The “best GPS dog fence” is a term floating all over the internet. However, open your Facebook or Next Door apps or take a trip up to the convenience store, and you’ll find all kinds of missing pet posts and posters.
With all the tech, gear, and smart innovations out there, mostly associated with a GPS dog fence or something similar, why are so many pets ending up lost or escaping? This is a primary example of “getting exactly what you pay for,” and I’m here to help you sift through the rough to find the diamond.
I’ve personally tested each GPS dog fence featured in this piece and have created over 200 in-depth YouTube videos representing the results on the World’s Animal Foundation YouTube channel.
Having used these collars for more than a year now, I believe it’s fair to say that my insights are valuable. The Best GPS dog fence is not necessarily the loudest voice in the room. It’s the one that stands out when tested against reality and not some infomercial carefully crafted to convince.
Product
Details
Our Top Pick
SpotOn Collar
- Battery Life: up to 25 hours
- coverage area:
½ acre to 1,000+ acres
Runner-Up
Halo Collar 4
- Battery Life: up to 30 hour
- coverage area: over 1,200 sq. miles
Budget Pick
Tractive Collar
- Battery Life: 7 days approx
- Coverage area: No distance limitation
Best GPS Dog Fence
There is a hefty amount of information to cover here, so bear with me as I explain each facet of these smart collars. Some of the information here may surprise you. Hopefully, this will be your last stop before making the leap and purchasing a little peace of mind for you and your pets!
1. SpotOn GPS Dog Fence (Gen 2+ Omni Edition)
Yeah, we throw around the term “GPS dog fence” a lot, but it all begins with the collar and the smartphone app that goes with it. SpotOn is one of the leading GPS dog fence options on the market and for very good reasons. I own two of them: the first and second generations (the second is often called the SpotOn Omni Edition).
I’ve also covered several SpotOn virtual fence reviews, along with the competition. My time with this collar has only made me like it more!
Key Specs
- True Location™ technology with up to 128 satellites
- GPS accuracy within 3 feet (open sky) and 10 feet (heavy cover)
- Can customize fences (½ acre to 1,000+ acres)
- Rechargeable battery (up to 25 hours)
- IP67 waterproof rating
- No required subscription (optional tracking features with a subscription)
Design Features
Now, as a smart collar, the SpotOn packs a lot of features. However, what truly sets this collar apart, at least for me, is the physical design. Nah, it’s not a pretty collar. It’s a bit clunky-looking and won’t win your dog any puppy beauty pageants. Its design is practical, however, and that’s where it really stands out for me.
The SpotOn is designed so that the built-in Active GPS Antenna always faces skyward, so GPS signals don’t have to travel through the dog’s neck to communicate with the collar. The collar is crafted so that the two weight blocks I mentioned submit to gravity, sliding to the bottom. This effect slides the antenna up, exposing it to a direct line of sight with the sky.
The rest of the collar is manufactured with highly durable, synthetic rubber-like material, with a few plastic parts here and there. It’s grippy and large, with two bulky, rectangular sections separated by a crease. Another smaller block along the collar’s length represents the antenna.
Durability is the primary design factor, and the SpotOn holds up well in that regard. My dogs are constantly bulldozing each other outside, and other than some dirt smudges, the collars are holding up well after over a year of use. The waterproof rating is IP67, so your dogs can dive into a pond and swim if they wish.
TrueLocation Technology
Out of all the GPS fence options I’ve tested, the SpotOn reigns supreme. It has the most consistently accurate GPS, minimal fence drift, and features designed to end around heavy tree canopies, buildings, and tree cover.
Spirent, a global provider of automated testing and assurance solutions, independently tested SpotOn’s location accuracy claims and confirmed that this smart collar is indeed as accurate as advertised. In fact, Spirent is a globally recognized leader in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) testing.
I pay for a subscription with SpotOn (required if you want to actively track your pet), and the active tracking feature is responsive and highly accurate. It’s a little slower than some collars (a few seconds between each location point), but it remains fast enough to track a lost dog in real-time without waiting.
The SpotOn’s TrueLocation tech communicates with up to 128 satellites, depending on positioning. That’s not bad for a small, rubber-like loop that goes around your dog’s neck!
