Do you vaccinate and/or microchip your litter before going to the new homes?

Vaccinate - no

Microchip - yes

Vaccinate - No

Microchip - No

Tattoo - Yes!

I have heard of some breeders having the inital vaccine done, depends on what age the pups leave? 8 weeks +?

First Vaccine at 8  weeks  yes
microchip yes

Microchip Yes
Vaccinate no

My vet uses the old vaccination protocol and we have found that in the past the new owners vets have started the vaccination programme from scratch as they use a different vaccine manufacturer. IMO and my vets this is not too the benefit of the puppy as it is getting over vaccinated for such a immature immune system.

same experience as floradora - so I refuse to vaccinate.  But any pups that I keep don't get done at 8 weeks anyway.  I like them to have chance for mum's antibodies to die down.

Microchip  Yes
Vaccinate  No

If the new owners vet uses a different brand of vaccine they will start the whole course over again.

Ditto to Floradora. Had a big problem once with a pup from somebody else who'd had the first vacc and NOBODY within an hour's travel of us stocked the same vaccine. If pups aren't sold by 8 weeks (or booked for definite) I will do first vacc but then the new owner -when one appears- will have to wait with colelction until second is done too.

hi Sharon, did you get the vet info that I sent you?

Sorry to hijack thread!!

hi Dill, i would be interested in tattooing puppies. would they have sore ears when going to their new homes? i am concerned about that.

Hi fushang

In the absence of Dill (who I am sure will be along soon) just thought I would share my experiences as puppy purchaser of pups with tattoos. None of mine have ever had sore ears from the tattoo, and one of them was done the week before we collected puppy. HTH

> Vaccinate - No
>
> Microchip - No
>
> Tattoo - Yes!

Ditto!!!

It appears to have little or no more effect than when you have your ears pierced.  they object primarily to be held tightly/still.

I have had all my puppies done for the last 17 years and two adults.

See here: http://www.dog-register.co.uk/

Vaccinate - No, for all the reasons given above.
I discussed this with my vet and they agreed that it is the sensible option.
However like others if I have a puppy stay beyond the 8 weeks I will start vaccinations and keep til they have both
so that they don't lose out on important socialisation time by not having their vaccinations.

Microchip - No. Been a little unsure of microchipping and still not completely sold on the idea.

Tattoo - Yes. Because the National Tattoo register keep my details on record and will also contact me should a dog go
missing. Something which I personally feel is important. Not all breeders will dissolve their responsibility once the pup
they've bred goes to it's new home. They want to know if there's a problem with their pups welfare - and will often pick
up the pieces and help rehome the puppy/dog at any stage of it's life.
Don't think the microchipping gives this option of remaining on record as the breeder and a contact should the dog be picked up etc.
But am very happy to be educated if they do allow this option! :)

I dont vaccinate, but I do microchip.
At what age can a pup be tattooed?

Depends on ear size, with my pups I have found 7 weeks to be ideal for mine, as at 6 weeks the tattoo can cover the whole ear for my pups.

They can of course use a shorter number when  ears are particularly small.

I used to get my dals tattooed at 6 weeks.

My pups tend to go at 12 weeks and are usually fully vaccinated and microchipped by then.

I was told they usually do them at 6 weeks, just any that have very neat ears are better waiting another week.

Dals do have fairly large ears by that age.

[url=]Vaccinate - No

Microchip - No

Tattoo - Yes! [/url]

I won't vaccinate for same reasons already given.

I'm amazed at how many vets also recommend puppies are also microchipped when already tattooed!

My litters are tattooed at 6 weeks.

My breed have very hairy black ears. The dogs that I have met that have been tattooed have been unreadable. This is one of the reasons I now microchip. Even though I have had problems with the chip moving on a couple :-(

Vaccinate - Yes

Microchip - Yes

My pups leave me at 12 weeks onwards.  Used to leave it for the new owner to do as it meant they had to visit there vet to register and have a puppy check done.  Found some people were so excited to show off there new puppy they were taking them out prior to being vaccinated hence everyone leaves me fully covered.

one of my dogs was microchipped at 8wks, the chip migrated to different places for up to 2yrs. although it doesnt bother my dog, it can be annoying when clipping. i once caught it in the blade and nicked the skin so i have to be carefull. i mentioned it to the vet (i wasnt complaining) and now he refuses to chip mine until they are 6mths old. he probably just wants to cover his back.

i like the idea of tattooing over chipping as its visable, thankyou for the link there is one not far from me.

i would choose not to vaccinate either.

Vaccinate No  (our vet wont vaccinate until 10 weeks old)
 

Microchip yes
Tattoo    Yes

Re hairy ears:  If you can see at least part of the tattoo all that needs to be done is to clip the inside of the ear to reveal the rest, or you can keep the ears Free enough of hair to keep it visible.

It is still more visible than a chip ;)

I do have all my won dogs chipped and encourage new owners to chip their puppies in addition to the tattoos they leave with.

That way they have ID with my address and details and hopefully also their new owners, as no database is of use once the details are out of date.

