Microchip?
 

Maggie was not micro chipped by her rescue group before I got her. And I have not had her chipped. Should I? I know if she ever got lost I would wish she was chipped. But is it very painful for them to have it done? I really have no idea. And I forgot to ask at her last vet appointment. I am willing to do it if its crazy and careless not to. But I also hate for her to suffer if its a big ordeal. Thoughts?

I microchip all my 12 week old puppies prior to them going to new homes myself....I have only had one or two even whimper when it was done, and I really do not think it was the "pain" from the insertion of the chip but more of a dislike being restrained during the insertion!! If someone does it that KNOWS what they are doing, and inserts the chip with the slanted angle of the needle placed alongside the surface of the skin, there is no problem! Even if done incorrectly, with the bevel down, it only is uncomfortable for a second......and it is such a valuable, valuable tool in getting lost/stolen dogs back to rightful owners!

Yes, yes a thousand times yes! It is so worth it to have it done! Neither of mine even knew they had it done.

There have been threads where members got their dogs chipped. If I recall correctly the needle is thin, causes no pain. But, if you have a drama queen like I have a drama king mine will scream bloody murder if a tech takes him from my arms lol. I have read it is not painful. To quote Yorkiemom1
" it is such a valuable, valuable tool in getting lost/stolen dogs back to rightful owners".

Depends on how expensive the chip is to install. If someone have the opportunity to steal your dog, you can pretty much wave goodbye forever to your little friend and no little chip is going to get the dog back. Yorkie's look expensive and they are expensive so that makes them a target for theft. Id would never let the dog out of my sight even for a moment and always on a leash whenever outside. If you don't want to chip your dog then just get a tiny dog tag because chip doesn't track your dog, it just an id.

I would definitely get your dog chipped!

Teek is 9 years old and he was not chipped when I got him. We have a mobile vet here that microchips for $15.

I was nervous about having him chipped, but I showed up at Pet Sense the day of the mobile vet. I got the time wrong, so I was 30 mins early and we were first in line. I signed him up and they put in the chip. It took like 3 minutes for me to get him signed up and for them to chip him. He did not fuss or anything. It is just like getting a vaccination.

It gives me peace of mind that if he wanders off or escapes that maybe someone will check him for a chip and I will get him back. It is not a guarantee, but anything to help is better than nothing.

I am getting both puppies microchipped when they are fixed.

Some vets charge a lot to microchip them. It should not cost more than about $30. I would look around for a spay and neuter clinic in the area or a mobile vet if it is more than that. I asked the vet that Teek had been going to about chipping him and they wanted $60 for it and I actually laughed at them. My old vet charged me $20 for chip my english setter. I looked around and found the mobile vet and had Teek done with them.

Even if your dog gets stolen after being chipped, it still increases the chance of getting them back. Because it can provide proof of ownership as well as identity (say if you offer a reward and someone brings in a yorkie similar to yours but it's not). Also depending on the brand and offers of the microchip, it can offer a sort of shout out to nearby vets, shelters and people part of the program (at least that's what the program I use for my chip). Granted if the thief never takes them to a vet and you don't know or have an idea who the thief is, yes, it's almost impossible. But chances are, if they are thieving for money and the yorkie is fixed (thus unable to be bred for more yorkies), they'd sell it to someone who's most likely to take them to a vet. Of course, if the thief was wanting the dog themselves, then yea that wouldn't work much. Either way, it's offering more chances than without (even if slim). The chip I gotten can even be scanned if my girl is somehow overseas, as long as they use the standard scanners. I went through AKC to get my chip etc and just have my vet insert it for me. Costed me a lot less with more benefits offered and the vet did it for free :)

Will it hurt? Probably, but only temporarily.

You can leash your dog all day and carry your dog and do what you need to do for theft but what if your dog runs out of your front door, or escapes from the harness in a way which you had not imagined? Having a chip means that someone like me knows where your dogs home is in the event they are lost.

I would definitely recommend it because I know that my chances of finding Teddy following an unforeseen circumstance, like those above, are increased exponentially.

Thank you everyone!!!! I am going to get her chipped! I never leave her outside unattended or home with the door unlocked or in the car....but if she ever slipped out of my sight i would FREAK OUT! Sounds to me like it would be comparable in discomfort tot getting her yearly shots, and she's a trooper with those.

The wisest choice to chip. Accidents do happen, as much as we watch them like a hawk, it happens. My adopted boy of 20 months now was chipped when I rescued him. Last month and do not ask me how he did this, I watch his every move, never take my eyes off him because he was a city boy, now lives in the country with woods, deer, bear, and many other wild animals, everything is new to him. I have a low fence so as not to block the beauty of the woods, it worked for my other now passed girls. Well last month he got out of the fence, how is still a mystery, he was running through the woods like the devil was chasing him with me right behind him, I have emphysema can't walk fast let alone run, crying and calling him, he was hell bent on finding that pesty squirrel that torments him or the deer that graze close to the yard. My mind was screaming GOD please do not let him get lost in these woods, then he paused, he looked left then right and I was able in that split second to grab him. Crying and hardly able to breathe I got him home, put him in the house, closed the door, went to my shed and pulled out 4 foot high fencing and started to put it up. He did not go in the yard until all the higher fencing went up. As carefully as I watch him, he somehow managed to get get out on the yard. So accidents do happen, micro-chipping helps.

Ugh, I would be in such a panic!!!! My back yard is in the city and is small but luckily is enclosed with a 6 foot high brick wall! LOL but it really wouldn't surprise me if she, left on her own, found a way out!

I think you should absolutely chip her. It will hurt just a bit, for just a second, and then it will be done. You will feel better having had it done, believe me.

Why didn't your rescue group chip her? That seems weird to me. Rescues would want their dog back if it ever got out and was turned in. In fact, our rescue group chips and registers the dog with the rescue and the new owner cannot change it to their info.

And to the comment that a chip is only an ID. Not true. It's not a GPS but there ARE still good people in the world. And there have been stories of dogs being returned years later bc of a chip.

When they did the chip on Bella, she didn't really even flinch. I don't think that it hurts, even for just a little bit if it is done correctly.

Teek acted just like he was getting a regular shot. He didn't fuss, but you could see he didn't like it either. Not a peep out of him. He did bleed afterwards but very little and only for a few minutes. I was the one taking care of him as he is my dog and I just took over caring for him and the bleeding was a couple dots on a paper towel and then stopped. No big deal. He is also 9 years old and not a young little thing. He was a real trooper about it. I gave him a treat afterward and it was all better.