Ever wonder what you would do or how you would feel if your dog were lost or even stolen? It would be a terrible experience and I am pretty sure you would be distraught over the situation.
In a previous article, I wrote about dog behavior device’s. Today, I would like to review for you four of the most popular Dog Tracking GPS Devices on the Market. Some you may have heard of and other’s you may not have.
Not all of them are the same and they may also work differently then others. This Review is intended to give you a guideline for choosing and purchasing the best and most affordable one for your dog.
Whistle Go Explore
Product: Whistle Go Explore – The Ultimate Health and Location Tracker (collar)
Price: $109.90 / $129.95 (if bought directly from Whistle GO Explore)
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Where to buy: Amazon
Review Details
Whistle Go Explore is a proactive dog alert. You will get notified by email, text or app when you dog gets loose and is not in a specified safe area.
This is a live location tracker that uses a AT&T nationwide network and google maps to find your dog quickly, no matter how far away. You can download the app from the google play store or the apple store
This tracking device weighs 1.3 ounces and mounts to a durable nylon collar.
This is also a proactive health monitoring device that give you weekly wellness reports, tracks and your dogs sleeping habits as well as other wellness issues to keep you up to date of any changes.
With the smart detection you know exactly what your dog is doing.
The device’s come in six different collars, is available in three sizes and is best for dogs over 20 pounds.
Pros
- Excellent battery life.
- No base station required.
- Multiple safe zones.
- Night light for visual tracking.
- Works for cats and dogs.
Cons
- Lag for initial notification when pet is out of safe zone.
- No web interfaces.
The Bottom Line
The Whistle GO Explore pet tracker has improved from previous versions and has added some new enhancements as well.
Link AKC Smart Dog Collar
Product: Link AKC Smart Dog Collar with GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor
Price: Small = $49.99; Medium = $85.77; Large = $106.40 (AT&T Service Plan Required)
Average Customer Rank: 3.0/5.0
Where to buy: Amazon
Review Details
Link AKC SMART dog collar with GPS Tracker and Activity Monitor is the only GPS and activity tracker your dog will ever need to keep your dog safe, healthy, and happy. Works with iOS and Android.
Link AKC is like a smart phone for your dog & requires service plan connectivity to allow data to be transmitted.
With location tracking nationwide in United States, you will know your dog’s location with fast and accurate GPS tracking supported by AT&T network (service plan required).
You are alerted if/when your dog leaves specified safe zones.
Activity goals are customized to your dog’s age, breed, and size to allow for accurate daily activity monitoring. Turn-on sound remotely to help with training.
Pros
CONS
Bottom Line
The Link AKC Smart Dog Collar is a GPS and activity tracker compatible with iOS and Android. It is waterproof for up to 30 minutes in 3 feet of water, and it has a battery life of 3.5 days.
It can record your walks and send temperature alerts when your dog’s environment is too cold or hot. The Link AKC Smart Dog Collar comes with a 90 day warranty. It is not recommended for dogs under 10 pounds.
SportDog Tek Series 1.5 GPS Dog Tracking System & Collar, Black/Green
Product: SportDog Tek Series 1.5
Price: $519.95
Average Customer Rank: 3.0/5.0
Where to buy: Chewy
Review Details
Know where your dog is at all times with the SportDOG TEK Series 1.5 GPS Dog Tracking System & Collar.
The collar is a receiver that reports the location, direction and status of up to 12 dogs in a seven-mile range and displays on the LCD screen of the handheld device.
It includes 99 levels of continuous, momentary, user-programmable static stimulation’s.
This system also includes rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with the collar lasting 24 hours per charge and the device 20 hours.
SportDOG TEK Series 1.5 GPS Dog Tracking System & Collar features DryTek technology, which makes the collar waterproof and submersible up to 25 feet and the device submersible to five feet.
Included are the Handheld Device, GPS Collar with a 1″ Green Collar Strap, Charging Adapter, Charging Cradle, Lanyard, Quick Start Guide, Basic Training Manual & DVD.
Pros
- Large range of up to 7 miles
- Accurate location tracking
Cons
- Difficult to find in stock
- Limited in features
- Steep learning curve
Bottom Line
The SportDog Tek Series 1.5 GPS Tracking Device and Collar is used to determine where your dog is at all times. You can track you dog for up to a 7 mile range.
The collar remains charged for up to 24 hours and the hand held device for 20 hours, making this the go-to device for hunters.
