If you’re looking to buy a dog GPS collar or a GPS for dogs today you’ve come to the right place.
I have a dog myself and he is without a doubt the love of my life…
…the most loyal creature I know who loves all
of us unconditionally.
He’s a beautiful 12 year old sausage dog named Chewy, and as he has aged his beautiful tanned face has become white…
…and I only noticed just the other week that now his paws are becoming white too, as though he’s cheekily dipped them in a flour bag :).
Dogs are just beautiful…
…but they can also be mischievous, cheeky, disobedient, rambunctious, way too playful and energetic, and just too keen to run off :).
This is where a dog gps collar comes in.
These wonderful pieces of technology have been created to give you peace of mind when it comes to knowing where your dog is at all times…
…as well as keeping your dog safe — and should they venture off, make them fast and easy to find so that they avoid any injury or inherent dangers.
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There Are Countless Benefits To Having A Dog GPS Collar Or GPS For Dogs
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One little sniff of something and your gorgeous dog can
be off and running in seconds.
Have you tried running after a dog on a mission before?
It’s NOT easy!
My gorgeous Chewy can happily doze for most of the day but if he happens to get out the front door and spy another dog across the road he can run faster than a Road Runner!
Dog tracking systems can work in a variety of ways and they also come with a huge range of features.
The aim of my Dog GPS Collar Buying Guide is to give you
a quick overview of what the best of these dog trackers
do so that you can quickly select the right one for you,
depending on the type of dog you have, how active they
are, where you live and also where you travel with your
pet.
The best GPS for dogs will allow you to create safe zones
so that you get an alert via your phone whenever your dog
leaves the safe zone area — so you can quickly and
easily be onto tracking them in seconds before they go
too far away.
It’s also important that you pick the right tracking unit
for you as they operate in different ways. With some it
takes just 1 click to start searching for your pet. With
others you may have to do a little twirl around and face
a certain way.
The best dog GPS collar will allow you to see where your dog has run off to on your Smartphone or web browser and guide you with maps and directions.
Locate your pet when they leave the safe zone
There are quite a few things to think of so let’s get started.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs – It Starts Here
Now when you are shopping around for a dog GPS collar or tracking device you first need to put together a little file (in your head) about your dog.
The more of an understanding of your dog and their day to day activities (or lack of) the easier it will be to pick the best pet tracker for them today.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs Size Recommendations
First off, you need to understand that some dog tracking
systems have a weight requirement. Some are really only
suitable for large dogs while others are more
accommodating for more sizes.
My favourite dog GPS collar at the moment is the Whistle 3 Pet Tracker . However, it is recommended for dogs over 8 pounds.
The Tractive GPS Pet Tracker has a large selection of features but their weight recommendation is even higher – 9 pounds.
The Marco Polo Pet Monitoring System is fantastic in my honest opinion but it’s actually not a dog GPS collar as it relies on radio frequency rather than Global Positioning Satellites. So if you are specifically looking for a gps for dogs then the Marco Polo isn’t for you – though I really think you should give it a look.
What if your dog is under 9 or 10 pounds, which dog GPS
collar is for you?
Well, in my opinion the three ones I mention above won’t
be suitable for you. You’ll need to look at my review on
the Loc8tor Lite or even the Loc8tor Cat Locator (yes
it’s for cats but ultimately it’s for smaller animals,
right).
What If You Are Unsure Of Your Dog’s Weight?
If you don’t know how much your dog weighs then your
dog’s vet should have his last measured weight on file so
give them a quick call.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs Safe Zones – Highly
Recommended
One of the most popular features of dog pet trackers is the ability to create a safe zone or a virtual fence.
When your dog leaves the safe zone you will get an alert and can quickly start searching for them.
Every second counts…and if you have a pet tracker
without a safe zone (and corresponding alerts) you may
not know for costly minutes or even hours that your dog
is missing.
Here are my top 4 picks for dog tracking devices that
allow you to create a safe zone:
1. Tractive GPS Pet Tracker
This works in over 80 countries and you can create any size virtual fence and receive alerts via smartphone and/or email. This gps dog collar is very popular with large and active dogs as their clips are very strong and secure. You can read my Tractive GPS Pet Tracker review here.
2. Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker
You can also create a safe zone with the Whistle 3 GPS Tracker but it only has coverage in the US. You can also receive an alert when the tracker detaches from the collar. You can read my Whistle 3 Pet Tracker here.
3. Marco Polo Pet Monitoring System
Now remember I said earlier that this actually wasn’t a dog gps collar as it relies on radio frequency? Well, there’s a lot to love about this overall pet monitoring system including the fact that you can track 3 dogs with this pet tracker. This little beauty allows you to create four safety zones for each pet it monitors (it can monitor 3). Not only can you scan 100s of acres if you needed to with this dog tracker but you can create the smallest safety zone with this dog tracker so it’s also great for suburbs with small backyards. You can read my Marco Polo Pet
Monitoring System review here.
4. Link AKC smart collar
This is a tracker is only for use in the US but like most SIM card GPS trackers it has county wide range. With 2 collar styles this tracker is very aesthetically pleasing. You can read my Link AKC smart collar review here.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs Range – This Is Critical
Okay now that you’ve got your dog’s weight it’s a good
idea to look at the range that you need to track your
dog.
If your dog ventures off do they go far?
Is your dog more timid and sometimes his curiosity gets the better of him?
It’s really important that you get a dog gps collar with a range that is suitable for you and your dog.
For example, the Marco Polo that isn’t a dog GPS collar has a range up to 2 miles which is nothing short of incredible. If you spend a lot of time hiking or camping with your dog then this dog tracking device could be worth a serious look :).
On the other hand, it won’t give you maps and directions
via your smartphone so if that’s really important to you
then you would want to look at Tractive or Tagg in my
opinion.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs Range – How Active Is Your
Dog?
Understanding your dog’s day to day activity is also very important.
Tagg Activity Tracking
Not all dog GPS collars are waterproof and swimproof so if your dog loves the water you’re going to want to buy one that is waterproof such as Tractive or Tagg.
Do you want to track your dog’s activity? If so you will
want to have a look at the Tagg Pet GPS Plus as it can
also track your pet’s activity and rest and help you get
valuable insights into your dog’s behaviour and health.
An additional benefit to the Tagg Pet GPS Plus is the
fact that it also comes with an air temperature sensor so
you’ll get any alerts if your pet’s surroundings get too
hot or cold.
All these factors are worth careful consideration when
buying a dog GPS collar today. The size and weight of
your dog is very important and also being able to create
safe zones and whether you would like to to be able to
view a map and directions when searching for your dog.
Dog GPS Collar & GPS For Dogs Summary
Ultimately if your dog weighs less than 9 pounds then I would recommend either Loc8tor Lite or Loc8t0r Cat
Tracker (created for cats but suitable for smaller sized animals).
If your dog weighs more than 9 or 10 pounds then you have more dog GPS collar choices such as the Tractive GPS Pet
Tracker, the Whistle 3 Pet Tracker and the Marco Polo Pet
Monitoring System. Be sure to read my pet tracker
reviews detailing the pros and cons of each of these dog
GPS collars and GPS systems for dogs when making your
choice today.
Did you enjoy reading my dog pet tracker buying guide? Your friends and family might too. Feel free to pin it on Pinterest or share it with them on Facebook…
