A dog is the best friend a person can have, but having one is also a huge responsibility. They’re friendly, loving, social, and can get us through hard times. But they also need a lot of exercise, attention and care. And you never know what might happen to them if you leave them alone or they attract the attention of people with ill will. It’s easy to get lost in fear, particularly if they get lost once. Fortunately, there is a way to feel safer and do your best to ensure your dog is safe and sound at all times. GPS dog collars allow you to have an idea of where your dog is at all times. However, you can’t just go and get any type of dog collar. As with any other products for your dog, and the complicated thought process of contemplation, you must carefully consider a couple of factors when buying one. You wouldn’t feed your dog any food without first considering all the factors, so why is their safety different.
Fits your Dog
Your dog will be the one wearing the collar, so as such, you need to take into account the breed and size of your dog. Your dog must feel comfortable and snug in a dog collar tracker GPS device. Here are some of the things to consider.
Training and Breed
The first thing to consider is whether your dog even needs a GPS tracker. If your dog has tried to run away before, that is a sure sign that you need to get one or retrain them. However, some breeds are generally not the escape type. For example, beagles or Great Danes. They’re the type to be very loyal and never move away from their owner. On the other hand, poodles, pugs, Chihuahuas, or Labrador retrievers are known to try to run away. However, if they are well-trained, the chances of this happening are drastically reduced.
Another aspect to consider is whether they’re an indoors or an outdoors pet. If they are an indoor dog, they can escape if the door is open, which is when a GPS collar is strongly recommended. If they’re they’re an outdoor dog and you don’t have enough space, this might cause the dog to want to escape. In that case, you should get something that will make their space more comfortable.
Size, Fur, Colour
You don’t want your tracker to weigh too much on your dog. If you have a smaller breed, you should get a light tracker that won’t burden their neck or body. Furthermore, the tracker shouldn’t restrict the dog’s movement or discomfort them in any way. That said, the decisive factor here is the skin and the fur. And if you want the collar to be hidden, you can get one that matches your dog’s fur colour.
Technical Features
As with any other device, you need to know the technical characteristics of your dog tracking collars. After all, they are an investment, so you want to make sure they work in every needed situation.
Battery Life and Durability
As with almost any other device, you want to check the battery life first. Furthermore, you should find out the charging time of the batteries. Or at the very least, if you can replace them with another set. You don’t want to have the batteries run out while you’re out on a walk or in a more risky situation. That’s why some trackers have a GPS rescue mode that preserves the battery. But if your tracker is connected to your phone and you get signals from it, that will drain your battery life even more, and you need to be aware of that.
In regards to durability, your dog can run anywhere and everywhere. They might jump into rivers, puddles, bushes, and much more. As such, you want the tracker to be both waterproof and to be able to withstand damage. If you want extra security protection, you can go for an armoured model that has heavy-duty walls around the antennas.
Tracking Capabilities
Another thing you want to check is the number of dogs the tracker can track. The number is different for each model, with some going up to twenty dogs, while some can only track one dog. Every GPS tracking system consists of a tracking and monitoring device. The monitoring device can be your phone, which is then connected by Bluetooth. Another type of setup is a handheld monitoring device with a map and buttons on it. That said, the monitoring device is limited to only connect with GPS trackers of the same type. So, for example, a Garmin Alpha 100 can connect with T5s, but not other trackers.
However, the most important aspect of any dog collar tracker GPS device is the quality of tracking and, with that in mind, the quality of the maps you use. You want to make sure that your device comes with built-in maps of Australia and New Zealand, as they will guide you at all times. Additionally, see whether the tracker can use offline maps if, by any chance, you don’t have mobile data. Lastly, check whether the tracker regularly updates the location of your dog as they’re moving and whether it has satellite BirdEye imagery.
Benefits and Advantages
Besides the obvious benefit of tracking your dog and not worrying when they go potty, there are many more advantages to using a GPS tracker. First and foremost, it’s a lot less painful tracking solution compared to the microchip alternative. While the microchip requires an operation to put in, you just fasten the GPS tracking collar, and you’re done. Moreover, microchips can dislocate from the shoulder and move to the stomach, where they can cause serious health complications.
Another reason why you should get one is that it saves you from psychological stress and trauma. You won’t have to run around the neighbourhood and look for them aimlessly. Even better, you won’t have to go through every shelter in town to see if they’re there.
