Pet tracker recommendations please.

[Steve H]

So we've just adopted a rescue dog . 2 year old wire haired pointer.

So far we've not had her off the lead but obviously want to, thinking that a gps tracker would be a wise move in case she decides to chase after something while we're getting the hang of recall!

Seems there's a few versions out there for not daft money/subs - anyone already using one they can recommend?

Ta

Steve H

[mids]

If you search you'll find a thread on the subject where I posted my thoughts on the dog tracker nano. The summary being it's very rugged, the app works well, decent battery life but maybe not the cheapest option. Mine are over 2 years old now, used daily on mucky countryside walks and still going strong.

They just posted on instagram to say they're going to have a black Friday sale. It's my dogs in the ad but I'm not affiliated, just a happy customer

[Steve H]

Thanks Mids, I did a search but couldn't find anything very recent and I figure this is the kind of kit that moves on pretty quickly.

I'll take a look at Nano

[shep1001]

We use PawTrax Halo for the cats. GPS is accurate but battery life is not as good as I would hope if you have it on continuous GPS. £99 + £25 for the tracking app. You don't need the App as a ping to the collar via text gives you the GPS coordinates that opens in Google Maps

[S100HP]

Tractive user here. Has saved me many hours of standing around in the forest.

Any questions?

[ctdctd]

I'm getting this promoted in my Facebook feed as 20% off for Black Friday.

Up to 3 mile range rural or 0.5 mile urban and no SIM card or monthly fees.

£140 before discount code "BORISRETURNS" applied.

No idea if it's any good but it seems to fit the brief!

https://getfindster.com/

[mids]

A quick read of 'how it works' seems to show it's a bluetooth device requiring a 'MAZE' of other devices to get that sort of range. If it's just you and your dog not sure it'd work beyond a few feet?

Quite a lot of blog reviews with referral links which read more like adverts.

One forum review I just found "In short, it works for about 100 yards and then just quits"

Seems scammy to me from a first glance but happy to be corrected.

[S100HP]

mids said:

A quick read of 'how it works' seems to show it's a bluetooth device requiring a 'MAZE' of other devices to get that sort of range. If it's just you and your dog not sure it'd work beyond a few feet?

Quite a lot of blog reviews with referral links which read more like adverts.

One forum review I just found "In short, it works for about 100 yards and then just quits"

Seems scammy to me from a first glance but happy to be corrected.

I concur, which is why I didn't go for one. The only one that I found useful was the tractive. Cost £40/£50 to buy, then £50 a year membership. Works on GPS and reliant on mobile signal, for both the unit and the phone used to do the tracking.

[S100HP]

Black Friday 40% off Tractive apparently

https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker?utm_medium=...

[Steve H]

Thanks fellas, cellular is the way we want to go for sure, looks like a good weekend to purchase

[dirkgently]

S100HP said:

Black Friday 40% off Tractive apparently

https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker?utm_medium=...

There is always 40% off tractive

I use one and find it is OK

[dhutch]

S100HP said:

Tractive user here. Has saved me many hours of standing around in the forest.

Any questions?

Sound good, just had a look at this as we are in the process of rescuing a stray and while we will take all reasonable precautions and build up recall before letting them off the lead we thought we might test a tracker. Once we have become comfortable with wearing a collar that it!


The 'Tracktive' comes up as the most common ones out there and gets good reviews. Appears they did a slimline cat version, and a bulky 'XL' version with 6 weeks charge but appear to dropping that for a single universal one weighing around 30g, slightly different 'cat' branding, and the option for a second or larger battery. Real world reports of 3-4 days between charges. £45 plus subscription at £7/month, £45/1yr, or £80/2yr.

'Pawfit' gets mentioned in most reviews and pushes its ability to track your pets activity, step count, calories etc. hard although the Tractive also now claims to to that if you want it to. It also logs and alarms for high temperature (I guess for it you leave pouch in the car!!), beeps and flashes during finding, and will speak out your contract details if someone fits it and presses the button. But costs more, and looks a lot more fragile and likely to catch on things.

'Findster' has obviously paid a lot for advertising, but is expensive and as said above uses 'maze technology' non-cellular approach like the 'Tile' belongings tracker.

PawTrax Halo is a slimmer unit built into a collar, only 20g and makes sense for cats.


Daniel