We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More \u203a<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n There are few worse feelings than not knowing where your dog is; GPS dog collars can fix that. It\u2019s common to lose sight of your pup when hunting thick cover, and it\u2019s guaranteed when you\u2019re running pointers or a far-ranging pack of hounds. But it\u2019s also all too common for dogs to get separated from you and, in the worst cases, truly lost.\u00a0<\/p>\n The best way to monitor your dog while he\u2019s off-leash is to invest in a tracking collar. These are typically divided into two categories: purpose-built GPS collars for hunting and working dogs, and everyday trackers more commonly used to keep tabs on the family pet. Both types of collars have their advantages, and that\u2019s why I tested some of the best GPS dog collars that are available right now. As more collars become available for testing this summer, we\u2019ll evaluate them and add them to this review. Here are our top picks:<\/p>\n I conducted this test in rural, suburban, and urban environments to evaluate each collar\u2019s cellular and GPS coverage, as well as potential interference from both terrain and technology. Bird dog training sessions were conducted with my 2-year-old retriever, Hatchet, in tall grass, timber, farm ponds, and steep terrain, as well as in suburban neighborhoods and a remote U.S. Forest Service tract.<\/p>\n I put the collars on Hatchet and enlisted a buddy to run him up to a mile away, then verified that track with the handheld and smartphone readings to check tracking accuracy. The GPS collars were also placed at known distances (100 yards and 200 yards, measured with a laser rangefinder) and compared to their handheld location tracking. In addition to running Hatchet through repeated water retrieves in both freshwater and saltwater with each collar, they were submerged in a tub of freshwater for 30 minutes to test water resistance (all the collars in this test passed without incident). The individual features of each collar\u2014lights, battery life, e-collar training functionality, perimeter alerts, etc.\u2014were also tested in the field.<\/p>\n Hatchet and I have been training together<\/a> and with professionals<\/a> for two years. He normally wears a SportDog 825X e-collar during training and hunting, and was comfortable with even the heaviest GPS collar he wore in this test. He\u2019s close-ranging on upland hunts but allowed to wander barnyards and surrounding fields whenever we\u2019re in rural areas, where he constantly works cover and occasionally chases rabbits and other critters out of sight.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Garmin TT15X is an accurate tracking and training collar with all the bells and whistles. It\u2019s compatible with a variety of Garmin\u2019s handheld devices (sold separately); we tested the TT15X with the new Alpha 300i handheld.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Garmin is unrivaled in its Iridium satellite-supported InReach devices<\/a> that many hunters already rely on in the backcountry, and its TT15X GPS dog collar is no exception. While bird hunters and houndsmen will appreciate the feature-packed TT15X (with an advertised 9-mile range in the best conditions), this collar would also work well for a dedicated blood tracking dog and his handler, thanks to its waypoint functionality and detailed tracks. The TT15x\u2019s GPS was the clear accuracy winner, with nuanced tracking that showed my dog\u2019s every move. The GPS tracking interface is info-packed and intuitive, with multiple displays to track your dog, including maps.<\/p>\n In fact, there\u2019re so many features packed into the TT15X that it can take some getting used to, with everything from Garmin watch pairing<\/a> and SOS functionality to proximity alarms and competition timers. Customization is available for nearly any feature your pup might need, including GPS collar lights, point\/treed alerts, e-collar stimulation buttons, and more.<\/p>\n The GPS unit on the collar was the bulkiest and heaviest in the test (though it\u2019s comparable in design to the SportDog Tek 1.5). You also need an InReach subscription to use the TT15X\u2019s tracking unit, and an additional map subscription or specific map purchases to get the most out of the\u00a0 But those are minor gripes about an otherwise stellar unit that can track your dog anywhere he might go. The bottom line: If you have the budget for an ongoing subscription and a separate handheld device, the Garmin TT15X is one of the best GPS dog collars on the market.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n This no-nonsense GPS tracking collar from SportDog includes both tracking and e-collar training capabilities.