Should I Microchip My Australian Cobberdog Puppy?

A common question for new dog owners is if you should microchip your puppy. When is it safe to do so, and why should I do it? Here are some reasons that microchipping your Australian Cobberdog puppy will be good for both you and your dog.

The statistics say that one in every three pets become lost sometime during their lifetime. In the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, there was a study published that confirms the higher rate of returned microchipped cats and dogs to their homes. About 53 percent of microchipped dogs were returned to their owners, compared to only around 22 percent on average. However, less than 60 percent of those microchipped animals actually had been registered with the contact information needed to return the pets to their owners.

Per HomeAgain, registered microchips are the best chance for lost pets to return home. So not only should you microchip your puppy, which is safe to do at birth. You should also register that microchip in a database such as HomeAgain. This is because the microchip itself only has an ID number, so that number needs to be included in a database. In that database, you can associate  the ID number with your contact information. Be sure to keep it regularly updated. This way, you have peace of mind that if you and your beloved puppy are ever separated, you’ll have a much higher chance of them getting found.

Some major pet supply chains, such as Banfield Clinics at select PetSmarts, can scan the microchips of dogs brought into their stores. Any vet or local animal shelter can, as well. By having the contact information to reunite pets with their owners, this takes a lot of strain off of the shelters. More importantly, it lessens the emotional burden on the lost pet and grieving owner by getting them reunited more quickly.

Does it hurt my puppy to have a microchip put in? The microchipping process is quick and usually painless. It’s placed between the shoulder blades with a hypodermic needle. Local anesthesia is sometimes used if you think it best. The area only needs about 24 hours to heal. It’s supposed to bond with the puppy’s tissues so that it’s easier to scan. The earlier the microchipping procedure is done, the better, but it can be done at any time.

There are many benefits to microchipping your Australian Cobberdog puppy. But there is no greater benefit than knowing if you and your pet ever become separated, you’ll be far more likely to be reunited quickly and safely.