How much does a dog's brand cost?

Dogs

A brand is a special tattoo, which is usually applied to the groin or inner surface of the puppy’s ear and contains information about it. The brand is a code of letters and numbers that help identify the dog.

The letters (usually there are three) indicate in which kennel the puppy was born. These letters are assigned once and for all by the RKF to the club and are not deciphered in any way, but are simply issued in order, like series letters in car license plates. Next, each club chooses the system by which it assigns numbers to dogs. They can contain from one to 5-6 numbers, fractions or letters.

All puppies born in the kennel are branded. The specialist who brands the litter puts his signature on the litter card, which confirms that he actually branded the number of puppies indicated in the litter card, according to their gender and color.

Each club keeps records, has a stud book or computer database in which you can find the owner of the dog by number.

Procedure

After receiving the number from the RCH, the puppy needs to be prepared for tattooing. You can apply the ID at home if you have sufficient skills, or you can contact a specialist.

First of all, the area around the future tattoo is cleaned, excess hair is shaved off, and the area is disinfected. The procedure itself takes no more than fifteen minutes. Some methods can reduce branding time to four to five minutes.

For puppies, such a procedure is almost painless, but this does not mean that they will not try to dodge and escape. The pet's paws and body should be firmly fixed to provide the specialist with free access to the working area.

At what age is it best to carry out branding?

You can get a tattoo on an animal at any age. And yet puppies are branded at the age of a month and a half. The most common age is forty-fifth day after birth. It is worth noting that a puppy is much more tolerant of branding than an adult dog.

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Where is the mark placed?

Dogs are most often branded on the ear. They are also placed either in the groin area, on the inner thigh or on the stomach.

Types of markers and application techniques

There are two ways to leave a tattoo with a personal code on the skin of an animal. These are claymator pliers and a tattoo machine. Both methods have their pros and cons.

The pliers, which are completely mechanical, resemble scissors in appearance, and also come with a set of numbers and letters, which are sold separately. In such sets, its components are present in single quantities, which means that if you need to apply a code containing repeating characters, you will have to purchase the set as many times as the code elements are repeated. The numbers and letters in the sets are made in the form of attachments with sharp needles that pierce the skin of the animal when applying the brand.

A tattoo with a code using this method is left mainly on the pet’s ear. The entire procedure of working with the branding pliers takes a matter of seconds, since the entire code is applied in one movement. Then, paint with an anesthetic is rubbed into the puncture site.

The second way to apply a distinctive code is with a stamping machine, also known as a pen or tattoo machine. There are several types:

rotary;
induction;
pen.

The rotary branding machine is a small machine that fits in the palm of your hand and is suitable for branding both small and large dogs. It is the most popular choice among dog breeders, since during operation they do not make much noise or vibrate, which means that the chance of scaring the pet even more is quite low.

An induction machine is a much less popular choice for branding, but it also has its advantages. For example, a code applied with an induction stamper will look clearer and will also last longer on the skin, which will avoid repeated stamping procedures.

The pen is a small device whose appearance resembles a writing instrument of the same name. Powered by mains power, the virtually silent device weighs a little over one hundred grams. Suitable for branding small to medium sized puppies.

The brand is applied quickly enough, like a regular tattoo. The specialist uses a pen to stamp the required numbers and letters on the pet’s skin. In this case, the engraving looks much clearer than when using pliers. Puppies tolerate this procedure quite calmly, but fixation is still necessary.

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Reviews about claymators

A wide selection gives rise to different reviews among dog breeders. It is common for every nursery to choose a more suitable brander; opinions vary greatly. For some, it is easier to buy tongs and buy additional sets of alphabet and numbers, others would prefer to spend money on paint, but use one machine.

How much does it cost to brand a puppy?

The cost of branding varies in individual regions of the country. On average, the minimum price is one hundred rubles for branding one puppy. This is the case if the specialist does not come to you personally. Branding with departure raises the price five times and for one puppy you will have to pay not a hundred rubles, but five hundred. It is also worth considering the distance. The further the specialist travels to the puppy, the higher the price will be.

Cost is not the most important indicator for those who are going to buy a purebred puppy, since this is a mandatory procedure for all nurseries and clubs. Breeders deal with this issue on their own. This information may be useful if the brand has worn off or become unreadable and you need to rebrand the puppy.

What does it mean if a puppy does not have a brand?

It may be that the puppy does not have a brand because it is replaced by a chip. The veterinarian can tell you about its presence or absence after examination. It is better not to put off going to the veterinarian. At the clinic you can also find out the breed and age of the dog, as well as find out about its health status.

If you purchased a purebred puppy from a breeder, but the pet did not have a brand, this is a reason to think about it and check all the documents. The first thing you need to do is check the details of the puppy card with registered codes in the Russian Canine Database by phone or by visiting the organization in person.

The absence of a brand prohibits the dog from taking part in shows. And if there is no mark or chip, and the dog gets lost, then finding the dog or its owners will become a very difficult task.

Pedigree of the pet

The information indicated in the mark is presented in the breeding documentation.

