Dog tracking devices....

[{97702}]

Does anyone use one, and are there any brands/types people would recommend?

Millie the supposedly well behaved lurcher 🙄 was gone for 40 minutes on the walk today - I can cope with her usual 5 minutes, but this was a tad too much for my stress levels....

 

[SadKen]

I don't have any advice on this one, but I was reminded of that quote from Blackadder 3, where Baldrick has burnt Dr Johnson's dictionary. To paraphrase Dr Johnson: 'I should not lose the dog, Sir, and if any other man should, I would tear off his head with my bare hands, and feed it to the cat!'.

This is just supposed to be funny as I am aware that dogs can and will do stuff they aren't meant to.

 

[{97702}]

It’s the way she trotted up behind us just as we finished our walk as if nothing had happened..... 😱 I’d love to know whether she was just running around having fun, or whether she ended up following us around the circuit of the walk!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sorry Lev, I've said this before on another thread but if you can't control your dog in public, she should be on a lead until you've trained her up more. It's not acceptable for her to be awol for 5 minutes let alone 40 mins.

 

[{97702}]

Yes thank you TP you have said it before, duly noted

If there is anyone who can actually answer the question I asked I would be grateful

 

[pippixox]

I have used a ‘Pettorway’ tracker. I use it more like a Fitbit (although keep forgetting to charge it).
You can track them on gps: I have just used to to look at how fast and how much ground they have covered on a walk!
But I admit I got it initially as I was training my rescue collie, who was doing great 99% of the time until we had one incident and I lost all confidence, despite her being great mostly.

Although I do agree even 5 mins is too much (and it may be a case of you giving an inch and they are taking a mile) I do like putting the tracker on as at least a safety back up.

Thankfully my two compete to get back to me for treats!

 

[pippixox]

It’s also in a good plastic cover and not too bulky. Appears to survive dunks in the canal too!
This has reminded me to find and charge it!

 

[{97702}]

Pippisox for me it is the equivalent of a falconer using telemetry on a raptor - you just never know what might happen.....

Oh - no Pettorway ones available online, typical, Amazon say out of stock ☹️

 

[planete]

Nowadays I would be desperately worried about what might happen to one of my lurchers if they disappeared or what havoc they might be causing. It sounds as if Isla needs a 'job' to channel her hunting instinct into safe channels. Agility, tracking, pet gun dog training...I cannot be too critical as I had a steep learning curve with my lot but we have now worked out an activity programme for them all which seems to satisfy them without putting them at risk. Good luck with Isla.

 

[ester]

JFTD had a horse one that she clips to a rug iirc.

 

[{97702}]

Nowadays I would be desperately worried about what might happen to one of my lurchers if they disappeared or what havoc they might be causing. It sounds as if Isla needs a 'job' to channel her hunting instinct into safe channels. Agility, tracking, pet gun dog training...I cannot be too critical as I had a steep learning curve with my lot but we have now worked out an activity programme for them all which seems to satisfy them without putting them at risk. Good luck with Isla.

I'm guessing you mean Millie, not Islay who was my old greyhound who I lost last year.

 

[Clodagh]

My BIL has one on his terrier's collar. I will see him tomorrow if that is not too late to ask.
Sash, my lurcher, used to just poddle up behind me and fall into place as though she had never been away, sly and sneaky creature that she was.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Lots of Swedish deer/elk etc. hunters have collars for their dogs with various tracking devices built in, perhaps you could have a look at hunting pages with dog equipment?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'll try and find out the one that a local chap uses.... last week he arrived in my yard using his phone to track his missing lurcher that had been gone under 10 mins.
I'd caught it in the corner of a paddock, hemmed in by 2 very angry mini ponies and had locked it in a stable 20 mins prior to him arriving.....
Yes, they have their uses, but this dog is always disappearing for a short while. Sorry Lev, didn't mean to rant but this guy thinks he's got the situation under control, when (as I told him), clearly he hasn't

 

[{97702}]

That’s why I never let Millie off in any area near a road/livestock/humanity - she would probably do that kind of thing given the opportunity, whereas what she actually does (because I’ve tracked her with a Garmin) is run aimlessly around following non existent smells.

Or, like today, she finds some fox **** to roll in.....