Customizable Fences
If there’s a sticking point with the SpotOn, it’s that you have to have a large enough chunk of property to use it—a minimum of 1/2 an acre. For anything smaller than that, you’ll have to get creative with existing physical structures to get the invisible fence boundary placement.
The good news is that SpotOn probably has the most customizable GPS fence advantages on the market today. I can go outside and walk out my perimeter or meticulously draw it out on the app. Walking it out is more accurate because I can step around physical obstacles, and the app will adjust the barriers accordingly.
Even better, you can create an invisible dog fence as large as 100,000 acres. I don’t have that kind of property (unfortunately!!), but if you happen to have a massive yard, the SpotOn will cover it.
Fence Flexibility
Even better, I can overlap my GPS fence structure if need be, change it at any time, and create additional “Keep-Out Zones” within the existing fence boundary.
Do you have a garden, shed, or otherwise sensitive area in the yard that you don’t want your dogs trampling over? SpotOn offers a preventative measure for all of them.
Real-Time Tracking
I mentioned this above and use it occasionally to spy on my shady dogs when I think they’re messing with my chickens. You see, Athena (my female Doberman) likes to play with the chickens. Unfortunately, Doberman versus chicken is not a fair fight, even if she’s just playing.
But my Dobermans are smart and won’t do anything if they know I’m watching. I can turn on the Active Tracking in the SpotOn app and see if my Dobermans are disobeying the rules and approaching the side of the yard my chickens prefer. Of course, the tracking option is really for locating a lost pup, and it works very well with a high degree of accuracy.
However, it just goes to show how flexible the system that SpotOn offers is.
Dog Activity Tracking
If there’s one area in which the SpotOn severely lacks, it’s “dog activity tracking.” SpotOn mentions the term, but it’s not like the Halo collar, Tractive, or Fi Series 3. It merely tracks your dog’s movements, sends you alerts, and provides you with a visual, top-down perspective. If you’re looking for “activity” in terms of “health,” you won’t find that here.
If your dog escapes, the activity tracking option comes in handy. If your dog is super lazy and sleeps all the time, the activity tracking that SpotOn provides is seriously lacking.
25-Hour Battery (A Lot More Depending)
The advertised battery life for the SpotOn is 25 hours. However, if you’re operating mostly in “Extended Battery Life Mode,” you’ll get about 35 hours from it. That doesn’t sound like much, but I see it differently.
This isn’t an Apple AirTag. It’s a high-end, premium smart collar that communicates using Bluetooth, cellular, WiFi, and GPS technology. It also compiles a ton of information and follows your dog’s movements consistently and constantly. To do all that, it needs a significant amount of juice.
The built-in lithium battery is as good as it gets, but it will need to be charged each night after you bring your dog inside for the last time. For those who have 24-hour working dogs, using the SpotOn requires training and recognition of the GPS fence borders. Once your dog knows this, you become more comfortable taking the collar off and charging it for 1 to 2 hours.
Durability
Again, I touched on this above, but I’m more than happy to re-mention it. The SpotOn is highly durable, and it’s the collar of choice for my Dobermans. They spend a good deal of time in them, especially when we go on vacation. The collars have so far held up against roughhousing, water, and mud.
The first SpotOn I received over a year ago didn’t last two seconds because the strap design was terrible. It literally fell right off my dog, so I had to find the collar out in the yard. After contacting SpotOn, they assured me that they were aware of the flaw in the collar design and sent me a new piece to replace the old one.
Within two days, I had a working piece on my SpotOn and have never looked back nor had another problem with it. That’s customer service!
No Subscription Required
The price of the SpotOn is a stickler for so many, and I completely understand. Without any discounts, you’re looking at a thousand dollars for a single smart collar. A thousand dollars for a GPS system fence that most people don’t know much about. That’s a lot to ask from a prospective customer.
Fortunately, SpotOn makes up for it in the long term. While every other smart collar I’ve tested (including the Tractive, Tractive Cat Mini, Tractive XL, Tractive XL Adventure, Fi Series 3, Halo Collar, and Invisible Fence Collar) required a subscription, the SpotOn does not.
