The Best Dog GPS Trackers of 2024

The Fi Series 3 Smart Collar ($102 including a 6-month membership) is a sleek design that your pup won’t even realize they’re wearing. The GPS is super lightweight and integrates fully into the collar. This makes it a great option to wear consistently throughout the day.

While you likely don’t need to be tracking your dog’s whereabouts while you’re both at home, having a collar with a constant GPS tracker helps for those feared moments when your dog may run away or be stolen. More than that, you never need to remember to grab the device or set the app on “walk” mode. This device also tracks steps per day, energy level/exertion, how long they’ve napped throughout the day, and their ranking among other dogs in the area and other dogs of their breed.

Fi recommends always keeping the app open on your phone to ensure consistent tracking. If you do this, you will receive notifications when your dog leaves your home and when it returns. This is an amazing feature that only a few GPSs have, but most require you to turn this feature on while still in range. Fi delivers this info via automatic alert so you can rest easy.

The downside of this feature is that it also automatically stops exercise events if there’s a perceived pause. This is a minor inconvenience, but if you’ve utilized the option of pairing the collar to your Strava account to keep up with your fitness, you may find that one hike gets broken up into a few short walks as your dog stops for bathroom breaks, water, or to say “hi” to some friends.

If you end up being out late, the light on this collar isn’t sufficient for finding your dog in the dark. Depending on your dog’s coat, it may not be bright enough to act as a safety light. And because it always wants your phone to have the app running, it can drain your phone battery faster than you may like. Plus, the collar’s usefulness depends on your phone’s cellular connectivity.

Fi promotes a social media aspect of its app, including the ranking system and Fi Community, where people can post pictures of their pets, comment on posts, and follow each other. The app makes it easy to see how beloved the Fi Series 3 Smart Dog Collar is by its users. After testing this smart collar, we understand why.

If you have an active dog who is an escape artist and likes to roam the woods, go swimming, and play rough, the Tractive Dog XL ($56 with monthly plans starting at $6 per month) may be the device for you. It’s been able to keep up with tracking all over the local mountains here in Montana, even in areas that are difficult for phones and other devices to track.

We were still able to track the device as long as the paired phone was in range of cell towers even when we took the device to places without cell coverage. This makes it helpful for tracking a dog and seeing which direction they’ve gone in, though, like any phone-based product, it can be challenging to maintain a connection.

The connection on this device is very good, and updates every few minutes to keep up with your dog’s whereabouts. You can use precision tracking to show a more specified location and use the device’s light and sound options to find your pup once you come in close enough range.

The live tracking option will drain your device’s and your phone’s battery more quickly but will give a precise and more rapidly updated location for 5 minutes at a time. This is ideal if your dog has caught a scent and you need to keep up with their path of travel.

The Tractive XL is rather large. So, if your dog stays basically in the same locations where the tracker has regular Wi-Fi access, which helps keep the battery charged, the smaller Tractive Dog 4 may be a smart option for smaller dogs.

The Tractive XL can also drain your phone battery and requires a phone connection. This is problematic if you’re adventuring in an area without cell coverage. The device won’t lose coverage because it utilizes several satellite systems. But, the Tractive won’t be able to connect to a phone that’s out of cell coverage.

With consistent wear, Tractive also keeps track of general patterns for your dog, such as how often they sleep, how many minutes of activity they get daily, and how many calories they burn. Using the app, you can let the device know manually when you are going for a walk. This information creates a general health profile for your pup, and the app will send you alerts for any changes.

The Tractive Dog 4 and Tractive Dog XL set goals for how many minutes of activity and rest are ideal based on your dog’s breed, age, and weight. They also keep a calendar of their activity so you can keep track of walk patterns. Both the Tractive XL and Tractive 4 are ideal budget options for dog owners who want to keep track of their pup’s location, health, and activity levels.

If you plan on letting your dog off-leash in a place with limited-to-no cell coverage, the Garmin Alpha T-20 Dog Collar ($300) is the GPS product to check out. Rather than connecting to your phone like the other GPS collars and attachments tested, this one relies on a handheld device so coverage is never an issue.

