A few years ago, every dog owner’s biggest fear came true for me. I lost my pup, Steve, while on an off-leash adventure. He was wearing what I thought was one of the best GPS dog collars, so it should have been a snap to find him. Unfortunately, it was a cheap model that had the accuracy of an intoxicated duck trying to hit a bullseye with a rubber banana. In other words, not accurate at all!
Fortunately, Steve came home on his own that night. I never want to risk losing him again, so I decided he needed a better option asap. I spent hours upon hours researching pet tracking collars and narrowed down my picks to the top 5 below.
Location accuracy and battery life (it works for 3 months even after a few years of use) are the best among all the dog trackers on the list and these are crucial factors for every dog owner. It is available in small to extra-large sizes and in yellow, grey, blue, and pink band colors for the collar.
Halo 2 GPS Smart Collar: Best All-in-One Tracking & Virtual Fence System
Halo practically became an overnight sensation back in 2020 when they released their GPS dog tracker, and that was before they upgraded it to include more unique features. I won’t lie, this baby is pricey! But it’s not just a tracking collar. It’s also an entire invisible fence system.
The Halo 2 can pinpoint your lost pup’s location within 10 feet with high accuracy. So it definitely works great as a simple tracking collar. The Halo system’s portability is a particularly neat feature. While it’s not specifically something that you need for tracking your dog, it definitely makes life easier on the go. It allows you to create an invisible fence at any location. So, say you’re camping with your dog and you want to make sure he doesn’t go beyond your own campsite. Just create a perimeter using the Halo app and use it just like you would at home. If Fido does get beyond the boundaries, you’ll have the tracking feature as a backup plan.
Honestly, if you’re not planning to take advantage of the virtual fence features, the Halo is probably not worth the money. There are far cheaper options for those who just want to find a dog that occasionally slips his leash and wanders off.
If you do want something that doubles as an invisible fence, though, Halo is one of the best by far. Add in the health monitoring and it’s a lot easier to justify the high price tag. In fact, once you start factoring in all of those extras, it’s actually cheaper than many of the other invisible fence dog collars. It comes in at half the cost of #2 on our list.
Just make sure you’re buying it directly through the Halo website. There are a lot of scammers out there taking advantage of the collar’s popularity.
SpotOn GPS Dog Collar & Fence: Best Tracker & Fence Combo for Large Properties
Like Halo, SpotOn is best for those who want a combination of a GPS dog tracker and an invisible fence system. Fair warning, though, it’s double the price of the Halo! However, if you have a ginormous yard (or even a farm), it’s definitely worth the expense. Not only is it easier to create a larger virtual fence, but it’s possible to activate several of them at once. Set up one fence for daytime and one for the night, one for regular days, and one for delivery days. The options are endless.
As far as its tracking features go, SpotOn beats out Halo in accuracy as well. SpotOn uses True Location™ technology, which balances GPS shift, so your dog’s boundaries and true position are more accurate. Their GPS antenna is also perfectly placed so that your dog’s body can never block it.
SpotOn is also a great option for those who prefer pet products made in the USA. Again, though, it may be more collar than you need if you’re only planning to use it for an occasional Houdini. If you do decide that it’s the right dog GPS collar for your needs but can’t really swing the $1400+ price tag all at once, they do offer a handy payment plan.
Check the SpotOn website for current pricing and financing options.
Fi Smart Dog Collar: Best Mid-Range Tracking & Health Monitor
The Fi smart dog collar is my personal favorite, especially for off-leash adventures, road trips, and any other situation where there’s a greater risk of losing one of my pups. It wasn’t always my #1 pick though, especially since there were cheaper and more durable options on the market. However, Fi’s Series 3 collar was a game-changer. Not only is it 50 smaller and stronger, but it’s also $50 cheaper than their previous options. Plus it offers better coverage across the US than ever before.
The collar’s GPS tracking is outstanding. It uses multiple satellites to pinpoint your lost dog’s location. The easy-to-use app to shows you the exact coordinates. All you have to do is go and get him!
The Fi Series 3 tracking collar is waterproof. It can even withstand a swim in the ocean, making it ideal for beach-loving pups. It can also resist your dog’s rough play. While no collar is indestructible, it does a great job of holding up against light chewing.
While I was sold on the GPS tracking capabilities alone, Fi’s sleep tracker helped catapult it to my top choice. The collar monitors your dog’s sleeping patterns and alerts you to anything out of the ordinary. That way, you can decide if Fido needs to see a vet for further investigation.
Compared with other dog GPS trackers on the list, this tracker by Fi is a win-win with its price and quality.
Visit the official Fi website to check current pricing.
Tractive GPS Tracker for Dogs: Best Option for Tight Budgets
While I wasn’t impressed with the first Tractive GPS Tracker that I tried, the collar underwent a major overhaul recently and it’s almost as good as the Fi, but at a much lower price point. If you’re on a tight budget and you don’t need something that also tracks Fido’s sleep habits, this is a fantastic option.
The Tractive is lightweight, coming in at just over one ounce, making it perfect for small dogs. Like Fi, it’s water-resistant and durable. In the past, I complained about its battery life. That was one of the major overhauls. Now, the collar fully charges in less than 2 hours and lasts up to a week before running out of “juice.”
The best feature, though, is the Geofence technology. While it’s not nearly as good as true invisible fence systems like the Halo and SpotOn, it’s a nice extra feature that alerts you when your pup goes beyond the set boundaries. The chip inside the tracker also updates every 2-3 seconds, so you can see where your dog is in real-time.
Tractive works in up to 150 countries. So, if you travel overseas and take your pup (or leave him with a dog sitter or in a kennel), you can still keep an eye on his location at all times. The only downside is that you do need a monthly plan to use all of the features, but you’ll find that’s true with any GPS dog collar.
I highly recommend getting your Tractive collar from the official website. That way, you’ll have an account that’s super easy to integrate with the app.
Garmin Astro 900 Dog Tracking Collar: Best Budget Pick for Outdoor Adventures
If you remember the days before every smartphone had GPS, chances are you’ve heard of Garmin. They were pioneers in the consumer-grade GPS marketplace, and they’ve adapted well to ever-changing technology. Their Garmin Alpha 900 Dog Tracking Collar is a prime example of that.
It’s designed for hunting and sporty dogs, so it’s built to withstand heavy usage. You can track up to 20 dogs with one system (obviously, they’ll each need their own collar), and it can even track your pups while they’re running.
The Astro 900 device comes preloaded with TOPO mapping for the US and southern Canada as well as a microSD slot to load more maps into it. It also comes with a free one-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription for improved location awareness. After that, though, you’ll need to pay for the subscription to take full advantage of the tracking collar’s features.
If you’re looking for something that you can use while you’re hunting or trekking through the wilderness, this one is your best bet,
Check Amazon for current pricing and additional features.
Final Recommendations
The best GPS dog collar for your pup depends on your budget and your lifestyle. If your pooch rarely escapes and you only need a “just in case” collar, then the Tractive will more than suit your needs. On the other hand, if you do a lot of hunting or hiking, the Garmin collar may be a better fit. Last, if you want a tracking collar that doubles as an invisible fence system AND a health tracker, the Halo is by far your best option, even with the higher price tag.
Whichever option you choose, make sure to thoroughly read the manual before Fido makes his mad dash. That way, you’re not scrambling to figure out how to use it while you’re in a panic. If you’d like to check out in-depth reviews for each of these collars or learn about other must-have high-tech dog gadgets & gear, visit TechnoBark
