It's 2016 and we are off to a great start! With the advances in Smart Watch Technology, Fitbit's Increasing Popularity, and the Apple Watch Launching during 2015... What do we have to look Forward to in 2016? It looks to be the year of the Pet Wearables - or should we say "Petables"? :)
It's not a secret that we all love our pets and we are willing to try new methods of keeping them Safe and Healthy. Grain Free Organic Foods, Personal Dog-Walkers, Pet Hotels, Doggy Go Pro's, and Now GPS Trackers for Cats and Dogs! (Basically Pet Cell Phones)
But what Exactly are GPS Pet Trackers? Which ones are the Best? How do they work? How much do they cost? How will they keep my dog and cat safe? We are going to dig deep into the topic. We have compiled a unique list and reviewed our choice for the Top 13 Pet Tracker for 2016.
We need to start by splitting them into 2 categories. Radio Trackers and GSM (Cellular) GPS Trackers. Radio Trackers utilize a somewhat dated technology and have been used for decades. These devices don't require a monthly subscription. Radio Trackers are commonly used by hunting dogs, and cover roughly the same distance of a Walkie Talkie's Range. It's important to note that the more you spend the greater your range will be. These units can range from $200-$1000+ for the top of the line units.
Radio Trackers
| 1. Garmin Astro 320 T5 Dog GPS Bundle
The Astro offers a variety of GPS collars intended for hunting dogs. They combine GPS with portable invisible boundaries, training features, and capability for tracking up to 10 dogs. This setup is designed for Bird Hunting Dogs. Not so much for the Urban Pets. |
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| Price: | $499-$799 |
| Range: | Up to 9 Miles |
| Subscription Cost: | No monthly fee |
| Battery Life: | 20 Hours (AA Batteries Required) |
| Transmitter Weight: | 6.5 Ounces (without batteries) |
| 2. Marco Polo Pet Monitoring/Tracking and Locating System
Uses radio frequency band that passes through walls and barriers. You can set one boundary to sound an alarm if your Pet leaves. One receiver (larger than a cell phone but still pocket-sized) can track three dogs at once. |
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| Price: | $219.99 (Additional tags are $90) |
| Range: | Up to 2 Miles |
| Subscription Cost: | No monthly fee |
| Battery Life: | 1 week to 3 months |
| Transmitter Weight: | 1.7 Ounces |
3. Loc8tor Pet The Ultimate Locator The smallest of all the locators; with the shortest range. This is best suited for small cats and dogs. Covers up to four dogs. Visually impaired people can use it with audio cues. This locator also comes in at only $99.99 so its affordable for everyone. |
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| Price: | $99.99 (2 locators not water resistant) |
| Range: | 400 Feet |
| Subscription Cost: | No monthly fee |
| Battery Life: | 2 to 5 Months |
| Transmitter Weight: | .175 Ounces |
GPS Trackers (GSM Cellular)
| 4. Whistle GPS Tracker Uses GSM Technology and Verizon's Coverage area. The sleek design attaches to your existing collar. You can track your Pet from an Android or iOS phone. |  |
| Price: | $79.99 |
| Range: | Verizon Coverage area |
| Subscription Cost: | $6.99 |
| Battery Life: | 2-6 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 2.2oz |
5. The Paw Tracker Uses GSP Service and offers a Lifetime Replacement for the device for as long as your are a customers. They are a USA based company and claim to have top level customer service. Cute Design and Comes with Application Download for iOS and Android and 3 Months Service (Included in the Price) Because this device attaches with 2 small set screws, you could attach it to your kids backpack and be able to track them after school. This is a much better way to track children than smartwatches that might "hurt" or whatever excuse is for not wearing it. |
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| Price: | $119.99 |
| Range: | GSM Cellular (USA ONLY) |
| Subscription Cost: | $7.99 |
| Battery Life: | 2-5 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 39 Grams |
6. Gibi Pet Locator Service Unit The Gibi pet locator is a tough, waterproof, lightweight GPS tracking device for your active dog. The stylish tracking device uses Gibi’s online browser-based app; accessible from anywhere an internet connection is available, using your mobile device or computer to instantly locate your four-legged family member on google maps. The Gibi browser-based app allows you to create safe zones. If your dog leaves your preset safe zone borders, you’ll receive alerts via email and/or text. Check your dog’s location with real-time updates, precise location information, and directions using Gibi’s one-click button. The Gibi pet locator is thoughtfully designed to securely attach to just about any collar, so you can keep using your favorite collar. |
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| Price: | $99.99 |
| Range: | Cellular Coverage USA |
| Subscription Cost: | $9.95 |
| Battery Life: | 1-4 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 43 Grams |