We tested the Alpha 10 ($400) handheld to pair with the Alpha T-20, which is the simplest and most affordable option. The Alpha 10 gives you all the basic information you need: how far away your dog is and in which direction they are moving. You can connect up to 20 Garmin collars on the Alpha 10 and keep up with where they all are, how many miles each dog travels, plus mark where your vehicle is parked.

Additionally, you can send simple messages to people in your party or at home regarding when you are leaving or whether you need help. While having to purchase an additional item is a downside for an already expensive device, we understood the reasoning and value of this setup once we used these devices in the field.

The T-20 collar is relatively simple compared to other Garmin models with training features such as sound and vibration stimulations. If you want a GPS collar with those features, try a Link (below) or a Garmin Alpha T-25. The pared-down T-20 version gives you less to fuss with, which, in many instances, is a feature in itself. It also means it has an impressive battery life — over 80 hours when set up for tracking every 2 minutes, its least frequent option.

Because it’s not paired to your phone, it takes a bit to get used to the fact that you don’t have a map to look at on your phone. However, if you want to use an app with your Alpha T-20, you can connect the Explore app or Alpha app to your handheld to gain a greater sense of distance, direction, and elevation.

A big issue with many GPS trackers is phone coverage. Whether or not the tracker uses GPS, Galileo, or cell coverage, once out of range for phones, the app-based trackers can’t keep up with the devices. This is the biggest benefit of the Garmin Alpha T-20 Dog Collar and the reason Garmin dog trackers are so popular for anyone interested in spending serious time in the backcountry with their dogs.

While Broose is extremely well-behaved 90% of the time, she still has a wild streak in her. When she’s feeling zoomie in the woods, she can catch a scent and tune out the world to all but that sense. The Link Smart Pet Wearable ($149, with plans starting at $6.88 per month) is a great tool for breaking those heavy focus moments and bringing your pet back to your side. Using the vibration tool has helped snap her back into focus and come running. Link has a learning section with links to YouTube videos on how to use its device for training.

The Link has a Track feature that can be used when your dog is not with you. Utilizing this feature and the “Light” or the “Sound” features help you get your eyes back on your pooch in no time. While the sound isn’t particularly loud (we wouldn’t want it to be louder, considering its proximity to the pup’s ears), the light is extremely bright. Despite the brush cover and fallen trees in the area, we felt very safe letting her run off-leash in our local river trails system at night.

Every once in a while, features cut in and out on the app itself. We fixed this by simply closing and reopening the app. We hope a bug fix in the app will solve those problems. However, it did make us question its reliability, but we will continue testing (stay tuned for updates) to see if Link solves this issue.

The Link Smart Pet Wearable has other features like activity monitoring, health tracking, and symptom analysis, but the vibration and strong light are really where this little device shines (pun intended). We look forward to seeing app updates to truly bring out the best in this smart GPS trainer.

The Whistle Go Explore 2.0 Smart Tracker ($129 plus $99 per year) tracker monitors your dog’s well-being. If you live in an area with good AT&T coverage and want one simple, lightweight device to help you keep track of your pet, this may be the device for you. Through a combination of GPS monitoring, manual input, and AI, Whistle Go Explore 2.0 keeps track of everything from diet and drinking habits to stool sample analysis and exercise history.

Whistle uses Vetinsights to help you reach out to a vet directly from the app if you see any tracked behaviors that warrant a closer look. This can ultimately save hundreds of dollars in costly vet bills, plus the time and stress on your pet to make the trip to the doctor’s office. This feature will not replace a relationship with a trusted local veterinarian but can help triage before putting your dog through the ordeal of a vet visit.

If you need a vet visit, you can easily email your pet’s health report right from the app (or download it for your records) with all the data you’ve been collecting. This provides a much more holistic perspective of your dog’s condition than just a brief examination.

Since it only uses AT&T cell towers, coverage may be limited in your area or where you plan on traveling. Whistle has a generous 30-day return policy, so if you think you have adequate coverage in your area, you can purchase the Whistle Go Explore 2.0 with the year subscription, confirm that it works, and return it if you can’t use it to your liking.

