The answer is short and straightforward: very. As soon as you get your dog a collar, you should write your phone number and his/her name on it. DoggoCollar dog collars have metal hardware that can be engraved so you won’t need an additional dog ID tag. It is very convenient because you won’t have to worry that your dog will lose its pet ID, it will stay with him/her as long as the collar is on.

Of course, if your dog has multiple collars in different colours - black or blue for official events, pink and red for all the pet parties he/she has been invited to and an orange one when hunting season comes. In that case, the better choice is to buy your dog a pet ID tag and just attach it to the collar that he/she is wearing today.

You can get one in all colours and shapes.

Choosing the right dog ID tag

There are many pet tags on the market that you can choose from. Remember that the cheapest ones are not always the best ones - they are usually plastic and easily chewed, so you’d have to buy a new one every few weeks (if not every day).

The best, personalized dog tags are made from stainless steel and they are built to last. They cannot be easily broken or bent and the steel doesn’t get rusty, so if your dog likes to swim a lot, there won’t be a problem to do that with his/her personalized collar.

What information to include on the pet tag

The regular ID tags are not very big so you have to choose wisely what information to put there. Keep in mind that the letters should be legible and clear - so maybe don’t write a short story about your dog - keep it simple.

Mandatory information:

• The owner’s phone number.
• The dog’s name.
• The owner’s address where the dog can be returned.

The last bullet is optional - most personalised dog tags for dogs can fit just two lines of information, so make them count. Maybe leave your dog’s astrological sign for your talks with the other pet owners the next time you go on a walk in the park.

If you get a metal ID tag you can add information on both sides (if it’s blank) via laser engraving. Another plus of the stainless steel personalised pet tags is that you can add information later on. You don’t have to engrave every inch of the tag - leave out a blank space to add the phone number of your partner, a caregiver or a close friend that looks after your dog very often.

Let’s look at the future

Apart from the well-known classic pet ID tags, there are more high-tech options on the market - a tag that is a small USB drive, a QR code that anyone can scan etc. With those tags, you can put not only your contact information but health data about your four-legged friend, a special diet, even his/her zodiac sign and his/her whole horoscope.

Those digital variants are very convenient for dogs with more than one owner, on a special diet etc. You can always add or remove information keeping everything up to date. It is very important to know that if someone finds your dog or a friend is taking care of him/her for a while, they should have the right information about your pet. That way they will be able to take care of your pet properly.