Now, in case your dog crosses the boundary line of your safe zones and you want to actively track your dog, you will have to pay a monthly, yearly, or bi-annual fee. However, creating a GPS fence and containing your furry friend within that border costs nothing.
Price
Again, the SpotOn is one of the most expensive smart collar variations I’ve encountered, generally costing $999. Discounts and promotions are available occasionally, but they are also periodically included on our YouTube channel (Currently $75 off by using our code, WAF).
I can say, with a straight face, that the SpotOn smart collar is easily one of the best options out there and more than worth a second look. If you decide to purchase it and opt for the subscription, it costs $9.95/mo, $101.88/yr, or $179.76/2-yr, depending on how long you want to commit.
Pros and Cons
As much as I love my SpotOn collars, there are a few cons worth mentioning, and it wouldn’t be right for me to sing its praises without including the cons.
Pros
- Highly accurate GPS boundaries with its patented true location technology
- Flexible fence creation in any shape and size
- Works in remote areas without cellular service
- Long-lasting battery with quick charge
- Durable and waterproof
- Includes an ‘always-on’ Forest Mode with increased GPS sensitivity for excellent accuracy in heavy tree cover
- Customizable prevention feedback system options and corrections are precise and create an immediate response
- The refund policy allows you to request an exchange or refund within 90 days of the shipment date
Cons
- Higher price point ($999) – [Users can get 75$ off by using code WAF]
- A cellular subscription is needed for real-time tracking features
- The collar is a bit clunky in design and won’t work well with small dogs
- The ‘couched’ charging port is a little irritating to use
SpotOn Dog Collar
Check updated price and use code ‘WAF’ to save $75 instantly on your ‘Spot on Collar’ purchase – Save Big! 🐾
2. Halo Collar 4
Ah, the old reliable. I’ve been through three Halo Collars now, starting with the Halo Collar 2+, then the Halo Collar 3, and lastly (at least for now), the Halo Collar 4. This GPS fence is like the SpotOn’s little brother. In fact, the Halo Collar versus the SpotOn Collar is the biggest competition on the market.
I can’t help but love it, mostly because the collar designer put a lot more effort into the aesthetics of the Halo Collar than whoever designed the SpotOn’s clunky, gray, and depressing look. My most recent Halo collar review features the bright yellow look.
Like the SpotOn, the Halo Collar is a wireless dog fence, with a few setbacks and surprises of its own.
Key Specs
- Dual-frequency GPS for precise location tracking
- 30+ hour battery life
- Adjustable collar fits neck sizes from 8 to 30.5 inches
- IP67 waterproof rating
- Real-time GPS updates and alerts via the Halo app
- 1-year warranty
Expert Design by Cesar Milan
If you’re familiar with Halo, you’ll know about its deep-rooted association with Cesar Milan. His creative input is heavily habituated within the Halo Collar ecosphere. I’m not sure how much creative design he offered, but the Halo Collar (especially the fourth iteration) looks incredible.
It comes in various colors, and the fourth generation took a page from SpotOn’s book and separated its two sealed compartments with a central crease. The psychology of the collar is special as well, with Cesar Milan’s input stretching from aesthetics to behavioral management systems.
Connects With Up To 150 Satellites
Your furry friend will never want for companions in the sky, as the Halo has a higher degree of satellite integration than most other smart collars on the market. However, only 35 are active at any given time, rotating as necessary for the strongest signal and GPS correction accuracy.
PrecisionGPS Technology
The PrecisionGPS technology is Halo’s match for SpotOn’s True Location tech and is AI-powered for on-the-fly calculations and adjustments. This design feature is Halo’s version of SpotOn’s Forest Mode and Off-Grid Mode, using AI learning tools to make the necessary adjustments as your dog leaves the set boundaries.
The AI portion handles signal filtering, removing weak satellite signals that bounce off various objects and focusing on the strongest, direct signals. The Dual-Frequency GPS technology also reduces weak signals by switching back and forth between L1 and L5 signals. The AI also plays into your dog fence, which I’ll cover next.
