How Dog GPS Trackers Work

As a dog owner, the thought of losing your pet can be one of the worst things imaginable. If your dog is a runaway artist and he's gone where he's supposed to be, or if you let the dog find his way out of your backyard or even get off his leash, then you know how scary it can be.

GPS trackers for dogs are made with that fear in mind, helping pet parents like you feel confident knowing they can always track their dog's location through an app. But how exactly does GPS pet tracking work?

When purchasing a GPS pet tracker, you may see information about signing up for a cellular plan to make the device work, but if the tracker uses GPS, then why do you need a data plan? How does the device use data along with GPS and Bluetooth?

We know this technology can be confusing, so we've detailed how GPS pet trackers work. We promise not to be too tech-heavy! Let's start with a short lesson on GPS.

What is Global Positioning System?

First, let's talk about GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System. Currently orbiting the Earth are 31 GPS satellites in operation, which transmit their positions to GPS receivers around the world. Your phone, GPS pet trackers like Tr-dog, and other GPS devices can quickly take advantage of these bundles of information.

For a GPS device to know its location, it must be connected to at least four GPS satellites. Why? Well, think of it this way: if you're in the middle of a desert with nothing around you, but you're able to determine how far you are from four known landmarks, then you'll be able to figure out exactly where you are.

But here's the catch - GPS satellites can't easily send information through solid objects. As a result, trees, buildings, and other structures can prevent GPS satellites from telling the GPS device exactly where it is. This is why GPS devices must rely on multiple satellites to determine their location.

Why does my GPS pet tracker need a data plan?

Now that you have a basic understanding of how GPS works, your next question will naturally be: "So, what's up with the data plan?" Determine its location, and it has to send that information to you in some way.

This is where data planning comes into play. Do you know how you need a data plan for your tablet or phone to access the internet without Wi-Fi? Well, your GPS pet tracker needs a data plan to send information about its location to your phone, which it receives from GPS or Bluetooth (more on Bluetooth later).

So, let's put it into real life with the Tr-dog. Your dog just ran away. The Tr-dog notices that he is not in the designated bluetooth safe zone, so the GPS function turns on and starts receiving information from GPS satellites to determine where your dog is. All of this information is sent from the Tr-dog device to your phone over the AT&T network because you have registered your Tr-dog device with a data plan.

Where does bluetooth appear?

The scenario we just described used a lot of battery power. From constantly updating your mobile location with multiple GPS satellite beams, to sending the updated location to your mobile device, GPS pet trackers require a lot of energy to do all of this. Because GPS pet trackers need to be small to fit comfortably on your pet, they cannot accommodate large, powerful batteries.

So while your dog is relaxing at home, safe and sound, you won't need as much battery power. Instead, a GPS pet tracker uses a Bluetooth connection to let you know his location. GPS pet trackers use Bluetooth to send information back and forth between base stations. Once your pet leaves the Bluetooth safe zone, the device recognizes this as a sign of a problem and turns on GPS.

Again, this information has to be sent to your phone in some way, so unless you're connected to Wi-Fi, the device will tap into the cellular network to make sure you have the most up-to-date location and activity information about your pet.

key takeaways

Wow! That's a lot of information. So, let's look at the gist again.

GPS devices like the Tr-dog obtain location information from multiple satellites orbiting the Earth.

GPS pet trackers must use cellular data to send location information to the phone, so a service/data plan is required.

Active GPS tracking consumes a lot of battery, so when your puppy is safe at home, your GPS pet tracker connects to bluetooth.