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n The SportDog Tek 1.5\u2019s combined GPS unit and e-collar is intuitive for a new user and simple to deploy in the field. It incorporates essential tracking features with the company\u2019s proven e-collar technology and doesn\u2019t make you fork over extra cash for features you won\u2019t ever use, making it an uncomplicated alternative to the Garmin TT15X\u2019s bells and whistles. There are no ongoing subscriptions or extra purchases required to use the Tek 1.5, either.<\/p>\n I do wish this device had the option to track using maps, since it can be difficult to compare your dog\u2019s real location without topographical features. But that\u2019s also part of the Tek 1.5\u2019s appeal: It simply points you toward your dog\u2019s location, with details about how far away he is and how fast he\u2019s moving, along with accurate on-point alerts when your dog stops. For closer-ranging dogs, like pointers and setters that work nearby and up to a few hundred yards away, this GPS dog collar is a great option. If you\u2019re wanting to track a pack of hounds across miles of country, consider a pricier collar with more mapping functionality.<\/p>\n There are a few minor features that are a little clunky, including limited access to e-collar buttons from the tracking screen. For example, I use an e-collar tone to recall my bird dog in the field, but only the continuous stimulation button is functional from the tracking screen. Still, it\u2019s easy enough to toggle between the tracking and training screen, and long term use would make accessing the full e-collar commands second nature while tracking. Overall, the Tek 1.5 is easy to use and offers all the essential features a hunter needs to track a hard-working bird dog.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n This is the third generation of Fi dog tracking collar; I tested the Large model.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for an everyday tracking collar for your family dog, the Fi Series 3 is a great choice. The tracker is slim and integrated into the included collar with a low-maintenance battery life that your dog can wear around the clock. The collar relies on AT&T\u2019s LTE M network plus GPS for tracking your dog\u2019s location, which you can monitor using Fi\u2019s smartphone app. (You don\u2019t need AT&T as your cell phone provider to use a Fi collar.)<\/p>\n Fi allows you to set perimeters around geographic locations, like your home and yard, or maybe the rental cabin where you\u2019re staying for a week. If you\u2019ve got a Houdini who\u2019s prone to slipping off, you can choose to receive a notification that your dog has \u201cescaped\u201d these perimeters without an owner. The Series 3 collar automatically detects walks and car rides, and you can manually activate lost dog mode if your dog runs off or goes missing. This feature combines LTE-M and GPS technology to ping your dog\u2019s collar at least once every minute. Fi refers to this as your dog\u2019s \u201creal-time live GPS\u201d location. Sometimes your dog\u2019s location is displayed accurately and other times it lags; in rural areas, it can be downright useless. For good tracking performance with the Fi Series 3, you must be in an area with good AT&T cell service.\u00a0<\/p>\n My bird dog will occasionally take off after wild critters, leaving my unfenced yard or disappearing while we\u2019re out in the woods. Most of the time he returns before lost dog mode can pinpoint his location. Once, while scouting in a remote national forest this spring, he ran off while wearing his Fi Series 3. I had just one bar of cell service (also AT&T), and the lost dog mode could not lock onto his location. I used an old fashioned whistle and he came trotting back after half an hour, and well before the Fi app ever registered his location. There simply wasn\u2019t good enough service to track my dog using Fi\u2019s technology.<\/p>\n During the known-distance tests in multiple locations, Fi wasn\u2019t super accurate. At 100 yards, Fi told me my dog was still with me; at 200 yards with lost dog mode engaged, the app told me I was standing within 50 feet of my dog. That said, when the Fi was in lost dog mode during accuracy testing in a suburban area, it almost exactly matched the Garmin TT15X track. Fi\u2019s path of travel was less precise than Garmin\u2019s, but it would have been plenty useful for finding my dog if he\u2019d actually been lost.<\/p>\n The Fi\u2019s battery drains faster<\/a> in areas with poor connectivity and while in lost dog mode, when the collar is constantly pinging (or attempting to ping) its GPS network. My testing showed that, in a suburban area with good AT&T coverage, a fully-charged Fi Series 3 battery lasted 21 hours in lost dog mode. Normal use in poor coverage areas can also run down the battery quickly. With normal everyday use, however, the Fi Series 3 collar will work for more than a month and possibly even two, on a single charge.