Metrica is a temporary document of a born puppy, including significant information: code, breed, date of birth of the litter, name, information about the parent dogs, kennel and breeder. When the pet reaches 15 months of age, the metric is changed to pedigree.

Pedigree is a document confirming the purebred origin of a four-legged friend, drawn up in accordance with the requirements of the RKF. It provides detailed information about the animal.

What documents do I need to provide?

To register a pedigree for a dog in Russia, as already mentioned, you should first get a puppy card.
The information model contains all the features of a particular specimen and even its shortcomings, which affect the breeding value of the dog. As a rule, the document must indicate the breed and name, gender and date of birth, as well as color and brand number. The available information about the animal’s parents, as well as the full name, passport details and contact information of the owner are immediately entered there. This document is further recognized as valid and used for exchange only if there is a seal and signature of the organization that issued it.

Part of the primary metrics is sent for storage to the Russian Canine Federation, and the other remains with the owner

It is important to preserve it even after receiving the pedigree, since if the main document is lost, in most cases, restoration is possible only if this certificate is available. Although sometimes, when contacting the club, employees issue a second birth certificate, based on the brand applied to the dog’s ear or belly. The puppy metric ends when the puppy is one year and 3 months old.

The puppy metric ends when the puppy is one year and 3 months old.

Some owners are concerned about whether it will be possible to draw up a pedigree if the primary document is missing. In this case, you will only receive a registration or zero paper. Although it confirms the breed of the puppy, it does not give him the opportunity to take part in international exhibitions and be used for mating. A zero pedigree is issued only if the commission confirms that the dog meets the breed standards.

Registered pedigree is done at the club. A prerequisite is a preliminary examination of the dog by three experts certified in this breed. In addition to this information, you will need two photographs - profile and full-face, again signed by the expert. If available, it is worth adding the original of the unconfirmed pedigree

When filling out the metric to obtain a pedigree, it is important to adhere to a simple rule - do everything carefully and correctly, otherwise the organization may refuse to issue this paper

When writing information on all lines, it is important to use block letters written as legibly as possible. If specialists misread some symbol and, accordingly, issue an incorrectly completed pedigree, everything will have to be redone. In the “Owner” line, write the first and last name, and in the “Address” line – the currently valid registration indicated in the passport

We must not forget about the index - its absence may serve as a refusal to accept documents

In the line “Owner” the first and last name are written, and in the line “Address” – the currently valid registration indicated in the passport. We must not forget about the index - its absence may serve as a refusal to accept documents.

Puppy metrics are changed in the Union of Cynological Organizations of Russia or in the RKF. Documents issued by other organizations are not considered valid. Pedigrees issued by the RKF are considered more prestigious. They allow you to take part in competitions and exhibitions not only in Russia, but also abroad.

SCOR papers provide the opportunity to act only within the framework of club activities. If the owner of a puppy has completed the paperwork in the Union and then decides to receive confirmation from the RKF, he will have to undergo testing with his pet at three exhibitions and receive assessments from three experts.

To exchange a certificate for a pedigree, today it is not necessary to go to Moscow, since nurseries and city clubs are engaged in mediation. To obtain the document, you must go to the administration of the kennel where the puppy was purchased or to the official city kennel club. Having found out about the possibility of registering a pedigree, you need to pay the receipts and draw up a puppy card. The birth certificate is exchanged for an adult “passport”, which can be picked up in about three months.

Is it possible to brand an adult dog?

The RKF has established a rule - an adult dog is not subject to branding. The brand is given to purebred puppies that have the necessary breeding documents. Only a tattoo with the owner's phone number is allowed on the skin of an adult pet that is not purebred and does not have documents.

Typically, veterinarians recommend microchipping instead of tattooing for adult pets. The skin of adult dogs is quite dense, the applied pigment quickly loses its clarity, and the identification chip lasts the entire dog’s life.

Symbols that blur as the dog ages can be renewed. If we are not talking about a telephone number, but about a tribal code, then the owner will have to present documents confirming the pedigree.

How to check a puppy's brand

Along with the branding procedure, the owner must get a puppy card. This is one of the important documents that are included with a purebred puppy upon purchase. To check the brand, you must first compare all the marks indicated in the puppy card with those applied to the animal’s skin. The characters must match exactly.

It is also worth contacting directly the database of the Russian Cynological Organization. This can be done over the phone or during a personal visit. This organization stores all assigned ciphers in an archive. These data are entered not only into Metrica, they are also obligatory noted in all documents relating to branded dogs, for example, in a purchase and sale agreement or in the animal’s passport.

What to do if the mark is erased

Over time, puppies grow up and there is a possibility that the brand, along with the stretching of the skin area, will stretch itself, become less legible or become overgrown with hair. Skin pigmentation may also affect readability, but this will not interfere with reading numbers and letters. When buying a puppy, first of all, make sure of the quality of the brand. If it is clear, then there is no reason to worry. If the brand disappears after some time, there are several options for action. You can contact the center where the brand was placed and have your pet re-branded. Or microchip the animal. In this case, problems with erasing will no longer arise.

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