Customizable Fences
Unfortunately, Halo doesn’t let you create the best dog fences by walking them out. However, drawing out the fence posts is more intuitive and responsive than the competition. When I touch a corner with the pad of my index finger, it responds immediately, shifting to whatever point I drag it to with a high degree of accuracy.
Dog owners who opt for the Halo can create GPS dog fences as small as 900 sq. ft. to as large as 1,200 sq. mi. That’s a huge GPS dog fence! Again, I don’t have that kind of territory, but it’s more than enough to cover my lonely, very much singular acre. Plus, Halo lets you use additional Bluetooth-based beacons to create circular boundaries, which can be incredibly useful!
Sadly, you will have to have a subscription to create any GPS fences. With the Bronze plan, you have a five-dog fence limit. With the Silver Plan, a five-dog fence limit increases to twenty, and the Gold Plan will allow you to create as many multiple fences as your heart desires.
Three Correction Levels
The halo collar is not a shock collar but it prevents dog escapes with a three-correction level system. The feedback options include voice Commands, audible tones, vibrations, and static corrections. Personally, I don’t use the static corrections on any of my collars. And, based on the extensive training that comes loaded on the Halo collar app, you won’t have to either.
The audible tones, vibrations, and static corrections all have multiple levels of intensity. I urge you to train your dog according to the Halo guidelines within the app. It won’t take long, especially if you follow the advice to a T. Once your dog is trained, nothing more than a vibration or warning tone is necessary.
Real-Time Tracking and Alerts
Like the best GPS dog fences, the Halo system comes with real-time tracking and alerts. Unlike SpotOn, you have to have a subscription to Halo to use any of its features. And I mean that. ANY of its features. Without a subscription, your smartphone may as well be a paperweight when the Halo app is active.
With a subscription, even if it’s the lowest-tier bronze plan, you get the whole nine yards in terms of tracking and alert notifications. In my experience, the Halo 2+ and Halo 3 are “generally” accurate, struggling under a heavy tree canopy. The Halo 4 is a bit better, but it’s a little slower under heavy tree cover, especially if the collar is twisted so that the antenna is facing straight downward.
It receives updates four times per second, so the only thing that slows it down is translating that information to your smartphone or if the collar is struggling with the signal. In my experience, the Halo 4 has been a pretty reliable dog fence/smart collar.
However, it does struggle from time to time, especially with tree cover and the occasional GPS drift (movement of the virtual fence a few feet one way or the other).
Dog Activity Tracking
Here is an area where the Halo really shines, at least in my ever-so-humble opinion. The Halo 4 keeps track of an extensive array of activities:
- Activity Tracking: Monitors your dog’s daily, weekly, and monthly activity levels.
- Distance Walked: (My personal favorite) Keeps track of total distance walked each day.
- Resting Heart Rate: Measures your dog’s heart rate when at rest.
- Active Heart Rate: Tracks your dog’s heart rate during physical activity.
- Calories Burned: Tracks the number of calories your dog burns throughout the day (It is an estimate, however).
- Sleep Patterns: (I need this one for myself!) Monitors your dog’s sleep duration and quality.
All of this stuff is right there in the Halo app, and you can access it at any time. Most of the information is displayed in colorful, easy-to-read, and understandable bar graphs. The charts, graphs, and detailed information are arranged so that they are easy to access, and you shouldn’t have any difficulty translating them.
30+ Hour Battery Life
No matter how many GPS fences you throw up, the Halo is limited to 30 hours. Fewer if you are actively using it a lot, especially the tracking features. With 30 hours, we still haven’t reached the point where we can take these smart collars through multiple days, but we’re getting there.
There are smart dog collars out there that last much longer. Unfortunately, they are knee-capped by heavily reduced features and capabilities. I own various other tracking collars like Tractive and Fi Series 3 collars, and although they are really neat in what they can do and how long they last, they can’t do a quarter of what Halo 4 does.
You can also check out my in-depth Halo 4 review to see why it’s worth the investment.
Durability
This is another thing I really love about Halo 4 and its previous iterations. All of them come in a selection of color schemes, and they also come with a matching-color Velcro wrap. This Velcro wrap is heavy-duty, thick, and highly protective.
