Dog tags are important and here’s the information you should include

Even with micro chipping our animals, dog tags are still an important tool in keeping our pups safe and getting them home to us when things happen. But do you know what should be on your pup’s tags?

While our pups may be well-behaved enough not to run off, things do happen. From gates accidentally being left open to someone not closing a door, dogs have a tendency to wander off at least once in their lives. And that is where dog tags come in, according to Rover.

Dog tags are a visual identification for our pups that shows that they not only have a home, but that they have an owner who loves them. These tags also provide important information that will make getting your pup back to you quick and relatively easy.

And while micro chips may be able to store a lot more information about your pup, they require a trip to a vet and that can cause delays in a reunion happening. Plus, there are some people who may not even bother trying to find out if a dog has been chipped and then you are left without your pup for who knows how long.

But, if you have dog tags on your pup’s collar, your pup becomes more approachable and therefore more likely to make it home quicker. So what information should be on those tags?

When it comes to the information that should be on the tag the easiest and most obvious answer is your pup’s name. Then you will want contact information to make your reunion happen. This means you will want a phone number and even the city you live in engraved on the tag.

If your pup has medical issues, the dog tags are a good place to have the information. It will also imbue a sense of urgency into getting your pup back to you.

A lot of people add fun messages to their dog tags or even reward information. And if you have room on the tags, then there is nothing wrong with adding this as well. Of course, if your pup is micro chipped, you could also add the number to the tags as well.

Dog tags are small but customizable. And you can’t add every single piece of information you may want on them. Work with the space you have and make sure the important bits are there.

On a personal level, I make sure that my pup has his name, my phone number, and his microchip information on his dog tags. There is also a second tag on his collar that says “mom is frantically looking for me, help me get home,” and on the back it once again has a second contact number.

Dog tags have their drawbacks, but the reality is that these are a great tool to get your pup home safely if they ever pull a runner. And while there is no substitution to micro chipping, a dog tag is that added layer of identity that will help make it easier to reunite you and your fur baby.

What do you think of dog tags? What information do you have on your pup’s tags? What problems do you tend to have with tags for your pups? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.