Why A Microchip For Your Dog Absolutely Makes Sense

The decision to microchip a dog is one people often surprisingly skip and I am not really sure why. If you love your little Australian shepherd puppy? If so, a microchip can be the difference between finding them when they are lost or losing them permanently.

The Problem

Your dog may be bonded to you completely, but this doesn’t mean it can’t get lost. We all know how scared and jumpy dogs get around the Fourth of July because of fireworks. Throw in their natural disposition to chase things and the simple fact is most dogs will become lost at one point or another in their life. Studies have shown millions do each year and a relatively small percentage of them are ever found again by their owners.

Microchips are one way to keep an eye on your dog. Yes, these chips sounds like something out of the more paranoid dreams of a government conspiracy enthusiast, but we are not talking about tagging humans here. Instead, the chip simply can be used to keep tabs on your pup should it get lost.

What Is It?

A microchip is a tiny computer chip roughly the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted into your dog between their front shoulders in basically the same location you would apply a product such as Frontline. The application is done with a needle and dogs handle it well. Once implanted, your contact information is added to a national database for microchips.

If your dog becomes lost and is picked up by the pound or any other animal facility, a scanner can be run over their shoulder area. The chip will communicate its identification number to the scanner. This number is then run through a database of microchip registrations until a match is found. When it is, your name and address pop up and you can be contacted.

Costs

Given the technology, you might think the cost would be rather high. Instead, it is basically the cost of a few shots. Different companies have different price points, but the general range of fees is $25 to $45. The chip lasts for the life of the dog, so it is a one time fee. All and all, this represents a pretty good investment against your pup taking off one day.

If you have doubts about the value of a microchip for your pup, consider the story of Dora in the video below.