Even with it wrapped around your collar, actively protecting it, the collar itself remains highly durable. It is made of impact—and abrasion-resistant synthetic, rubber-like material, similar to the SpotOn. The Halo 4 also has a waterproof rating of IP67, so your dogs are free to go swimming or roll around in the mud.
These collars are rugged and designed for all weather conditions. I live in Florida, and though they don’t get the freezing temperature side of things, our smart collars are put through the wringer regardless.
Subscription Required
As I mentioned previously and reiterated with all caps, you have to have a subscription to even operate Halo 4 or any of its previous versions. It’s unfortunate, but it’s worth repeating so you don’t spend a bunch of money without realizing the necessity of it.
Price
Currently, the Halo 4 Collar has a $549 price tag. However, like SpotOn, there are often discounts and promo codes out there, including from yours truly, when they are available for us to offer. As I covered above, there are three membership tiers, one of which you must choose.
The Bronze plan is $9.99/mo, the Silver plan is $14.99/mo, and the Gold plan is $19.99/mo.
Pros and Cons
Like the SpotOn, there are some cons worth mentioning. The Halo is not the perfect GPS dog fence, and there are a few snags that will make or break a decision to purchase.
Pros
- Expert design by Cesar Millan for integrating training with technology
- PrecisionGPS™ technology ensures accurate location tracking
- Customizable wireless fences, easy to set up via the app
- Real-time tracking and updates of your pet’s location
- Work worldwide and is compatible with Wi-Fi, LTE, and Bluetooth.
- Durable and waterproof for any weather conditions
- Awesome color designs and aesthetic appeal, including the look of the velcro sleeve
- I like the magnetic, snap-on charger, even though it’s easy to knock off if you accidentally brush it
Cons
- Requires a subscription plan for full GPS performance and cellular functionality
- Frequent charging may be necessary with extended use
- Sometimes, the thick velcro sleeve gets in the way of the ports
- Inconsistencies under heavy tree canopies
3. Invisible Fence® GPS Collar
At long last, we arrive at the Invisible Fence GPS Collar. I acquired mine several months ago, and I have to admit that despite my understanding and in-depth research of the various smart collars out there, this collar flew well under my radar. I suspect that a lot of people simply haven’t heard of it, especially in the shadow of the Halo and SpotOn collars.
Key Specs
- Real-time tracking with Lost Dog Mode
- 72-hour battery life
- Fits medium to large dogs (neck sizes ranging from 15” to 28”)
- Customizable up to 20 fences via the app
- Ideal for properties ¾ acre or larger
- One-year limited warranty
Design Features
I have to admit, this smart collar is just okay in terms of aesthetics. It’s a whitish-grey combination that’s kind of boring to look at—more so than the SpotOn. It comes with a large, bulky, but surprisingly lightweight cradle base that the collar rests in when charging.
I have to admit, as ugly as the base is, I like it a lot more than SpotOn’s or Halo’s because of its stability. It’s easy to accidentally brush the Halo or SpotOn and knock them over or disconnect the charger. That is not the case with this collar. It may not be pretty, but it’s practical, and that’s more important most of the time.
Unfortunately, this GPS fence device undoes itself with the design and material of the collar straps. It’s easy to adjust—way too easy. This means it is also easy to un-adjust, meaning the collar loosens while my dog(s) wear it. The collar is clearly made of a cheaper material (likely rubber) and lightweight, breakable plastic.
It may be stronger than it looks, but it feels cheap and easy to break.
Lost Dog Mode
Lost Dog Mode is a quick-access option in the associated app that you download with the purchase of this collar. A simple press of the button activates it, and you’re off to the races in search of your dog. I listed it first because it’s one of the aspects of this collar that impressed me more than most.
It’s fast, and it usually works very well. The times that I struggle with it almost always involve heavy tree coverage, an issue that plagues most of these wireless dog fence collars. A good GPS dog fence should be able to tackle the tree issue, but it’s still an issue despite all of the technology around us.
Pet parents will appreciate its simplicity, however, and the generally positive accuracy. It offers real-time updates on your dog’s location. I used it in the car once, traveling with the collar in my passenger seat. I didn’t intend to do so, but I forgot the Lost Dog Mode was on after testing.