\u00a0<\/p>\n The collar is equipped with an app-controlled, color-changing light. It\u2019s not especially bright, however, and functions more as an indicator light than a beacon.<\/p>\n Fi is marketed to \u201cdog parents,\u201d which means it offers a few frivolous features that have nothing to do with locating your dog. That includes the ability to connect with other Fi users or post puppy photos in a newsfeed. The Fi Series 3 is also an activity monitor that will track your dog\u2019s steps and sleep habits (metrics designed to improve quality of living for house dogs who get more treats than exercise). I do find step tracking and auto walk detection useful on the rare occasions that I\u2019m traveling without my dog or need someone to let him out midday. A quick glance at my phone tells me my dog is being cared for properly.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Series 3 model, released in fall 2022, is a massive improvement over Fi\u2019s Series 2 model, which wasn\u2019t super accurate or intuitive to remove from third-party collars for charging. (In fact, my dog\u2019s Series 2 device fell off the collar more than once; the third time this happened the tracking functionality was poor enough that I was never able to locate it.) This tracking collar\u2019s price is included in a weekly membership of a couple bucks, which makes this collar relatively affordable compared to the other GPS trackers in this test, which cost hundreds of dollars upfront.<\/p>\n Despite its limitations in poor service areas, the Fi Series 3 is an affordable, low-maintenance GPS dog collar that works infinitely better than an Apple air tag<\/a> and will ultimately help many dog owners track down their lost dog.<\/p>\n First, consider your budget and your goals for your dog. Do you just want a low-maintenance tracker to spy on the dog walker or locate Fido after he escapes the yard? Or are you a dedicated hunter with a pack of bird dogs or hounds who needs the best GPS dog collar available for precise tracking in rugged, remote locations? Many GPS collars from hunting brands like Garmin, Dogtra, and Sportdog also include e-collar training functionality, so consider whether you want or need a combination collar for training and reinforcement in the field.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve identified the type of tracking collar you want, shop around for the models that fit your budget. Does your collar require a subscription to a GPS service or is it a one-time purchase? Will you have to purchase additional equipment, like a handheld device to go with the collar? Next, consider the environment where you\u2019ll use the collar most often. Do you live in the suburbs or the country? Do you hunt rural areas where you\u2019ll want integrated maps and an SOS function on your GPS handheld device?<\/p>\n When you\u2019re down to deciding between just a few models, compare the smaller functions that are most important to you, such as collar lights and waypoint functionality, and decide from there.<\/p>\n Most GPS dog collars range from water resistant to waterproof, although each collar\u2019s rating depends on the manufacturer\u2019s specifications. Manufacturers test their GPS devices for water resistance and dust using what\u2019s known as an Ingress Protection rating<\/a>. Electronics like tracking collars meet certain water resistance requirements<\/a> (such as the ability to be submerged at 10 meters for 30 minutes) but can often fall short of or exceed those ratings in the real world.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The battery life of a GPS dog collar depends on the individual model and can last from 24 hours up to several months. The battery life of the collar you do buy can also vary based on your device settings. For instance, if you have your collar programmed to relay your dog\u2019s location every 2.5 seconds instead of every two minutes, you will run down the battery faster.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n Published Jun 28, 2023 6:47 PM
\n <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\nHow I Tested the Best GPS Dog Collars<\/h2>\n
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Best GPS Dog Collars: Reviews and Recommendations <\/h2>\n
Best Overall: Garmin TT 15X\u00a0<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Best Value: SportDog Tek 1.5LT<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Best Everyday: Fi Series 3<\/a><\/h3>\n
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How to Choose a GPS Dog Collar<\/h2>\n
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FAQs<\/h2>\n
Are GPS dog collars waterproof?<\/h3>\n
How long does the battery last for GPS dog collars?<\/h3>\n