8 Best GPS Dog Collars in 2023

According to the American Humane Association, 1 in 3 pets will get lost at some point in their lifetime. It is therefore very important to keep an eye on your furry friend and have knowledge of his whereabouts at all times.

Dogs that don’t like spending much time outdoors are the most vulnerable because they do not have a clear picture of the surrounding neighborhood. Such dogs might run off into the neighborhood and get lost if they wander too far.

Walking your dog around and taking him for leashed hikes will help him know the terrains of your county.

However, this does not mean that your dog will be completely safe because there is always that day where he will chase some butterflies only to find himself in territories he can’t recognize.

Losing your dog can be so distressing especially if your family member had created a special bond with him. To prevent this situation from happening, we now have GPS dog collars which are used to identify your pup’s location in real-time.

In case you lost track of your furry child, you can now trace him within minutes and return him to his haven.

Getting the right GPS collar for your dog might not be very straightforward. In this buying guide, we did our extensive research to come up with 8 best GPS dog collars in 2023.

Follow along to find out the different types that we have and check out the ones that will fit your furry sibling.

This is our selection for the best GPS dog collars:

1. Garmin Astro 900 Tracking Bundle GPS Dog Collar
2. Garmin Astro 430/T 5 Mini GPS Dog Collar
3. Dogtra Pathfinder TRX GPS Dog Collar
4. Whistle Go Explore GPS Dog Collar
5. Cube Real-Time GPS Dog Collar
6. Tractive Waterproof GPS Dog Collar
7. FitBark 2 GPS Dog Collar
8. Tracki 2021 Model Mini GPS Dog Tracker

8 Best GPS Dog Collars In 2023

1. Garmin Astro 900 Dog Tracking Bundle

If you need to train your dog efficiently, then there is a way you can do it to ensure you get the best overall results. This product combines a one-inch GPS dog collar strap with a remote training device.

This combination is good in training your dog to stop chasing unwanted items and it can work for a maximum range of nine miles. On top of showing your dog’s location, you will be able to know the speed he is using to follow a particular direction.

The collar strap has LED beacon lights which is very helpful when you want to locate your furry friend at night.

You can connect this tracking device with your smartphone via the proprietary App which will give you a ton of other additional features. You can use the remote and App to monitor up to 20 dogs at a go.

All dogs will require an additional collar which is sold separately. It also offers you the ability to set up virtual maps for your dog. You will therefore receive timely notifications once your dog wanders away from the map.

This unit includes a rechargeable battery which can provide power for up to 40 hours. The battery rating is average but it is good enough to take you through a complete 2 training sessions.

Pros

• Good for training your dog.
• It has LED lights for low light visibility.
• The remote’s touch screen is bright.
• Rated as one of the best GPS dog tracking collar

Cons

• It might be heavy for some dogs.

2. Garmin Astro 430/T 5 Mini Dog Tracking Bundle

This bundle consists of GLONASS tracking system and Garmin GPS dog collar which is best used by sporting dogs and it provides high precision than GPS alone.

Being a water-resistant device, your dog can use it underwater for up to 10 meters deep. It is therefore a good collar for use in training and hunting where there might be a wet environment or exposure to rain.

The combination will enable you to receive better satellite signals hence it is very effective for tracking lost dogs. With an update of every 2.5 seconds, you can be sure that your dog’s exact location is relayed to you in every step he makes.

You will get personalized hunt metrics after every training session. This will provide you with important data such as distance traveled, time spent and more to aid you in training your dog more efficiently.

The collar has a rugged design that is meant to withstand all the tough conditions your dog might expose it into. Your furry friend can therefore run and hunt in whatever place he likes and the collar will work within a range of 9 miles.

The device uses a rechargeable and replaceable battery for power provision. The battery life can last you anywhere between 20 and 40 hours which is an average rating. You can also use the standard AA batteries to power up your device.

The handheld device has a ‘transflective’ display type which is bright enough even in direct sunlight with a screen resolution of 160 x 240 pixels . The connection allows you to link up to 20 dogs which is more than enough for most pet parents. You can train each dog separately via the stimulation feature.

Pros

• It has a preloaded U.S topographic mapping.
• It is a very good dog training device.
• It updates the location every 2.5 seconds.
• It has a wide range of operations.

Cons

• The battery life is not very good.
• Might not be so easy to use for some people.