The app tracked me to the convenience store and back, even though the final location was received five minutes late.
Connects to GPS Satellites
GPS dog fences require a fairly high degree of satellite communication to work well with your collar and mobile phone app. Unfortunately, this GPS fencing system keeps its proprietary satellite communication technology mostly under wraps.
However, we do know that the collar receives signals from multiple satellite constellations and processes them using AI, similar to Halo 4. Like the Halo 4, the AI filters out the excess noise, so to speak, removing weak signals in favor of strong ones.
This same technology allows for real-time location tracking, so you can get a bead on your dog’s location on the fly.
Customizable Fences
Like the SpotOn, this collar has a rather large minimum wireless dog fence size. The SpotOn requires a minimum of 1/2 an acre, while a customizable wireless dog fence system with the Invisible Dog Fence Collar requires a minimum of 3/4 an acre.
Sure, you don’t have to build a physical fence, but you had better have a large enough yard to accommodate this collar, or you’ll have to return it. It also doesn’t like customizable fences next to buildings and roads, complicating the creativity suburb pet owners need to have.
Via the app, you can create up to 20 dog fences, no more and no less. However, the range of fences you can create with the SpotOn and the Halo on the higher-tier subscription plan offerings is limited.
72-Hour Battery Life
This is where this collar really shines, and it lasts every bit of those 72 hours as well. In fact, I’ve had it off the charger for several hours longer without the collar dying on me. Of course, I wasn’t using real-time tracking or otherwise putting the collar through its paces, either—an important caveat.
In its class, it has the longest battery life on the market. When I say things like, “in its class” I’m referring to truly smart dog collars that cover a ton of different features and activities. I’m not counting the Tractives and Fi Series 3s out there.
Training Resources
Like SpotOn and Halo, this collar app features helpful training tutorials and guides. They’re not as extensive as the Halo’s (nothing is as extensive as Halo’s guides), but I found them to be helpful and intuitive.
These tutorials also include the entire setup process. One of the things that really irks me about this collar app is something that I only figured out when accessing the tutorial. Unlike all the other smart collars on the market, you have to turn this collar off and back on to add, subtract, or make changes to your customizable fences.
It’s extremely aggravating to have to stop everything, hold the power button down, wait for it to cycle off, press the power button again, wait for it to cycle back on, and connect, then make sure your fence change is indeed accurate and complete. It’s in the training resources, but it’s still a pain.
Price
This GPS dog containment system is currently the cheapest of the three at $399. After a few months with it, I can see where the costs were cut, as it struggles to remain consistent under heavy tree cover, and it’s clearly made from cheaper materials.
Fortunately, purchasing this collar includes an entire year’s subscription for free. After that, your only option is an annual subscription plan (no monthly or bi-annual subscription is required or available). The annual subscription rate is $99.
Pros and Cons
Despite my complaints about this GPS Collar, it’s adequately reliable, especially as a more budget-friendly option.
Pros
- Longest battery life on the market, offering up to 72 hours of operation.
- Includes access to expert training resources for efficient dog training.
- Customizable fences with an easy-to-use app.
- Free first year of GPS tracking subscription.
- The home base cradle is bulky but much more stable than other collar alternatives
Cons
- Requires a subscription after the first year to access GPS tracking features.
- Designed for larger properties (¾ acre or more), limiting use to smaller yards.
- Plastic cheaper feel to the material
- Requires power off and power on to make the simplest changes
4. Tractive Collar
As bulky as it is and lacking in features comparable to the SpotOn, Halo, and our third GPS Collars, I can’t help but like the Tractives. There are several of them, and I have the Cat Mini, Adventure XL, the GPS Tracker for Dogs, the standard version, and the standard XL version.
I’ve done extensive testing on most of them, and they are surprisingly similar across the board. Think of them like an Apple AirTag but with GPS Fences. The Tractive doesn’t work at the same level as the others in this piece, but it does provide a fairly robust tracking system.
The device is a little on the bulky side, but you can choose your own collar and attach it via the rubber mesh that comes with the device. It’s a very affordable device, and it works at least as well as our third GPS dog collar.
