GPS dog collars

charlie fairmont · 05-06-2023, 07:12 PM

Wondered what kind of dog tracking collars or tags you might be using and what you think of them.

I've used a few generations of fi collars and find them pretty underwhelming and inconsistent. I got them for emergencies and thankfully have never had to use them, but the accuracy and responsiveness I see in nonemergency times isn't reassuring. Has anyone found a brand they like and trust?

diirk · 05-06-2023, 07:20 PM

Don't know if I trust it but we have one using an airtag.
It's limited to iPhone and crowd sourcing for data.
Hopefully we won't need to verify it's effectiveness

Murf the Surf · 05-07-2023, 07:59 AM

My daughter has one she's pretty happy with, one of her dogs likes to wonder a bit, she gets an alert when he crosses the perimeter she has set and always finds him where it says he is. I can't remember the brand, but I think she says there is a $20 annual subscription. We are thinking about putting one on our Jack Russell because if he gets off the property he'll just keep going.

kscarrol · 05-07-2023, 08:29 AM

Thinking about one for our dog as well… Murf the Surf can you ask your daughter which collar she is using? TIA

Gritty · 05-07-2023, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diirk

Don't know if I trust it but we have one using an airtag.
It's limited to iPhone and crowd sourcing for data.
Hopefully we won't need to verify it's effectiveness

We use the airtag as a back up and for the money it's hard to beat.

If you live in a rural area and plan let your dog run and want to track it a dedicated tracking collar with GPS would be best. Cost 10-20X

vreihen16 · 05-07-2023, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gritty

If you live in a rural area and plan let your dog run...

...watch a few episodes of Judge Judy and see how much money it will cost you for damages caused by your negligence as a dog owner while your pet is out of your control.....

Watching The World Burn · 05-07-2023, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

My daughter has one she's pretty happy with, one of her dogs likes to wonder a bit, she gets an alert when he crosses the perimeter she has set and always finds him where it says he is. I can't remember the brand, but I think she says there is a $20 annual subscription. We are thinking about putting one on our Jack Russell because if he gets off the property he'll just keep going.

Is it "Spot On" maybe? That's the one I've been eyeing. Just seems a little US centric so that has me on the fence a little - it should work just fine since it is GPS, but I'm not going to take a monthly subscription out to track the nutcase. Probably just set it to crispy critter and it'll only take a few times violating parole for him to not bother anymore.

(I kid - not going to set it at a high level right off the bat, he has to learn first)

Murf the Surf · 05-07-2023, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watching The World Burn

Is it "Spot On" maybe? That's the one I've been eyeing. Just seems a little US centric so that has me on the fence a little - it should work just fine since it is GPS, but I'm not going to take a monthly subscription out to track the nutcase. Probably just set it to crispy critter and it'll only take a few times violating parole for him to not bother anymore.

(I kid - not going to set it at a high level right off the bat, he has to learn first)

I sent my daughter a note to ask her the make, I'll post it when she gets back to me.

Gritty · 05-07-2023, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vreihen16

...watch a few episodes of Judge Judy and see how much money it will cost you for damages caused by your negligence as a dog owner while your pet is out of your control.....

I've been a dog rescue owner for 20 years. Judge Judy?

Murf the Surf · 05-07-2023, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watching The World Burn

Is it "Spot On" maybe? That's the one I've been eyeing. Just seems a little US centric so that has me on the fence a little - it should work just fine since it is GPS, but I'm not going to take a monthly subscription out to track the nutcase. Probably just set it to crispy critter and it'll only take a few times violating parole for him to not bother anymore.

(I kid - not going to set it at a high level right off the bat, he has to learn first)

Spoke to my daughter, she uses Tractive. Swears by it. kscarrol

vreihen16 · 05-07-2023, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gritty

I've been a dog rescue owner for 20 years. Judge Judy?

She is a well-known small dog lover, and regularly scolds bad pet-parents for their bad/negligent behavior. She also gets flooded with hate-mail from pit bull owners whenever she rules against owners of those and other dangerous breeds.....

kscarrol · 05-07-2023, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

Spoke to my daughter, she uses Tractive. Swears by it. kscarrol

Gracias!

charlie fairmont · 05-07-2023, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diirk

Don't know if I trust it but we have one using an airtag.
It's limited to iPhone and crowd sourcing for data.
Hopefully we won't need to verify it's effectiveness

Appreciate that. I'm not an Apple user but your comment caused me do some googling and it turns out there are Android tags as well. Just picked two up and rolled them into the bandana our guys are always wearing as backups.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gritty

We use the airtag as a back up and for the money it's hard to beat.