The Whistle Go Explore 2.0 notifies us when Broose leaves or returns to the safe zone faster than any other tracker we’ve tested, which can be especially helpful for escape artists. It also sends push notifications with specific locations if your wandering dog pauses somewhere so you can quickly track them down without having to stare at your phone.

Whether we’ve walked to the grocery store and the device sends periodic push notifications that she’s still patiently waiting outside, or we are hiking through the woods and she gets distracted with a rotting log (hey, we all have our thing), this feature on the Whistle Go Explore 2.0 Smart Tracker has come in handy many times.

The Cube GPS Tracker ($99 plus $198/year subscription) isn’t specifically for dogs, but it’s been making a name for itself in the world of pet tracking. While this tracker has a simple design and utilizes more urban tracking devices, it does have some unexpected features.

Using the history tool, you can scroll back and see the paths your pet has taken each day, which is helpful if tracking down the wanderings of a lost pet. As an added bonus, it pairs with Apple Maps so when you are separated from your pet, you can get directions to their location directly from the Cube app, rather than trying to copy GPS coordinates or guess whereabouts on a separate map. This feature mainly works in urban settings, though, where you would follow streets rather than trails or bushwhacking through brush.

You can share the device with others so they can also track your pet, which comes in handy for a family or in a shared home. A pairing button on the back of the device also works as a notification button that will send a text to anyone with access to that pet. You can let them know you are safe, are in danger, or need a rescue based on how many times you hit the button. We found this option to work inconsistently, but it is a nice emergency option to have.

The ringer on this tracker isn’t incredibly loud and only works within 100 feet or so, but we did find it handy when walking in a favorite section of woods with many downed trees and bushes. As a training device, the ring is too long to get your dog’s attention and turn off quickly.

This device also alerts you whenever the temperature rises to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. While that sounds very hot, it allows your pet to do some safe sunbathing without setting off alarms. But, it also offers peace of mind that you’ll be notified if they become dangerously hot.

This Cube GPS Tracker is a straightforward tracking tool. Or is it? Automated messages, quiet ringers, and high-set temperature readings are all potentially useful tools that still need a bit of tweaking. But, when it comes down to it, this device is a solid option if all you want to know is: Where’s Fido?

Despite its tiny size, FitBark GPS ($100 plus subscription) is a powerhouse of a dog GPS tracker, utilizing every form of tracking available. It sends a notification within a few minutes when your dog leaves the house.

There’s an option to change this setting to make the notifications more instant, but it also has more false alarms and can drain the battery faster. And, as is it only currently lasts about a week on default settings, but multiple weeks when connected to Wi-Fi.

Many of us who enjoy spending time exercising our dogs have our own goals or metrics we’re also considering. FitBark GPS not only tracks your dog, but it can also keep up with your own health goals. Pair it with your Apple Watch or Fitbit and you can see your steps and fitness alongside your dog’s location and activity. Or, check the app’s “Together Tab” to see your goals and metrics listed alongside your pet’s.

Using the sleep and activity data, FitBark helps formulate a larger picture of a dog’s well-being based on other factors you may already know, such as dermatitis, frequent urination, and even separation anxiety. The metrics alone are interesting. But, seeing them smartly displayed paints a clear picture and delivers a wonderful tool for managing our dogs’ comfort.

Charging the FitBark can be a hassle. The device has neat covers that clip on to protect the device and its charging port, but the cover is challenging to remove. Once it’s off, the proprietary charger must clasp onto the device securely enough to make consistent contact, which was sometimes harder than we wanted.

The charger bites onto the device like a dog gingerly holding her favorite stuff. But, the device remains attached to the collar unless you’d like to cut the zip-ties that hold the FitBark onto the collar, so it doesn’t exactly lay flat on your charging surface in most scenarios.

Such a small, lightweight device is an easy add-on to almost any dog’s collar, regardless of size (FitBark recommends your dog be at least 5 pounds to wear their device). And considering the metrics that can be tracked and the power of the GPS, the Fitbark GPS is a great value that at least offsets the financial cost of the occasional snipped zip tie.