Key Specs
- Features a Power Saving Mode and a battery that lasts up to a month
- Live dog tracking capability
- Radar and walk modes
- Wireless fence creation
- Activity and health tracking capabilities
- Lights for nighttime visual tracking
- IPX7 rating makes them fully waterproof
As a budget-friendly device, it is hard to beat. It does struggle within heavy tree coverage but generally supplies a reliable signal for tracking purposes. Unlike SpotOn and Halo, the Tractive has no containment mechanisms intrinsic to it. If you need containment, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
It’s generally speedy at providing updates, notifications, and alerts. The aesthetic design is definitely one of the high points, regardless of which Tractive you go for. In fact, that’s probably my favorite part.
Pros and Cons
The Tractive, as a budget alternative, comes with its fair share of pros and cons.
Pros
- Nice and attractive aesthetic appeal
- Incredible battery life span
- Reliable alerts and notifications
- Basic invisible GPS fences
- Budget-friendly
- There are a bunch of different Tractive devices on the market, depending on your pet
Cons
- The Tractive devices are typically bulky and heavy in the center.
- Poor signal in heavy tree cover
- Not easy to charge with the rubber mesh backing
- The app is intuitive but ill-defined, so you’ll struggle to find specific needs quickly
Tractive GPS Tracker
The price of “Tractive Collar” varies, so check the latest price at
Considerations for Purchasing a GPS Dog Fence
The most important aspect of GPS fences and the collars associated with them is what you specifically need for your pet. If you need the SpotOn’s Off-grid mode for hiking and camping, go with the SpotOn. If you need the superior cellular connectivity of the Halo 4, go with that.
If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Invisible GPS dog collar or one of the several Tractive devices. Accuracy and location updating frequency are high priorities. If your dog is lost or recently ran off, the last thing you need is a location update that’s sporadic or gut-wrenchingly slow.
Depending on how much your dog or dogs like to play and roughhouse, durability, and longevity are high on the priority list as well. No one wants to dump $500 to $1,000 on a smart collar that breaks in the first month.
Your decision should also be based on fence types and range. If you have a tiny yard, the SpotOn and Invisible GPS collar options are out, and the Halo 4 becomes more intriguing. Boundary crossing response is crucial, especially if you are relying on a heavy training program and your dog’s reactive mechanisms are honed to a razer’s edge.
None of these collars require an installation process, but if you’re not a big fan of complexity, the Halo and SpotOn collars offer ease of use and intuitive app controls, while the Invisible GPS collar and Tractive are more complicated and have fewer explanations.
Last but not least, adjustability is important as well. The Halo 4, SpotOn, and Invisible Collars are all large and bulky, making them difficult for small dogs like chihuahuas. The latter is difficult to adjust and maintain, while the SpotOn and Halo have excellent fitting systems and the Tractive uses a collar of your preference.
FAQs
How Does a GPS Dog Fence Work?
A GPS dog fence creates virtual, invisible boundaries that work with your smartphone and smart collar to contain your dog in a specific area. You can create fences of any shape and size!
Are GPS Dog Fences Effective?
Depending on the device, location, and surrounding topography, GPS fences can be highly effective. Some work better than others with heavy tree coverage, off-grid, or without cell service.
Do GPS Dog Fences Require a Subscription?
Most, if not all, require a subscription. However, SpotOn, despite its high price point, does not require a subscription for containment purposes, only for live tracking capability.
What Are The Benefits of GPS Dog Fences Over Traditional Wired Fences?
The most obvious benefit is no need to install a physical fence or buried wires of any kind. It can also be a lot cheaper, depending on the size of your yard or property and how much physical fencing is needed for containment. Tracking is another huge benefit. As good as your physical fence might be, it can’t track your dog.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide and the embedded video reviews help you choose the best GPS fence for your needs. I’ve spent countless hours testing and covering these devices, and there’s a lot to like and some things to look out for with all of them.
Just remember, don’t pick a smart collar based on what you hear in an advertisement. Carefully consider the needs of your dog and decide based on those needs and nothing else. Aesthetics are great, but an impressive-looking collar won’t locate your dog or contain him/her better.
Do your research, choose well, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with keeping your dog safe and secure at home!
