Have you got a Rover that loves to run? Sometimes our furry friends get so excited about those squirrels, birds, and bunnies they so love to chase that they take off in pursuit without considering if they know the way back home. If you’ve ever roamed your neighborhood calling out for your disappeared doggo, you’ll be happy to hear the good news about GPS dog trackers. DoggyAdvice has compiled a list of tech-savvy dog trackers that will help ensure you never have to worry about the whereabouts of your canine companion ever again.
1. Fi Smart Dog Collar
A dog collar that genuinely does it all, the Fi collar was chosen by Wired as the best dog tracker of 2020. Their review gives this device the win over all the others primarily based on their fav Fi function, a battery that can go up to 3 months before needing a charge. The amount of time between charges is admittedly awesome (but varies based on your unique usage), yet the best news is that it’s far from the only pup-tastic particular that Fi has to offer.
Most Barkable Features
- 30 Day Risk-Free Trial to get to know Fi
- Free shipping
- Updated Fi Series 2 now has even more pup-perks
- GPS provides Escape Detection with rapid notifications when Rover goes roaming free
- Activity Tracker in the Fi App
- Wi-fi integration means longer battery life and better location accuracy
- IP68 Waterproof Rating
- LED Lighting you can customize with your canine’s favorite color
Rover-all Review
Fi announces that “the Future of Dog Collars is Here,” and their customers pretty unanimously claim the same. The Fi Smart Dog Collar actually consists of two essential elements. The collar itself and the app that runs the tech end of things.
First things first, the collar is the part your canine cares most about, and here’s what you can expect from this fully customizable aspect of Fi. Fi has five standard collar options made by the company, plus sixteen dazzling designs from various “Fi makers,” who are third party vendors chosen to partner with Fi for their quality products and creative collar crafting capabilities. With their unique line of collar choices, Fi has got you covered in choosing a collar that will showcase your pup’s one-of-a-kind personality.
Not only will their collar be fetching to the eye, but the actual Fi device is also made to withstand whatever your tail-wagger tosses at it. IP68 Waterproof rating means your doggo can take a dip in water up to 1.5 meters deep for as long as 30 minutes with no problem. It’s also saltwater spray resistant if your pup is ocean-going.
Additionally, it has an armored aluminum faceplate and reinforced internal metal armor so that it can stand up to your dog’s bark, as well as their bite. And, if your furry friend is a night owl, you’ll love Fi’s LED light. You choose the color and remote control the light from the Fi app.
Now, about that app. The most crucial function of a GPS dog collar is to help you out in finding Fido. Lost Dog Mode is how you’ll reconnect with your canine if they make a break for it with Fi. When the app detects an escape event, it updates your pup’s location in real-time and causes the LED light to flash red for greater visibility.
Besides keeping your canine by your side, Fi has a couple more cool features, like the Activity Tracker that encourages you and your pup to stay active with customizable step goals and the option to compete against other canines in challenges. Plus, Discovery Mode lets you keep up with the pack of other Fi users near you.
Finally, Fi is made for your whole family to enjoy with the ability to add multiple dogs and people to the app. Plus, there’s a Dog Walker feature with restricted access that will give you the details on exactly who went where with Fido, how long they were out and about, and what route they took during their outing.
2. Whistle Go Explore Health and Location Tracker
“Know More. Wonder Less.” is Whistle’s motto for pet wearables. Focused on Fido’s health, location, and fitness, Whistle offers pet parents a truly comprehensive canine care package all in one little device that simply clips onto their collar.
Most Barkable Features
- 90 day risk-free trial
- Free shipping plus a 1-year warranty on your Whistle purchase
- Whistle 360° Plan monitors health, location, and fitness
- Provides personalized wellness reports
- GPS Location Tracking and Escape Alerts using 4G LTE Wireless Service via AT&T
- App-controlled, in-collar Night Light
- Battery life of up to 20 days
- IPX waterproof rating up to 6 feet
Rover-all Review
The Whistle Go Explore Health and Location Tracker keep you aware of your furry friends’ whereabouts and wellness. All of its pup-tastic properties are packed into an easy-to-operate little device that connects to your pet’s collar.
For keeping up with your canine, Whistle offers location alerts via email, text, or app that will let you know when your doggo ditches your individually defined safe place. It uses real-time GPS tracking through the AT&T network in combination with Google Maps.
The 24-hour Timeline feature shows exactly where your pet went, what they were up to, and who they were with over the past day. You’ll also get a chronological play-by-play of your pup’s day in terms of how much time they spent doing what, including activities like running, walking, playing, and napping.
Whistle delivers in the health and wellness department, as well. Their Health Monitoring Feature aims to avoid health issues turning into more significant problems by tracking how much time your furry friend spent engaged in activities like licking, scratching, drinking, and sleeping over the course of a week. It can also send a 30-day summary straight to your vet via email to keep you both in-the-know about your tail-wagger’s health tendencies. Plus, right now, there’s a limited-time offer of Tele-Vet services through the Whistle app via chat, call, video, or email that connects you to a vet for advice, guidance, and questions.
