The arrival of a puppy is an exciting time that involves a lot of work, especially in the first few weeks. Nevertheless, dog owners should chip their puppies as soon as possible. In the following, we will explain the advantages of this and how exactly the microchip is inserted in the puppy.
Key facts at a glance:
- The chip contains a unique ID number that allows your dog to be uniquely identified.
- The microchipping is completely safe for your pup and does not require a hospital stay.
- In some states, dog owners are required by law to chip their puppies.
- An EU pet passport can only be issued to dogs with a microchip.
- We bear the costs for the chipping required when taking out our dog health insurance.
What is the point of chipping a dog?
If you have your puppy microchipped, this means that a small microchip is placed under the skin of the four-legged friend. This chip is approximately 12 millimeters long and two millimeters wide.
Of course, it consists of harmless materials and usually grows together with the surrounding tissue after a while. It is common worldwide to insert the chip in dogs on the left side of the neck.
The only information stored on the microchip is a 15-digit identification number, which is made up of a country code, a manufacturer number and a unique number for each dog.
This makes it possible to clearly identify a chipped puppy. For this purpose, the veterinarian holds a reader to the chip, which activates it and reads the ID number.
This is how your puppy is chipped
Chipping is no big deal for your pup. The procedure is quick and can be compared to a puncture during a vaccination. Accordingly, your little four-legged friend does not need anesthesia or even anesthesia and you can take him back with you immediately afterwards.
It is inserted using a syringe and normally costs no more than 50 euros, which already includes the cost of the microchip.
You don’t have to expect any complications. It can happen that the chip under the skin moves a bit over time. However, this does not pose a potential health risk.
When can a puppy be chipped?
Normally, young dogs receive their first vaccinations as part of the basic immunization in the eighth week of life. On this occasion it is of course a good idea to have the puppies chipped as well.
If your four-legged friend has not yet been microchipped when he moves in, we recommend that you have this done at the next vet visit.
Do all puppies have to be chipped?
So far there is no nationwide law that makes it mandatory for puppies to be chipped. However, some federal states have issued corresponding regulations. Depending on the federal state, these can either apply to all dogs or only to animals that are on the respective breed list.
Apart from that, you definitely have to have your puppy microchipped if you want to take it abroad and apply for the required EU pet passport.
Why you should register your puppy
Of course, you don’t intend to neglect your pup. Nevertheless, it can happen that your four-legged friend runs away and is found by an unknown person.
Since the microchip cannot be tracked, it is completely useless for tracing your dog. This can only be changed by registering your four-legged friend in a database together with their ID number and your contact details.
If your dog ever runs away, thanks to the registration it is easily possible to identify you using the ID number and return your runaway to you. Corresponding services are provided, for example, by Tasso and the German Animal Welfare Association.
Have puppies chipped when taking out dog health insurance
In the case of illnesses and injuries, veterinary costs can quickly reach four-digit sums. We therefore strongly recommend that you take out dog health insurance for your puppy.
With us you can choose from two different tariffs for this purpose and thus protect yourself from high veterinary bills.
Inserting a microchip is mandatory for taking out insurance, so that we can clearly allocate your dog and reliably assume any treatment costs that have arisen.
Your puppy must be chipped at the latest at the first appointment in the practice. You will, of course, be reimbursed for the costs incurred.