3.      Dogtra Pathfinder TRX GPS-Only Tracking Collar

This GPS dog collar has a 9-mile range together with other interesting features that will make it easier to track your dog anytime you want.

It is best used when training or hunting with your dog in hilly terrains. The 2 seconds GPS update rate on this device ensures that your dog’s position in the hunting ground is correctly relayed on your smartphone.

The Dogtra Pathfinder App is available for both Android and iOS users. The App is well designed and very easy to use. You will also get an offline mode within the App.

This mode will allow you to download the area where your dog is and you will be able to view it later without using cellular connections. The offline mode is free to download and there are no hidden charges when you use it.

The App also provides an option where you can share your dog’s movement with other dog owners using the Dogtra Pathfinder device. This is a cool way to keep your experiences alive and share some useful data with potential clients.

The collar is waterproof, meaning that you do not have to worry about your dog taking dives in the water as he proceeds with hunting.

It is also helpful when it starts raining and you do not have a ready shelter to shield your dog from the downpour. This GPS dog collar can be used by dogs that weigh 35 pounds and more. It has been approved by UKC, AKC, and PKC.

Pros

• The battery life is amazing.
• It offers a good range.
• It has a lot of functions in the App.

Cons

• The App can be a little heavy on your smartphone

4.      Whistle Go Explore – Ultimate Health & Location Tracker for Pets

The whistle GPS dog collar offers more than just tracking the movements of your dog. You will be able to check your dog’s Health, Nutrition, & Activity Tracking for his fitness levels.

It connects to AT & T cellular services and therefore you will be required to pay for monthly subscriptions. You will get a 30-day free trial for every purchase of this collar.

This dog collar is popular among pet parents because it offers an impressive range of protection. You will be able to see the location of your dog up to 3000 miles away. This impressive coverage is made possible by AT&T network coverage and Google maps services.

With this range, it is very possible to get hold of a stolen dog before losing his track completely. Another impressive feature of this collar is its size.

The GPS device has a small cubic design that will not overwhelm your small dog. When worn on the neck, it can easily be mistaken as a normal collar.

The location update will run every 15 seconds which is good enough but not the best that we have seen so far.

The fitness tracker of this collar will measure your dog’s calories, and other activities like sleeping, licking, and scratching.

The fun doesn’t stop there, you will then get recommendations on the diet and food portions to give to your dog based on the recorded data. The App will then compile a 30-day report that you can use and email to your vet for further action.

This GPS collar is powered by an in-built battery with an impressive service life of 20 days on a single charge. This is enough power to get you going for outdoor activities and trips with your fur buddy.

Pros

• It has an impressive range of operations.
• The battery life is excellent.
• It provides relevant fitness data for your dog.
• It has a good design and is lightweight.

Cons

• Slightly weak in location update.

5.      Cube Real-Time GPS Dog & Cat Tracker

This cube-shaped GPS collar can be used for both cats and dogs because it has a manageable weight that will not burden your pet’s neck.

It is equipped with a SIM card that connects to Verizon cellular for tracking services. Using these collar tracking services will require monthly subscriptions. You may want to keep this in mind as you plan your future budget.

You can connect the collar to your smartphone via the proprietary App and receive real-time information about your dog’s location.

The App will enable you to create a geofence and mark the territory as the home zone. Once your dog wanders away from the home zone, you will receive an alert on your phone.

Other important notifications that will come along your phone include low battery alert and speeding information among many others.

Speaking of battery alerts, this collar is powered by a rechargeable battery that can last anywhere between 10 to 60 days of use. That is enough power to ensure that you do not lose track of your beloved dog.

Pros

• It has good battery life.
• It has a nice and lightweight design.
• Can be used for both cats and dogs.
• It is very easy to set up and use.

Cons

• The smartphone app is not very stable.

6.      Tractive Waterproof GPS Dog Tracker

If your dog is into playing around the pool areas and beaches, then you need to get a GPS collar that can survive water splashes and wet conditions.

This tractive dog tracker is both waterproof and somewhat rugged in design. It can fit in most collars and it doesn’t offer a huge weight burden on your furry friend.

You will download the free Tractive GPS app which is available both on Android and Apple devices.

Once you connect your phone to the GPS collar via this App, you can track your dog’s location in a very wide range that spans across borders of many countries. This means that you have to subscribe to cellular network services monthly to enjoy these functions.