If you live in a rural area and plan let your dog run and want to track it a dedicated tracking collar with GPS would be best. Cost 10-20X

Appreciate you seconding the airtag. I checked out those dedicated collars you mentioned and they are quite big and bulky. Apparently designed for hunting dogs. It's weird how big they are. My Garmin watch is extremely accurate and a fraction of the size. I'm surprised they can't shrink that collar down. It's like a walkie-talkie strapped to a collar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

Spoke to my daughter, she uses Tractive. Swears by it. kscarrol

Thanks for tracking that down. Looks a lot cheaper than the fi collars we have. I'm going to order one and see how it goes. If it had decent accuracy and customer service, I'll switch them both over.

KevinC · 05-07-2023, 09:08 PM

Apple AirTags. Work great and not sending data to some mystery server in the PRC.

dogbone · 05-07-2023, 11:09 PM

I also use Tractive. Works pretty well. The spec on it is way better than other options in terms of frequency of updates when using Live tracking. Some other offerings update like every 3 minutes……my dog could travel quite a distance between those updates. Tractive advertises updating every 3 seconds when Live tracking.

We have a hound that finds coyotes to be his mortal enemy. And there’s no fences allowed in our neighborhood. And he’ll bust through the electric fence when he deems it necessary. So the Tractive has been helpful. Sometimes it does take a few minutes for it to realize he’s left the safe zone. The battery life is good. Only needs charging every few weeks.

05-06-2023, 07:12 PM	#1
charlie fairmont Lieutenant 472 Rep 592 Posts Drives: His & hers, GC & X5 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Jax, FL iTrader: (0)	GPS dog collars Wondered what kind of dog tracking collars or tags you might be using and what you think of them. I've used a few generations of fi collars and find them pretty underwhelming and inconsistent. I got them for emergencies and thankfully have never had to use them, but the accuracy and responsiveness I see in nonemergency times isn't reassuring. Has anyone found a brand they like and trust?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

05-06-2023, 07:20 PM	#2
diirk Second Lieutenant 1032 Rep 256 Posts Drives: 2023 X3MC BGM Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: Utah iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 VW Beetle Vert [8.33] 2020 Toyota 4Runner [6.33] 2018 Porsche Cayman ... [8.00]	Don't know if I trust it but we have one using an airtag. It's limited to iPhone and crowd sourcing for data. Hopefully we won't need to verify it's effectiveness __________________ 23 X3MC BGM. MSS. H&R 12mm spacers 20 4Runner 18 Cayman GTS 15 Beetle Vert
	Appreciate 1 charlie fairmont471.50 Quote

05-07-2023, 07:59 AM	#3
Murf the Surf Lieutenant 18945 Rep 569 Posts Drives: Porsche 993 Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Dog Lake, South Frontenac, Ontario Canada iTrader: (0)	My daughter has one she's pretty happy with, one of her dogs likes to wonder a bit, she gets an alert when he crosses the perimeter she has set and always finds him where it says he is. I can't remember the brand, but I think she says there is a $20 annual subscription. We are thinking about putting one on our Jack Russell because if he gets off the property he'll just keep going.
	Appreciate 1 charlie fairmont471.50 Quote

05-07-2023, 08:29 AM	#4
kscarrol Brigadier General 8908 Rep 4,107 Posts Drives: 2021 X3 M40i, 1974 2002 Tii Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Greenville, SC iTrader: (0)	Thinking about one for our dog as well… Murf the Surf can you ask your daughter which collar she is using? TIA __________________ 2021 X3 M40i 1974 2002tii, Inka, 5 sp manual BMWCCA # 327475
	Appreciate 1 Murf the Surf18945.00 Quote

05-07-2023, 09:08 PM	#14
KevinC your average JAMF 3101 Rep 4,094 Posts Drives: '21 M2 Comp, '19 Golf R Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cochise County, AZ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 VW Golf R [0.00] 2021 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00]	Apple AirTags. Work great and not sending data to some mystery server in the PRC.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-07-2023, 11:09 PM	#15
dogbone Colonel 5355 Rep 2,806 Posts Drives: '09 E90 M3 - IB Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: 93 million miles from the Sun iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 BMW E92 M3 [0.00] 2009 BMW E90 M3 [0.00]	I also use Tractive. Works pretty well. The spec on it is way better than other options in terms of frequency of updates when using Live tracking. Some other offerings update like every 3 minutes……my dog could travel quite a distance between those updates. Tractive advertises updating every 3 seconds when Live tracking. We have a hound that finds coyotes to be his mortal enemy. And there’s no fences allowed in our neighborhood. And he’ll bust through the electric fence when he deems it necessary. So the Tractive has been helpful. Sometimes it does take a few minutes for it to realize he’s left the safe zone. The battery life is good. Only needs charging every few weeks.
	Appreciate 0 Quote