# Newborn puppy collars/ ID methods



## byounglove (Mar 2, 2005)

Just wanted to hear some thoughts and ideas on identifying pups in a litter. Have never marked them until they were 4-5 weeks old, but would like to start sooner this time. 

Barb


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## Teri (Jun 25, 2003)

when marking pups I am trying to balance two key goals: visibility at a bit of a distance so I can tell which pup is doing what and safety.

I think the most common methods are narrow rick-rack or nail polish. I tend to like the rick-rack for the first week or so, then will switch to nail polish on the back. Walmart carries lots of weird colors---make sure there is a large difference between the shades you pick or you will be struggling to differentiate between pups. The nail polish removes any chance of collars falling off or more importantly, pups getting strangled when playing.

There are colored velcro collars available for puppies which are designed for safety. I have not used them but feedback implies the velcro is problematic for picking up lint and losing strength, so collars come off too easily.

Other option is to cut hair in different areas. Right shoulder-Right hip-etc. Benefit is it is very safe for pups--weakness is that it is almost impossible to see from a distance on short haired breeds.

I used rick-rack successfully for many litter but then had a pup get hung-up. Fortunately it occurred when I was home and I hear the pup struggling. If I had been gone, it could have been a tragedy. Just a weird situation that I am still unsure how the pup got caught on part of the x-pen. I dont use collars any more until they are much older.

Teri Jakob


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## DRAKEHAVEN (Jan 14, 2005)

Cut hair method.


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## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

I don't like anything around their necks until they are weaned especially since my moms are obscessed about taking it off. Nail polish seems to work best on their heads. I can't remember who I cut where with the cut hair thing.


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## Bluebill (Jan 18, 2003)

We use rick-rack from the minute they are born. A pup loses one now and then and you have to replace it. We weigh the pups once a week and replace them at each weigh in, if needed. My wife keeps plenty of rick-rack on hand. It just seems the easiest way. We are getting ready to release an all yellow litter of labs in a little over a week, stock is getting low.


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## Greg Seddon (Jan 7, 2005)

I used and made adjustable collars from 5/8 Gros Grain ribbon and light weight Velcro. I started out with Rick rack, but I was putting a new one almost every other day and I didn't like the fact that it would not break away. The collars I made worked great for ID and adjustability as they grew, washable in the sink. I also liked that they came off easy when they where playing so not to hurt them selves. The total cost I had in each collar was about $2.00. The ribbon came in many colors and patterns from JoAnne Fabric store.


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## 2Blackdogs! (Apr 6, 2006)

Personally I would never try Nail Polish again- When I did it the pups freaked out at the smell of the vapor. I then used acrylic paint that is in a tube-worked great-no bad smells. The heavy Red shows up great on the black dogs as does the white. On the Yellows I was able to use magic markers. I prefer using either paint or markers especially if any genetic screening is being done. Would not want to take a chance in getting mixed up because a collar came off.


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## caglatz (Aug 21, 2006)

my breeder sorts by the "cut hair method" and plumbing (boy or girl) -- for example: Boy, right shoulder --- Boy, left shoulder --- Girl, middle shoulder....etc.


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## Last Frontier Labs (Jan 3, 2003)

We use small cat collars. They have the break away clasp.


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## YardleyLabs (Dec 22, 2006)

I've tended to use ribbons followed by small adjustable puppy collars. The approach has been pretty successful but is often a pain with frequent replacements. Fortunately I've never lost the collars off more than one pup at a time where I couldn't tell which was which based on sex or color. Are there any toxicity issues with nail polish or acrylic paints?


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## Matt McKenzie (Oct 9, 2004)

Barb,
Got a litter coming?


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## Andy Carlson (Jan 3, 2003)

I used the non-toxic acrylic paint and it worked out great! It dried very quickly and lasted around a week or so before they needed a touch up.

Andy


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## Jason Gillette (Feb 9, 2007)

Hair cut followed by microchips.


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## blindfaith (Feb 5, 2006)

Quick dry nail polish behind the neck, middle of the back and at the tail base. Blow on it as you hold the pup ( good to do anyway) and you won't get many terrible reactions. We like it...red for the boys, white for the girls and blue for extras,,you can call red neck Bubba, white tail Deer and red tail Hawk and Gee you can probably think of more or do the same with other colors.
Bill of Blindfaith


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## 2Blackdogs! (Apr 6, 2006)

I hate to be so "disagreeable" but absolutly NO to the Quick Dry Nail Polish! That is what I tried the 1st time and the whole litter freaked out -went to hiding in the welping box-one even stared to foam out the mouth and nose. I thought i was gonna kill em! The Acrylic paint seems very easy and safe-no real odor and you can put a dab on your finger and make a heavy mark. Use a couple diferent colors and a couple different placements-all such that you can see the marks in videos and pics-like top of the head and low on the neck between front shoulders. I also had magic markers in Red and Blue that I used on the Yellow pups-that worked well too. But i would never use that fast dry nail polish again.


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## 2Blackdogs! (Apr 6, 2006)

If it works-here is a litter pick- the pup on the far left by the door has an acrylic red dab on the head-he is the one in my avatar. By now I was using magic markers on the yellows blue and red


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## DEDEYE (Oct 27, 2005)

Fabric paint works swell! It's non-toxic and you only have to touch it up every now and then.


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