I had my last litter tattooed but out of them all only 1 is still readable, ears shaved or not, so this litter is being microchipped instead.  I am getting vaccinations done too, I did get all new owners to check with their vets to make sure they were happy to do 2nd vacc, even though my vet insists that there are no different vaccines, just different lables and it is just a way of vets making more money out of us!!!

I like the idea of tattooing, just wondered how much it costs per puppy and whether the tattooist comes to your house?

I didn't microchip but with the planned litter coming up, I'm definitely going to either microchip or tattoo, haven't decided which one yet.

See the link above. when it is a litter they come to your house.  It is £7 per puppy plus £20 for the litter.

I'm amazed at how many vets also recommend puppies are also microchipped when already tattooed!

I've several tattooed dogs and you can't read a single one of them. Hence I switched to chips.

>I'm amazed at how many vets also recommend puppies are also microchipped when already tattooed!

Belt and braces. Lots of rescue places don't bother to look for tattoos (no excuse when the only reader you need is a pair of eyes) but will scan for a chip. However the tattoo register retains the breeder's details (if tattooed as a litter) so if the new owner doesn't update their address with them there is still a point of contact throughout the dog's life. As far as I know the Petlog register doesn't do this. All mine have been tattooed and all are still readable, though one is faint after nearly 15 years (old style caliper).

Vacinations - depends on age they will leave me.
Microchips - Yes. In recent years a requirement by law as I dock the pups also needed for pet passports later.
Tattoo's - Have tattoo's done in the past but no longer do this unless requested by new owners. Had poor results over the years may have been unlucky but found they faded and became unreadable in time.
K

I always like to have both.

All the pups and dogs that I have have had good tattoos.  I had someone different do one litter and they were poor, but all but one litter have been done by the same tattooist and all are easy to read, even for me with only 20% vision.

If you have had poor results then you need to report it to the NDTR who will take it up with the tattooist re their technique.  Pups ears should e cleaned with surgical spirit, ears clipped even if they appear to be hair free, and then the ink rubbed in thoroughly for several minutes.  the latter is very soothing to the pup.  In my view insist black ink is used as the green is not easy to read (for me at any rate).

Something that is very important is not to wash the pups ears, but let the ink crumble/wear away on it's own.

We have never had problems not reading our dogs tattoos, our tattooist is very good. As Brainless says te ear needs to be cleaned and trimmed before doing the tattoo, i always tell our puppy people dont wash the ear at all, the ink fades itself in few weeks

> Re hairy ears:  If you can see at least part of the tattoo all that needs to be done is to clip the inside of the ear to reveal the rest, or you can keep the ears Free enough of hair to keep it visible.
>

In Munsters the hair should come past the end of the ear - fringing - and as hair can grow on both the inside & outside of the ear, clipping it would also take away the fringing the breed standard requires.

Ears
Broad and set high, lying flat and close to the head, with a rounded tip. Hair on the ears should be long, extending beyond the tip

I only have 2 Munsters now and both are microchipped - the freebies done at Crufts. However all kittens I have bred have been microchipped and 3 out of the 5 cats I own are chipped too.  

>> Re hairy ears:  If you can see at least part of the tattoo all that needs to be done is to clip the inside of the ear to reveal the rest, or you can keep the ears Free enough of hair to keep it visible.
>>
> In Munsters the hair should come past the end of the ear - fringing - and as hair can grow on both the inside & outside of the ear, clipping it would also take away the fringing the breed standard requires.

If I found a dog breed standard would be the last thing on my mind and I'd much rather clip some hair off than have to keep a dog overnight until I can get to a vets or dog warden for scanning.

I'm sure even show dog owners would be grateful to have their dog back quickly minus a bit of hair ;)

Yes, so that's why I have opted for micro-chipping, if you read my post!

> Yes, so that's why I have opted for micro-chipping, if you read my post!

Are you replying to me? This sentence makes no sense in relation to my post.

It is only the inner part of the ear, nearest the ear canal that needs to be kept hair free, along the mid-line, no where near the tips where the fringing would be, and unless you lifted the ear you would not notice any lack on the inside.

I thought it was desirable in floppy eared breeds to keep the inner surface clear to aid air flow anyway?

> I thought it was desirable in floppy eared breeds to keep the inner surface clear to aid air flow anyway?

I never have.   

It's the ear canal that needs to be kept hair-free, not the under surface of the ear flap.

Yes, but while doing that is should be easy to keep the area of the tattoo clear of obscuring hair.

Thanks everyone, I don't like the idea of vaccinating as not everyone likes vaccinating at 8 weeks.  I was wondering about chipping them, but am still undecided as they are so small at8 weeks would prefer to wait until 10 or so weeks really

I am thinking that i should not give 1st jab, due to new owners might have to start all over if there vet uses another brand - but my vet has told me i should regardless?!!

yes and yes.

Cracker:  I've had cocker pups microchipped at 5 weeks and to be honest they made less fuss than a 10-12 week old, they were chipped, put back in the pen and continued playing, I like to make sure all my pups are chipped when going to their new homes.