If a dogs KC registration papers say it's tattooed where is the tattoo likely to be?

Also should there be some kind of registration paperwork for the tattoo and if there isn't how do you check where the dogs registered and to who?

Usually in the ear - more rarely on the inner thigh or groin, or belly.
National Dog Tattoo Registry -
http://www.dog-register.co.uk/

It's a bit iffy.....can't find a tattoo on the dog but KC paperwork has a tattoo number and a chip number.

Can we assume this isn't the dog to match the paperwork or could there be a mistake on the KC paperwork re tattoo number?

No tattoo paperwork but there is chip paperwork.....

Have you had the dog scanned for the microchip ?

What breed is it? In some longcoated breeds the tattoo could be completely hidden by fur in the ears. That was certainly the case of the 3 Cavaliers I had tattooed. You could not even see there was one.

It isn't a dog that belongs to me but I have suggested the microchip number is checked against the paperwork. 

The dog has passed through at least four homes so any one of them could have had the chip put into this dog and the paperwork then updated, in which case the chip number will match the dog.

The dog is a black Labrador cross.....

The dog is a black Labrador cross.....

If it's a lab cross how has it got kc reg papers?

Ah .....my mistake.... I have it in my mind he's a cross because hes got such short legs!

I've checked out his pedigree on My KC and it's a full worker pedigree , I guess that's why he's got such short legs and doesn't look anything like a show lab.

I thought it was the showlines that had shorter legs.

This dog has really short legs and a long body.....

Saffi is show line and she has tiny legs!

When you say really short, are you talking basset hound type short?  That form of dwarfism has been seen in labs before :-)

>This dog has really short legs and a long body.....

Sounds like a dwarf (achondroplastic, like Bassets, dachs, short legged russels etc).

I'd say he's about 16 - 17 inches.... But quite a chunky type body.

Would you say if there is a tattoo number on the KC registration papers he should have the tattoo?

If it can't be found, its possible the papers aren't for the same dog? Unless the tattoo has been obscured by the dark hair....

> Would you say if there is a tattoo number on the KC registration papers he should have the tattoo?

Well yes - he should. It might be obscured by hair but you should still be able to see traces of it, but as I said before, the groin area (the most hairy place) is an unusual choice.

Have you tried the NDTR to see if the tattoo is recorded with them? They might be able to tell you if it's an unusual number, i.e. from overseas, or just not the sort usually done/registered.

Does the chip number tally?

He's not been to have the chip scanned as yet.... The new owner is a bit apprehensive to take him.

She's quite happy with the dog and won't be doing anything if he isn't the dog on the paperwork......

I understand that he's had a rough time, being passed from home to home, and I wouldn't want to give him up either, but I wouldn't want the person who sold me the dog to get away with it, if it proves to be wrong.

The dog was bought from a 'trainer and dealer'.......if he's 'dodgy' how many more people has he duped and taken money from?

I'm thinking if she rang the NDTR the number would match a black lab.....but I'll try and encourage her to contact them.

There is just a string of 8 numbers for the tattoo number - no letters. I thought I read somewhere there should be letters too?

The only way, as I see it, to prove the dogs not the same dog, is by the absence of the tattoo.

My tattoo's all have letters and numbers.  Is there any way this dog could have been imported?

When we tattooed our Bassets out in Canada, those that were 'crunch' applied, tended to be able to be read for the life of the dog.  When they switched over to the far less painful, clearly (even if it tickled) electronic means of tattooing, they weren't always very clear as the dog aged.   And yes, we had numbers and letters - the first three being those that were 'mine' followed by the year litter (as I remember - it's been a while) and the number of that puppy in the litter.   In other words on mine (ears, obviously!) it was TYS -year letter - puppy number.

The other place this would be found is in the groin.

Something isn't right about any of this - and my bet would be they'll find the microchip doesn't gel with anything they know about the background of this dog.   If he's passed through several homes, I doubt anybody has bothered to update the 'chip records?   As for short legs/long body - yes show and working do differ, but not THAT much!!   This sounds like a Basset mix!!!

>This dog has really short legs and a long body.....

I've seen one like that before and it had a form of dwarfism. Working labs are usually longer on the leg than show labs.

NDTR always tattoo in the right ear. Give them a ring with the number (or at least some of it - you don't need it all, unlike microchips); wiping the surface of the ear with surgical spirit will help make it clearer. They'll help you from there.

Thanks for all your replies.

I'll suggest to the owner she call the Register and try to persuade her to get the chip checked....my gut feeling though is this dog just isn't the dog to match the paperwork.

She needs to get the chip checked and registered into her own name anyway; in 2016 it'll be law, so she might as well get it done asap.

Thanks for the info, she sent it in last week......the name on it's the first owner....so never been updated, which isn't a surprise.

She really needs to make sure the chip number matches the one in the dog otherwise it will be useless for getting the dog returned if it gets lost. If the dog was found and scanned if the chip number he has is not the one registered to her then they wouldn't know to return him.

That won't be a tattoo done by the NDTR if it's all numbers. Maybe the chip will throw some light on the last known owner or breeder.