7. Garmin GTU 10 (Discontinued by Garmin) The GTU 10 is small, lightweight and waterproof. It easily attaches to a backpack, pet collar or whatever is important to you. When you purchase a new GTU 10, it comes with 1 year of Standard Tracking (coverage dependent on GSM wireless service within the U.S.), so you'll be ready to go once you register and activate it in your Garmin account. |
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| Price: | $189.99 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $49.99/Year |
| Battery Life: | 1-4 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 28 Grams |
8. WÜF this connected collar is available in three different sizes. The doggie wearable packs GPS tracking along with activity monitoring. WÜF also includes two-way audio for keeping in contact with your pooch if he's out of earshot, while a virtual leash will keep him from straying too far. The outside is soft and flexible, making sure it fits comfortable around any neck, while the inside where the electronics sit is encased in an ultra-stiff, waterproof and durable elastomer. Now Accepting Pre-Orders! |
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| Price: | $129.99 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $49.99/Year |
| Battery Life: | 1-4 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | Attached to Collar |
9. Tractive GPS Tracker The Tractive Realtime GPS tracker device for pets and other animals will always let you know where your pet is. Check your app in iOS or Android to get your pets GPS coordinates. You can use your smartphone or tablet to sooth your mind when you are not with your pet. |
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| Price: | $129.99 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $9.95 Monthly Est. |
| Battery Life: | 2-4 Days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 35g 9lbs+ animals can use |
| 10. PetPace Is more designed for the Health and Health Monitoring features. It has a lot of features that most of the GPS trackers do not have. They are marketing more towards Vets. They do offer great features. |  |
| Price: | $149.99 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $14.95 Month |
| Battery Life: | 1-2 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | Depends on size (cat and dog) |
11. Nuzzle This smart collar will keep you up to date with what your pet is doing throughout the day using GPS, Bluetooth and an activity tracker. Suitable for both cats and dogs, the gadget comes fitted to a collar but can also be mounted on your own collar or harness using the supplied attachment. Various factors such as temperature can be monitored using the dedicated app and you can even add multiple pets. You can also set up a geofence so that you get notified if your pet wanders off. Unlike some other animal trackers, there are no subscription fees. 1 Problem we cant figure out how to purchase a Nuzzle...? |
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| Price: | $170.00 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | No Subscription Fee |
| Battery Life: | Changeable Battery |
| Transmitter Weight: | Depends on size Collar attached |
| 12. Squeaker Buddy GPS is the next generation in smart wearables for your pet and the first smart collar to incorporate illuminating LED lighting with cellular GPS tracking and activity monitoring. Activity monitoring and temperature sensor with information displayed on a tiny OLED screen. Billed as the "FitBit" for your dog. Buddy is paired with the Poochlight LED lighted collar and leashes. Buddy is available in three sizes. An Insulated Wiring Loom protects wires from fraying. Water resistant*, 1 hour quick charge with charge indicator, will include a heart monitor, and is now fully funded on Indiegogo.com. |  |
| Price: | $250.00 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $99.99/Year |
| Battery Life: | 7-14 days |
| Transmitter Weight: | 1.75 ounces |
| 13. Voyce is worn comfortably around the neck like a collar and tracks key wellness indicators, such as resting heart and respiratory rates, quality of rest, activity and intensity of activity, calories burned, distance, and more! The data syncs to your Voyce Wellness Management Center via WiFi. |  |
| Price: | $199.99 |
| Range: | US Cellular |
| Subscription Cost: | $9.50 |
| Battery Life: | About a week |
| Transmitter Weight: | 40 Grams |
We Like The Nuzzle, The Paw Tracker and WÜF as our top 3 GSM GPS Pet Trackers picks for 2016. The seem to have the best customer service, and USA based companies tend to be more responsive to issues that may arise after purchase. We also like the look and design of the Whistle or Tagg but we have found some negative reviews. Some Tagg customers, who switched to the Whistle Application, were not able to get proper customer service. The Paw Tracker's design with screws allows you to have multiple uses for this GPS tracker. You can tracking your kids route after school by just screwing it tight to their backpack.
For the Radio Trackers, we like the Garmin Astro 320 and the Marco Polo. These represent the top of the line Radio Transmitter Collars. The Radio Collars are great for certain households and great for hunting dogs. For all Urban and Suburban Real Time GPS trackers are recommended.
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