Gps trackers for dogs - best ones

[MyBoyChe]

Think we might need to invest!! 99% of the time H has perfect recall. Its just that odd 1% when something is more tempting than the Primula we always carry. We are a bit too close to roads for my liking if he is out of sight and Im thinking a tracker would at least have us looking in the right direction. Recommendations for something that will safely attach to a harness please?

 

[I'm Dun]

I just ordered a Tractive XL for mine. Bigger than most and I think its about a tenner a month, but it only needs charging once a month, not once a day and while mines only a whippet, he's a big chunky boy and will only have it on for walks, so I think the benefits outweigh the negatives.

 

[Jenko109]

Depends on location.

Tractive was useless when I tried using one in the New Forest.

 

[Cortez]

I'm back and forth on this, so I'm interested in people's recommendations / experiences.

 

[ArklePig]

also following for recommendations.

I did post asking the same question(never got one in the end) before as a belt and braces approach when we were going to be staying somewhere new with our dog who we'd had for only 4 months at that point, and aside from some recommendations got responses telling me to train my dog. As if I wasn't trying

 

[SilverLinings]

Depends on location.

Tractive was useless when I tried using one in the New Forest.

Are they often unreliable in more rural or remote locations? Not that the New forest is particularly remote, but I don't tend to walk dogs in populated areas so it would need to be reliable out in the sticks. I've been thinking of getting one for my mother's dog as her recall with them can be unreliable but they also would need it to work in a rural area.

 

[SilverLinings]

also following for recommendations.

I did post asking the same question(never got one in the end) before as a belt and braces approach when we were going to be staying somewhere new with our dog who we'd had for only 4 months at that point, and aside from some recommendations got responses telling me to train my dog. As if I wasn't trying

It is not exactly going to make your dog come back to you, or magically learn perfect recall, so that was an interesting bit of advice you received Like you, I would be looking at it as an extra safety feature, for the unlikely occasion when a dog might run off after a scent/in fear/taking the wrong route home, not because I don't train them and also watch them when out walking.

 

[I'm Dun]

mine got let out of the boat a couple of months ago and it was the worst hour of my life looking for them. Its for things like that. Dogs do sometimes get lost, or get out or even worse, nicked. Not sure a tracker would help in every circumstance, but its just another thing you can do.

 

[druid]

Garmin Astro is the only one using GPS that is 100% reliable. It comes with the matching price tag.

Tractive are ok if their is mobile coverage

 

[Marnie]

I've got a tractive that works well around the farm - I haven't had a problem locating Bunny if she has gone rat hunting or disappeared into another field. I haven't tried it any more extensively or anywhere where the signal is poor as I haven't needed to.

 

[Squeak]

As a cheap and cheerful in case of emergencies I have an air tag on my dogs collar. It relies on someone with an iphone being in range but it doesn't need charging etc and is fairly small and easy to have on the collar.

It's definitely not fail safe and probably wouldn't be enough for what you want but it helps give me peace of mind that we'd have more of a chance of finding the dog and mentioning it in case it might be useful for others who just want peace of mind/ back up. It has been very quick at sending alerts that the dog has been separated from me in an unexpected location anytime I leave the dog with parents or friends etc not at our house and has got the location exactly right.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

A tracker won't stop your loose dog getting run over, or shot because it's got into a field full of pregnant ewes or with lambs. It won't even stop your dog being stolen because the first thing a thief will do is take the tracker off.
Please if your dog's recall isn't reliable *keep it on a lead* to keep it within your sight or take it to a secure location for off-lead exercise and further training. There are plenty of secure fields and more appearing all the time.
Can you tell I am sick to death of loose dogs getting into our fields, upsetting our animals, because the owners have little to no control over them and seem to think that they are entitled to walk their dogs off-lead, regardless?

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have Tractive trackers on both my dogs.
I once purchased a Pitpat but it was useless.

The Tractive *mostly works. There are odd times that the signal isn’t strong enough but more often than not I can track them.

Bert has a regular Tractive and Cec wears a cat one Bertie’s is more precise, they record walks and Cecil’s gets the route fairly close but makes it look like I wander through hedges and randomly cross fields for some odd reason.
It always gets it right live tracking though which is the important thing.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Just to add, Mine have both got relatively good recall, not 100% and as such they are mostly on a lead if we are off the farm or i take it in turns to let them off. (Individually they are better) I know if they got stolen the tracker would be removed straight away.
I mainly have them because once, ages ago i lost Cecil. He ALWAYS comes back, if not instantly a few minutes absolute tops. He didn't, Luckily he's a drama queen and myself and OH could hear him yelling and he was very firmly stuck. Had he not been howling I'd not have found him that day and there's no way he'd have got free himself.
I then heard about a young lab near us, missing for 3 days and found hooked up to a fence.
That's my main reason for using them.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Just to add, Mine have both got relatively good recall, not 100% and as such they are mostly on a lead if we are off the farm or i take it in turns to let them off. (Individually they are better) I know if they got stolen the tracker would be removed straight away.
I mainly have them because once, ages ago i lost Cecil. He ALWAYS comes back, if not instantly a few minutes absolute tops. He didn't, Luckily he's a drama queen and myself and OH could hear him yelling and he was very firmly stuck. Had he not been howling I'd not have found him that day and there's no way he'd have got free himself.
I then heard about a young lab near us, missing for 3 days and found hooked up to a fence.
That's my main reason for using them.

It makes more sense to me, if yours can't get off the farm without you, that you would want a tracker, especially if they are allowed free range. Imho the Lab shouldn't have been allowed out of sight.
And I do know what I am talking about/practise what I preach; the Rotts, whose recall was only reliable if there was nothing more interesting to distract them, were always walked on a lead/longline or in a secure field. We weren't prepared to risk them getting into trouble of any kind.
The Labs are never out of sight when off our land, we call them back before they can go that far.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It makes more sense to me, if yours can't get off the farm without you, that you would want a tracker, especially if they are allowed free range. Imho the Lab shouldn't have been allowed out of sight.
And I do know what I am talking about/practise what I preach; the Rotts, whose recall was only reliable if there was nothing more interesting to distract them, were always walked on a lead/longline or in a secure field. We weren't prepared to risk them getting into trouble of any kind.
The Labs are never out of sight when off our land, we call them back before they can go that far.

Oh gosh no , they are certainly not free range, I do walk all 4 off lead round the fields though. Always with me. They don't even go on the yard alone.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I'll have a look at the one we used on Bear, it was very decent but we ditched one because it was rubbish in the woods. Apparently the trees blocked the signal. Obviously nothing helps if you are remote and can't get a signal.