What Is A GPS Dog Tracker For Dog?

A dog's Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker lets you know where your four-legged friend is when he's out of sight. In addition to helping you find your dog when it's going the wrong way, some models include the ability to track his daily physical activity and other health metrics—similar to people's activity trackers. Still others are invaluable tools for training bird dogs in the wild.

How do dog GPS collars work?

GPS dog tracker transmits real-time information about your dog's location to connected devices. The tracker includes a battery-powered receiver that collects data from multiple satellites in Earth orbit. GPS uses data from satellites to calculate your dog's coordinates with a low margin of error.

The receiver continuously transmits your dog's location to the integrated handheld system or mobile device. This geolocation data is refreshed at intervals of two to five seconds, depending on the model, so you can track your dog's physical location and the direction he's traveling.

Find lost dogs quickly with a reliable GPS dog collar. If your dog is an escape artist, or rushing through an open door when he sees an opportunity - these tracking collars will give you peace of mind.

These devices originated as GPS dog training collars for sport dogs. Over the centuries, hunters have found ways to communicate and track with hounds while hunting in the highlands or training in the wild. But now they can "see" their dog or dogs in the field, even if they're not in sight.

GPS Dog Tracking Collar: Key Features

Accurately tracking your dog's current location is the most critical feature of any GPS dog tracking collar.

Whether the GPS receiver is mounted on or already attached to the collar, choose a device that is sturdy and secure. A GPS tracker won't help you much if your dog breaks free from the collar, or if the device easily falls off or breaks. Also, long battery life is essential so that the communication between the collar and your handheld device is not interrupted.

Many GPS collars include monitoring activity levels, vital signs, and temperature, which are especially helpful for sick and elderly dogs. Others feature two-way audio so you can hear if your dog is barking or whining in pain, and provide verbal correction and comfort from a distance if needed.

With the geofencing feature, you can create boundaries for your dog and receive alerts via text or email if he wanders outside the safe zone.

GPS sport dog collars include features tailored for hunting, including gentle electronic stimulation that you can start and stop remotely. If the tracker shows him standing still or wandering in the wrong direction, this stimulation helps keep your dog on task and functioning properly.

Hound tracking systems are usually waterproof and include a topographic map on the handheld, which is helpful for hunters on the move. Training collars often also include an LED light that you can turn on remotely for low-light hunting at dawn, dusk or night.

Do dog GPS trackers work anywhere?

A GPS tracker can help you find your dog anywhere in the world - as long as the device has battery power and your phone or handheld system has power and internet access.

Do dog microchips have GPS?

Dog microchips do not include GPS tracking. It's a common misconception that a microchip is a tracking device, but it's not. A microchip the size of a grain of rice is implanted under your dog's skin and contains the contact information the veterinarian or shelter staff needs to return him to you if he gets lost. Veterinary and rescue shelters have the scanners and databases needed to access the information. Microchips are an important backup for dog collars with identification tags that help people return lost dogs easily.

GPS dog trackers are larger than microchips, but they are small, lightweight, and comfortable to wear all day. The tracker is attached to or integrated into your dog's collar.

In addition to revolutionizing the way humans navigate, helping people around the world with orientation challenges get to their destinations, GPS technology is changing the way we train and track our dogs. Personalized collars, ID tags and microchips are still vital if your dog goes astray, but if he gets lost, a GPS dog tracker can help you find him quickly.