FitBark
Product: FitBark
Price: $99.95 + 166.80 for 2 year Subscription (billed annually) = $83.40/year
Average Customer Rank: 4.5/5.0
Where to buy: Fitbark
Review Details
Every day, get alerted by FitBark when your dog leaves a safe place. In case of emergency, track your dog nationwide from your mobile phone.
With 24/7 activity & sleep monitoring, FitBark GPS is a new way to motivate your dog to be active. It explains changes in behavior, and makes better decisions about mobility, anxiety and skin conditions.
Create multiple safe zones around familiar Wi-Fi networks and get alerted when your dog leaves or enters one of these safe areas.
In case of emergency, quickly locate your dog anywhere in the U.S. via the embedded cellular service. Receive 1-minute updates until you reunite with your dog.
Track minute-by-minute activity, sleep quality, distance traveled, calories burned, and overall health and behavior.
FitBark GPS fits dogs of any size and loves the water as much as your dog does. Fit collars up to 1.5″ (38 mm) wide.
Pros
- Easy-to-understand activity information.
- Very light and unobtrusive.
- Attaches to any collar/harness.
- Long battery life.
- Waterproof.
- Web-based dashboard.
- Social aspect helps compare canines.
Cons
- Lacks Wi-Fi, so you must buy a base station for offsite monitoring.
The Bottom Line
The FitBark Activity Monitor is an affordable, unobtrusive fitness tracker that takes your dog’s total physical activity into account, but falls just short of our Editors’ Choice.
My Final Opinion and Summary
The whereabouts of your dog is a critical piece of information for all dog owners to have. You instinctively want to know where they are at all times and their well-being is as essential to you as it would be if it were your child.
When it comes to your dog peace of mind is crucial, so why not look into getting them a GPS Tracking Collar or Device. The few I mentioned above are highly rated by veterinarians and are the best in today’s market.
I would like to hear your thoughts about GPS Tracking Systems and the products reviewed. Do you or have you used any of these or something else? You may leave you questions and comments in the section below and I will be happy to respond.
All the best!
Barbara
Founder/Creator: Love A Rescue Dog🐶
lovearescuedog93016@gmail.com
“Saving one animal won’t change the world, but for that one animal, the world changes forever”
This is a market targeted for people that live in the country with big ranches like me!! Our dog will take off, and be somewhere on the property, but not sure where. It would definitely save us time and effort hunting him down. Farmers will love this. Af first I was not liking the product you were offering (the comparable you started with) and that can turn someone to find a different collar before realizing you offer a better one when you scroll down. Maybe but a header or picture of one vs the other?
But yes, this is better than a whistle!
Allie,
First of all, thank you for your comments. They are very helpful to me and I appreciate them.
Were you referring the the FitBark model, if so, you are correct, I should have led off with the best rated device first.
Also, the FitBark has a FitBark 2 model that is for worldwide use. You can check it out by using the same link provided for the regular FitBark.
All the best to you,
Barbara
It’s good to see a guide and list of Dog Tracking devices, in our neighbourhood a few dogs have gone missing of late, which is where one of these devices would have come in useful.
I am drawn to the sportDOG Tek personally, I know the price is expensive but when it comes to safety and wellbeing I would be prepared to pay whatever it takes. The benefits of knowing the exact co-ordinates appeal to me as I would be able to locate my dog straightaway.
I’m sure some dog owners will be interested in one of these tools and hopefully, they will make a purchase to keep their dogs safe.
Josh
Hi Joshua,
Thank you for your comments. I am glad that you found this review very helpful. Your comments are helpful to me and I appreciate them very much.
The SportDog Tek 1.5 series is great for sportsmen as well if they utilize dogs when hunting.
All the best to you!
Barbara
Hi Barbara! Thank you for putting together these good options. They have all been rated well by vets and I appreciate that.
The one that has caught my attention is FitBark. First of all because it’s waterproof. My dog is kinda amphibious and any collar I buy him must be waterproof. I also like it has a long battery life.
Henry,
Thank you for your comments. They are really helpful to me and I appreciate them.
FitBark even has a FitBark 2 model that is for worldwide use. You can find both of them on the website, if you use the link I provided.
Barbara
I know that if I need one of these remarkable items, this will be the first place that I stop for a review! A+ information–concise and thorough!
Jeff,
Thank you for commenting on my post. I appreciate the fact that someone is taking an interest in my website. I will PM you more posts to see what you think.
Barbara