The App also allows users to mark safe territories. Once your dog leaves this designated map, you will receive a timely alert to notify you of the movements. Once he is back safely, you will also receive another alert to inform you of the same.

The tractive GPS tracker also allows you to keep a close eye on your dog’s fitness data. You can set goals for active time, movement, rest, calories burned and see how your dog works in keeping his health in good condition.

Have a look at the video below from Trizane & co. that showcases this product

Pros

• It has an average rugged design.
• It offers a wide location range of tracking.
• It has affordable subscription plans.

Cons

• The battery life is not very impressive.

7.      FitBark 2 Dog Activity Monitor | Health & Fitness Tracker for Dogs

If you have a small puppy or are more concerned about the weight of the GPS dog collar, then we recommend you check this product from FitBark.

Weighing at 10 grams, you can be sure that your dog’s neck is not overburdened with the load when he plays, walks, or moves around for training.

You can download the FitBit App for your smartphone from the Google play store or App store. Within the App, you can add multiple dogs and owners which will give you more flexibility in monitoring your furry friends.

The GPS collar will also work with fitness devices including Apple Watch, Apple Healthkit, and Google Fit Wearable devices.

Apart from giving you timely location updates of your pup, this GPS collar also monitors his health by measuring important parameters.

This includes sleep quality, calories burnt, behavior patterns, and overall health. You can set the ideal goals that you want your dog to achieve for his health vs. his breed, age, and weight.

With the health monitor, you can get early signs of discomfort and diseases before they escalate to serious levels. The FitBark health index and sleep score will monitor your dog’s mobility, anxiety, skin conditions, behavioral changes and sleep patterns.

With this dog collar, you can worry less about recharging your battery every time because it offers an impressive usage time of up to 6 months. That’s long enough to even remember that your dog’s GPS collar requires charging.

Pros

• It is very lightweight.
• The bone-like shape will impress your dog.
• It offers the best battery life on a single charge.

Cons

• It does not have a rugged design hence not very good for hunting.

8.      Tracki 2021 Model Mini Real-time GPS Tracker

The tracki mini GPS tracker is versatile and can be used for tracking multiple hosts. Using it on a dog is very simple, you will be required to clip it on your dog’s collar and get real-time location updates everywhere he goes.

It covers a wide range of locations in many countries and you will be required to part with a monthly subscription of 19.9 USD to use the location update services.

It comes with an embedded SIM card that works worldwide to offer the same services.

This tracker is powered by a rechargeable battery that offers an average single charge life of between 2 to 3 days. This is enough time to take your dog out on a trip or for 2 training sessions.

If you are more worried about the battery life, you can opt to purchase an optional package that includes an up to 6 times stronger battery.

The tracker is very easy to set up and use. It has a minimal design with a weight of 35 grams and a super small form factor. This should not present your dog with any load problems when clipped on his neck.

Pros

• It has a wide operation range.
• Can be used to track other subjects.
• It has an affordable initial buying price.

Cons

• The monthly subscription is a little higher compared to other collars.

Special Care for Elderly Dogs

It has been reported that most dogs will lose their memories when they hit 15 years of age. This statistic is very worrying especially when you imagine the kind of bond you have built with your furry friend for a decade and a half.

Memory loss in dogs is known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) and it is closely linked to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

When your elderly dog loses his memory, he increases his likelihood to wander away. And at this point, it is safe to assume that he has already lost the clear picture of how your neighborhood appears.

Alongside a good diet and regular vet checkups, you can give your elderly dog special care by ensuring that he has a GPS collar on his neck for most of the time. This will enable you to keep a close eye on every step he makes and hence assures you that he is safe.

Younger and Healthier dogs

Young dogs are not off the hook, you also need to know his whereabouts all the time. During their prime ages, dogs tend to be more playful.

They always engage in non-competitive games with each other and once in a while, they might chase cars and people.

This is enough reason to let you worry about your dog’s location all the time. Simply get a good GPS collar that fits him well and strap around his neck. This way, you can be sure that his location is kept in check all the time.

What is a GPS Dog Collar?

A Global positioning system (GPS) tracking collar will give you the real-time location of your furry friend and allows you to locate him whenever he goes missing.

This accessory is placed on your dog’s neck and it transmits his location data which can be viewed by the owner from a smartphone app or through a browser interface.

The best part is that you don’t have to keep checking where your dog is located every time. Sometimes you might forget to keep a close eye and this might be the minute your dog goes missing.