ETA - Forestry Commission Woods in case anyone is thinking such a place doesn’t exist 😊

 

[planete]

@Lévrier. I apologise for my mistake, I should have gone back to your first post and checked.

 

[skinnydipper]

It could have been worse. She could have been missing for 3 minutes and come back with an industrial size skewer loaded with meat which she had stolen from the Rugby Club barbeque!!! (Couldn't find a smilie for hangs head in shame)

That was my independent thinking lurcher, Layla. In her defence this was probably the only time she "disappeared" but she made it worth her while.

It's okay, I'm wearing a flak jacket and tin hat

She also used to wear her ears like a headscarf, like Millie.

Sorry, no suggestions for tracking collar.

 

[Tinkerbee]

I use Tractive, and its amazing. https://tractive.com/en/ I think AmyMay recommended it to me.
Ted is rarely off lead but he is an escape artist and the garden/fields are large enough that I use it mainly to stop myself having a breakdown when he takes his time to come when called at home...
The unit is about £40 and light enough that my small terrier is unbothered. You then pay a yearly subscription, I cant remember off hand what it is was but well worth the money IMO. It comes with an app which is super easy to use. Battery is about 3-4 days depending on how often Ive had to track him but it charges v quickly (couple of hours). The unit is v robust and waterproof, Ive had no issues so far, and hes been canoeing/swimming with it on.

Ive used the tracking feature a few times and its helped me pinpoint exactly where the blighter has got to.... Online reviews say its less effective in woodland, but Ive used it in our nearby woods and been happy with the results.

You can set up a virtual fence and it notifies you if they leave, which is its best feature IMO. Works abroad depending on your package, again a life saver when Im in France.

 

[{97702}]

SkinnyDipper, Layla is absolutely beautiful 😊 ive never been brave enough to try a saluki cross, but goodness knows what Millie has in her 🙄😂

Tinker bee thanks that’s really helpful, I’ll have a search online

 

[skinnydipper]

Thank you. I am sure Layla could have taught Millie a few naughty tricks. Expert bin opener (trial and error to get a bin she couldn't open), she once jumped straight up on the breakfast bar and was an expert counter surfer - which was difficult when you have a husband who didn't appreciate her skills in food theft- he did eventually learn after she stole the joint and some steaks.

 

[{97702}]

😂😂😂 oh dear that made me laugh out loud.... my family only cottoned on to the fact that greyhounds are fairly tall dogs when Islay nicked the Christmas turkey off the work surface in the kitchen 🙄 which is odd since they are all totally dog savvy, I thought it was hilarious 🤣

 

[skinnydipper]

Oh, she was fast. She would appear to be asleep, he would turn his back and the food was gone.

She was a real character - it wouldn't do if they were all the same. Her prancing gait always made me smile.

Sorry, I've hijacked your thread but I felt it only fair to confess Layla's sins. We can't all have perfect dogs.

 

[{97702}]

Does the perfect dog exist? I really don’t think so, despite what owners might fondly imagine 😊 I’m happy with the way my dogs are, I know they are not causing any problems to anyone/anything else, and that’s what matters

 

[gunnergundog]

Haven't used one myself but a few people I know have tried them on errant pointers they've taken to Scotland on the moors with mixed success. The main problem re the devices I see is that if you walk in remote places and the signal is weak/non-existent then they are no bleddy use! Probably stating the obvious, but......

 

[Tinkerbee]

I think you can get a few types, Bluetooth (which must surely be next to useless range) and I saw some cheaper ones which have a sim card in the tracker which then texts you the location, cheaper to run but obviously no good if no phone signal. And then the GPS signal ones which don't necessarily rely on phone signal (I could be misunderstanding the science though) but then you do need signal on your phone to live track out in the field I guess so still of limited use in low signal areas.

 

[Moobli]

On a hillwalking group someone recommended these. Just need a SIM card apparently.

 

[Moobli]

Oops forgot the photo!

 

[{97702}]

Working GSD thanks for the recommendation 😊 but I am now transfixed trying to decide what breed that is on the photo 😂 it just doesn’t look right to be a GSD? Or am I being unfair? 😄

 

[skinnydipper]

Could it be a Malinois pup?

 

[Moobli]

Yeah very possibly a Malinois pup