Last but not least, Whistle has fitness features that are just as comprehensive as any human health tracking device. You can calculate personalized portion sizes for feeding using their nutrition calculator or define Fido’s fitness goals based on breed, weight, and age. And, your furry friend will even earn milestone badges based on elements like activity time, distance logged, and calories burned.
3. Link AKC Smart Dog Collar
Sophisticated wearable pet-tech straight from the American Kennel Club, the Link GPS collar took home the CES award for Best Innovation In Wearable Technology Award in 2017. That alone is pretty paw-some praise but the device barks for itself too, boasting location, wellness, and adventure tracking in a variety of sleek canine designs.
Most Barkable Features
- Real-time GPS tracking with Bluetooth, Wi-fi, and Cellular Data capabilities
- Auto-defined Bluetooth Digital Safe Zones
- Alerts when your pet leaves their Safe Zones
- Nationwide coverage through AT&T network
- Adventure Tracker with Virtual Scrapbook
- App-controlled light and sound features
- Water Resistant up to 3 feet
- Impact Resistant design
- Battery life of up to 3 days
Rover-all Review
The Link AKC Smart Collar has three location settings to let you know where to find your furry friend at any time. A Safe Zone is auto-generated by your device’s Bluetooth connection when you’re personally with your canine. If they’re at home and you’re away, the Safe Zone is defined by the device’s base. Away mode means your pet isn’t inside either of those zones, and GPS tracking is automatically activated.
Your doggo’s Link will light up the night with the app-controlled light function, and the Link app gives you a chime function that can be used for training your tail-wagger as well.
Featuring patent-pending artificial intelligence and a 3-axis accelerometer, Link learns about your canine over time to provide you with insight into what activity is considered moderate versus intense for your unique pup. Plus, based on their age, breed, behavior, and size, you’ll get personalized recommendations to help you ensure they reach their own ideal active minutes each day.
Link has a few more one-of-a-kind health and wellness features, too. You’ll stay on top of all your doggo’s health needs with consolidated vaccination records and the ability to set reminders to check in with your vet. And, whatever adventures you and your canine companion take on, you can log your travels with Link’s Virtual Scrapbook that maps your time and distance and lets you add and edit photos as-you-go. Along the way, you’ll even receive temperature alerts that keep track of the ambient environment to let you know if your doggo is likely to be either too hot or too chilly.
4. FitBark GPS All-in-One Dog Health and Location Tracker
The name says it all. This pet-tech wearable device delivers an all-in-one package, including everything you need from a GPS dog collar and quite a few signature features you’ll definitely want. Designed to keep you and your pup “healthy together,” this is the only doggy device on our list that can link up directly with your human health tracking technology.
Most Barkable Features
- 30 Day Trial with Money Back Guarantee
- Free Shipping Worldwide on orders over $15
- Battery life of up to 20 days
- Waterproof
- Smallest and lightest design on the market
- Real-time GPS tracking via Verizon LTE network with 1-minute location updates
- Establish multiple Wi-fi Safe Zones wherever your pup spends the most time
- Entry and exit notifications for Safe Zones
- Link FitBark directly to your own health tracker
- Advanced Health Tracker monitors mobility, anxiety, and skin conditions
Rover-all Review
FitBark tracks your furry friend’s fitness, health, and location right alongside your own, literally linking up your heartbeats. When you’re apart, you’ll be able to check on Fido at a glance and see their stats on the face of your FitBit, Apple Watch, HealthKit, or Google Fit.
In terms of tracking and geofencing, FitBark lets you customize multiple locations. Wherever you and your canine companion may roam, you can establish a Safe Zone. At home, doggy daycare, or any other place your pup spends time, you will receive both entry and exit notifications when they come and go from any of their Safe Zones. In the event your doggo does go wandering solo, the app will alert you with up to the minute notifications until they’re safely by your side once again.
Though this isn’t the only device on our list that also includes health stats, FitBark does stand out in its comprehensive coverage of your canine’s composure throughout the day. The Hourly View shows you elements like anxiety and stress levels so that you can gauge how Fido is feeling when you’re not around and how well they do with other human companions like a dog-walker, groomer, or sitter during the day.
Sleep Score is another health monitoring function that includes data about scratching to determine their sleep time and quality and alert you to potential problems like atopic or infectious dermatitis, or even fleas. There are also options for monitoring conditions like mobility, osteoarthritis, and orthopedic rehabilitation so that your vet can get all the details they need about treating your pet.
Choosing A GPS Tracker For Your Canine Companion.
From our list, you can see that keeping track of your tail-wagger’s whereabouts is far from the only function that GPS trackers can perform. These devices offer geo-fencing, health and wellness tracking, digital adventure scrapbooking of your pet’s adventures, and more.
In choosing the perfect pup wearable, you should also consider your dog’s size, breed, and activity level. For example, if Fido loves to swim, choose a waterproof device. If you have an active escape artist go with a brand that has Wi-fi and cellular data capabilities to track your pup nationwide.
In the end, all of these paw-some little tech packages deliver all your dog’s data straight to your own device and are guaranteed to offer you some peace of mind along with a greater understanding of your canine’s complex and unique needs and wellbeing.