This accessory gives you the option to create a home zone through geofencing. If your dog wanders far from the home zone, it will send an alert to your phone for necessary actions.

Sometimes you might be taking your dog for a walk in the hills and you will still get the alert notifying you that your dog is far from the home zone. In this case, you can ignore the notification since you are with him right there.

Once your furry sibling gets back home safely, you will receive another alert informing you that he is in the home zone.

6 Benefits of GPS Dog Collars

The main reason you are planning on getting a GPS collar for your dog is that you would want to track him when he goes missing.

That stands out as the major benefit of buying these devices. Other than that, we also have other advantages that you will get when you buy a GPS collar.

1.  Instantly know once your dog goes missing

Your dog might wander off your home while you are still at work, and even then, you will get a timely notification of this occurrence which will make you act promptly.

Without a GPS dog collar, you will have to reach home first then, later on, discover that your furry friend is not within your compound. This might just be too late to do anything and the worst might already have happened to him.

2.  Monitoring your dog’s activity and health

Most GPS collars have additional features which monitor your dog’s fitness level. This will give you information such as heart rate, burnt calories which can be a good indicator of whether your dog is getting enough exercise.

3.  Convenience

You will hardly find anyone without a smartphone these days. The GPS dog collars will relay all important information to the proprietary app on your smartphone. This convenience helps you to keep your dog on track anywhere and anytime.

4.  It can save your dog’s life

If your dog gets lost and he doesn’t have a GPS tracking collar, you will have to rely on other services to try and locate him. It has been reported that less than 23% of lost dogs are reunited with their owners in the United States.

We might assume that the worst will happen for the 77% that never gets reunited. Tagging your dog with a good GPS collar might just save his life.

5.  Safe and effective

Dog GPS collars are worn on the dog’s neck similar to the normal collars that you might already have. This is the exact opposite of implanting microchips in your dog’s body which is a painful procedure.

In addition to that, the implantation process might lead to infections and several other complications which might be hard to deal with.

6.  Keeps important health records

The best GPS dog tracking collars will maintain important history records which you may otherwise forget. You will now have a clean record of your dog’s vaccination dates, vet visits, deworming, and many others.

When followed properly, this will help keep your dog in good shape and keep his health up to par every time.

4 Things to Look for When Buying A Dog GPS Collar

You need to keep some things in consideration before making the final purchase decision for a dog GPS collar. There needs to be a match between the additional services you might require and the budget you set aside for this accessory.

When choosing a good GPS dog tracking collar for your pup, we recommend you consider the following factors.

1.  Battery life

Since this is an electronic device, battery life is one of the most key considerations you need to keep in mind when purchasing a collar, especially for long travels.

If your indoor dog spends most of his time in your compound, then the battery life might not be a big issue for you.

For outdoor dogs who love playing and jumping around, you need to get a collar that is powered by a stronger battery to remain working most of the time.

2.  Waterproof

If you have a dog that constantly plays in the pool area and doesn’t mind getting rained on, then a waterproof GPS collar will serve you better.

This feature will allow you to give your dog the freedom he deserves and get playing in both dry and wet places. If you live in an area where it pours a lot or near a beach, then your GPS dog collar should be waterproof.

3.  Price and subscription costs

The price tag on the GPS collar should essentially match your budget and the expected features you may want to enjoy.

On top of this, some GPS trackers will only let you use their services upon signing up for monthly plans through their platform. Carefully study and compare the service costs required by the GPS collar and see if you can work with it.

4.  Geofencing

Geofencing is a feature in GPS dog collars that allows owners to create a home zone for their dogs. Once created, the fenced area will act as the safe home for the dog and once he leaves the area, you will instantly be notified that your dog is wandering off.

You should consider the collars that give users this capability because it improves the safety of your dog.

Conclusion

Having the ability to check on the real-time location of your dog comes with the major advantage of also monitoring your dog’s fitness levels.

All products in our list of best GPS dog collars in 2023 will give pet parents much timely health information that will help in preventing severe cases. 

Always strive to know where your dog is at all times because it will be so heartbreaking when he gets lost and the worst happens.

Thank you for reading through this buying guide, I hope you found a product or two that will serve you well. Remember to post any questions or concerns in the comment section below and I will get back to you.

If you’re looking for other dog products, then click here to see our top recommendations.

Written By

Laura

Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a pet expert with more than 20 years of experience working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals since a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.