If you're a USCA member, then you have to follow their rules. I read that if the pup is more than 12 weeks, the dog has to be sedated to be tattooed. There are lists of their tattoo people on their site for each region.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Jag said:


> I looked into this. You can have tattoo or chip. If you belong to a club, they usually have a reader you can use. The issue I have is this... I haven't been able to find anyone to tattoo Grim. He's almost seven months. I want him done, because to get an "A-stamp" for his hips, he has to have SV certification. THAT requires a tattoo. You don't have to have a tattoo to trial, though. You also shouldn't have to have a tattoo to join a club. If you're a USCA member, then you have to follow their rules. I read that if the pup is more than 12 weeks, the dog has to be sedated to be tattooed. There are lists of their tattoo people on their site for each region.


I tattooed Katya at 2 years, no sedation. Just some oral meds... Forget what kind, but powerful enough to make her goofy for an hour. 

My dogs are all tat'ed and chip'ed


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

That's weird that the SV would require tattoos for A-stamps but it seems everyone in Germany is switching from tattoos to chips.

I have both done. If the puppy doesn't come tattooed then I'll get it tattooed, hopefully before 3 months.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Dogs must have permanent identification (chip or tattoo, I do both) in order to trial with USCA. Not sure if this is true for other breeds, but it is for GSD. 

I would check again about the tattoo requirement for the 'a' stamp since Germany no longer tattoos their dogs, but uses chips only.

I still do both because I have seen chips fail or be difficult to read. Had a guy at a trial last fall with a brand new chip (can't remember if it was Avid or Homeagain) who had driven to IN from VA. The chip didn't want to read with two different universal readers. I worked on it for the club since I had my reader with me. Then I tried a trick a friend showed me running magnets over the dog and tried again. Finally the chip showed up. Most clubs are not going to spend the time and that person would have made a very long trip for nothing.


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## szariksdad (Jun 25, 2010)

For DVG they have made the requirement that you dog have a chip and and the chip will now be read at all trials to make sure they are in the dog. Or at least that was the big surprise at the most recent trial I went to hwere a lot of owners could not find the chip in their dog with a judge using the readr and so a couple of competitors were DQ'd for it.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

The chips are a huge issue and if the chip fails, replacing it in a dog that has already been titled is a big hassle.


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

My dog has 2 chips and a tattoo. I prefer the tat. I believe a vet can do it with a pen type tool? My dog was done very young in his ear...


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Chips also migrate so scanning down the legs should be done if you can't find it with magnet help. Karlo's has moved just a bit from the center of his shoulder, Kacie's is down her shoulder. 
I think anyone that is using chips for ID, should practice w/ the scanner now and then to know exactly where the chip is and if it is working.

That and the dog conditioned to being approached and scanned just like you'd do in trial scenario. 
Karlo isn't real keen on anyone approaching him with brushes or scanners...something we have to work on. Though he's got a really nice readable tattoo, I hope just showing his ear will be enough!


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I just can't find anyone to do the tat!  I'll drive all day if I can find someone to do it! Oh, and I just looked up the SV thing the other day, but maybe the site isn't up to date?


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

The chip we had trouble reading in Indi was a new chip that was reading right after being inserted. When I finally found it it was still located exactly where it was supposed to be. 

Club member has an imported dog with an ISO chip. Her chip constantly gives her issues. It is still where it is supposed to be, but it only reads intermittently. She is the one that discovered the magnet trick.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

That magnet thing freaking works! Ever since she showed me it's worked every time I've seen it tried or mentioned it to someone.

Nikon has a tat and chip and so far I've only used the tat but his is so clear you can read it from ten feet away. Whenever I'm asked to put ID on forms I always include both but it seems that for the USCA stuff they only record the tat on whatever paperwork I get back even if I include both. I have the "verification forms" from both the USCA and WDA for the chip and the tat both signed by a vet and keep those in Nikon's binder just in case. I usually try to read his chip at trials if I have the chance but so far have used the tat. For local stuff like the county dog license I use the chip because that is what they are looking for.


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## PuppyKono (Jun 30, 2012)

Thanks All!  So to get an A stamp you need a tattoo? Hmmm... I guess Ill look into that. Haha! Im still considering the tattoo just because it would be easier to show.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my breeder tattooed our pup. i think our pup had
to be tattooed and the tat had to be in the right
ear.


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