According to my teenager (don't they just know it all?).  It's not about the dog you find but the dog you lose, and maximising the space you have available on your dog's disc for information which will lead to your dogs return.  It's not about the phone you have, but the phones that millions of people (who unlike our generation!) have, all the smart phones that with one click of the phone can give more information than any disc, address or microchip can!  I'd say the best ID for your dog is ALL of the above. 

As he says.. 'Mother, just move with the groove' which I think translates as move with the times, you know, keep up with technology!

I think the over riding fact that comes out of this thread is that you need 'something' on the dogs collar (you do legally after all) and above all else it needs to be something people can read without 'gadgets'. My phone will not 'read' anything. I don't carry my scanner around with me. Unless there are visible contact details (be it a mobile number or address), then it turns what is 'a good turn' into a very lengthy and frustrating process. I personally, would not have turned this dog loose to take his chances with the sugarbeet lorries. He would have been dead or badly injured in no time at all and I would have been fretting about what happened to him. Or worse, he could have caused a major accident. I would not want that on my conscience either. All his collar needed was easily visible contact details and alot of time and effort would have been saved. Food for thought anyway :)

Mine's an android but how would it read it???

Mine too, I wouldn't have a clue how to read one, perhaps you need to download an app.

You need an app called 'Barcode reader' it reads bar codes on all products, and also QR codes.  I inherited an adroid phone from my son, I was dragged into smart phones kicking and shouting but I wouldn't be without my HTC magic now.  It's 2 yr old so in phone years that's geriatric but does more than I will ever need.  I do like the barcode scanner as I can scan a code on a product and get immediate price, where to buy it and also add it to my Tesco shopping list.  Very very sad, I know!

So how does it scan - do you use the camera?  I have never managed to load any app on my phone - shows how rubbish I am!  I am supposed to have a google account - which I duly did and put the information into my phone - it doesn't work.  I can use the internet on my phone when I can pick up a wireless connection - the mobile internet is soooo slow I haven't got the patience for it.  Mind you I have dropped my phone a couple of times so I do wonder if I have damaged the antenna.  I have a lovely crack across the corner.  Not like my old Nokia that fell to pieces on numerous occasions - went back together and still worked!!!

You download the app, it goes into your phone where your apps stay (you can tell I'm not technical!) then when you click on the barcoder app your phone screen changes to a box with a red line across it, focus the red line on a barcode, it vocuses then snaps it and immediately the information is on the screen.  For instance it it was a QR code, once the reader scans the code, it beeps and the full information is on your phone, it can be a full paragraph as apposed to just a few lines.  This all sounds complicated but only takes seconds, even for me!

Thanks - now I just need to master downloading an app. :-)

>above all else it needs to be something people can read without 'gadgets'.

This is so very important. It can make all the difference between getting your dog back or not. There are plenty of areas in the country - even major holiday areas - where there's no mobile signal; if you rely on technology you're stuffed.

The bottom line is that you need to make it as easy as possible for anyone to be able to return him.

You have entirely missed my point!  Our dogs HAVE normal tags with all telephone, address etc on, they are also microchipped.  The QR code is ADDITIONAL security!  My friend who is even techier (is that a word?) than my son, he has a tiny GPS on the collar (of course that could come off).  My dogs have every possible means of ID on them, and really I can do not more than that.  I am not suggesting that anyone should rely on 'gadgets' but using them in addition to normal every day tags and ID.  I currently know of someone researching built in GPS into microchip!  Not sure how far in the future that is, but technology moves fast. 

>You have entirely missed my point!  Our dogs HAVE normal tags with all telephone, address etc on, they are also microchipped.  The QR code is ADDITIONAL security!

No we haven't :) We understand that your dogs are protected upto the nines and applaud you for going the extra mile. What we are trying to get across is simple really and that is 'easily readable contact details are needed'. By all means add the kitchen sink if you must but people need to make sure that anyone can read the information at any time :)

> The owner turned up and had a real go at me

people like this really annoy me. you go out of your way to do the right thing (at an inconveniance to you) and they have the audacity to make you feel bad. How ignorant!!!

> It's a lot of info for such a small space. 

I think that is a brilliant idea. 
Technology is a struggle for me and probably many of my generation but it is clear to me these codes are going to become common currency with probably much of our every day life conducted through them.  So much so that I have now bought a smart phone specificially so that I can try to get the hang of them and be ready.
I can see the day when dogs may all carry such things to indicate veterinary history or passport info for instance.