Though we take leash walks every day, my dogs go around naked most of the time—almost always at home, and often when we are out, particularly in areas where I’m going to let them run free. I figure they’re as much more comfortable without a collar or harness as I am without tight-fitting clothes. A collar or harness can also get a dog into trouble if it gets caught on something.
I’m not worried about losing my dogs when we’re out roaming, and that’s why I’m not worried that they’re not wearing ID. My dogs are not going to disappear on me. They get plenty of exercise and interesting experiences, and they know they’re safe with me. We are no more likely to get seriously separated than my boyfriend and I are when we walk on the beach. He is definitely more interested in watching the boats than I am, and he sometimes stops to look while I continue walking—and talking as if he were still there, which is just a wee bit embarrassing. But we like being with each other well enough to make sure we catch up before we get too far apart. My dogs and I feel the same way.
If you and your dog haven’t reached this point yet, and particularly if you haven’t got a reliable recall that will work in the face of serious temptation, stick with a collar or harness with tags on it. Maybe your dog can go naked in the house or fenced-in yard, where she’s less likely to get away and more likely to get a collar hung up on something.
All that said, I realize strange things happen. My dogs have microchips, and I make sure my records are current. If something dire happens and my dog ends up at a vet or shelter without me, the folks there will scan the chip and then have my contact information.
You can, by the way, grab a naked dog easily by the extra skin above the neck. This feels natural to the dog and doesn’t hurt—but you have to be the dog momma; a dog won’t allow just anyone to grab her this way.
