Do You Need a GPS Tracker for Your Dog?
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Most dogs will never need a GPS tracker. A smaller group genuinely do, and the split usually comes down to three questions: how likely is your dog to get out, how far could it travel before you noticed, and how quickly could you find it without help? If the honest answers are "unlikely", "not far" and "quickly", a tracker is a gadget you can skip. If they are the opposite, it is worth a closer look.
Dogs and owners who get the most from one
The escape artist. Some dogs work out latches, squeeze under fences or bolt through a door that stays open for ten seconds. A tracker with a virtual fence, which is a boundary you draw on a map, can send an alert to your phone when the dog crosses it. The Tractive listing describes virtual fences and escape alerts, and the Findster listing describes a safe area that triggers a notification if your pet leaves it. That can turn a long unnoticed absence into a short one.
The rural walker. Moorland, woodland and farmland swallow dogs quickly. A dog only a hundred metres away can already be out of sight and out of earshot, and the search area is large. This is where a tracker earns its keep.
The dog with unreliable recall. If your dog comes back most of the time, a tracker is a safety net while the training catches up. It is not a substitute for that training, and our piece on building a reliable recall is the better place to start.
Who can safely skip it
If your dog stays close, has dependable recall, and is only off the lead in properly enclosed spaces, a tracker adds a device to charge and, for some models, a recurring bill. The same goes for a dog that never leaves a secure garden unsupervised. A well-fitted collar with an ID tag, a microchip with current details and sensible fencing do most of the work for these dogs.
Two very different ways of tracking
Trackers are not all built the same, and the difference affects where they work.
The Tractive GPS Dog Tracker uses a built-in SIM, so the listing says cellular coverage is required. It says the subscription covers the SIM and data, that the tracker works in more than 175 countries, and that battery life is up to 14 days. Mobile signal can be patchy in remote parts of the UK, so check coverage where you actually walk. The listing also mentions health and behaviour monitoring, which is a bonus rather than the reason to buy a tracker.
The Findster Duo+ takes a different approach. The listing says it needs no SIM, no cell coverage and no monthly fees, with an estimated range of up to 3 miles in open areas and at least 0.5 miles in built-up ones. The listed battery figure is about 3 days with live tracking on for two 30-minute walks a day, or 12 hours with live tracking always on. Two cautions: the listing has only one rating on Amazon.co.uk, so there is almost nothing to learn from it, and its specification table lists connectivity as cellular, which contradicts the description. Check that before buying. For a side-by-side look, see Tractive vs Findster Duo+, or the wider best GPS trackers for dogs list.
Either way, work out the real cost by dividing the total you will pay over the life of the device, including any plan, by the months you expect to use it.
What a tracker cannot do
It cannot replace a microchip. Dogs in the UK must be microchipped with up-to-date contact details on a database, and a chip is what lets a vet, warden or rescue identify your dog if it turns up without its collar. A microchip does not transmit a location, though, and a tracker does not identify your dog to a stranger. They do different jobs, and a dog that is chipped, wearing an ID tag and carrying a tracker has the best odds.
A tracker also usually clips to the collar. If the collar slips off or is removed, the tracker goes with it. Most owners find a snug, well-fitted collar or harness matters as much as the device.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Buying one and never testing it. Try it on a short walk in a place you know before relying on it.
- Letting it run flat. A tracker with a dead battery is just a weight on the collar.
- Treating the alert as the end of the problem. You still need to get to the dog, and a nervous dog may keep moving.
- Using it to avoid fixing the underlying cause, such as a gap in the fence.
When to ask for professional help
If your dog bolts because of fear, for example at fireworks or traffic, a vet check to rule out pain or illness and a qualified trainer or behaviourist are more useful than any gadget. And if the worst does happen, our guide on what to do if your dog goes missing sets out the steps in order.
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