One of the scariest things you’ll have to face as a dog owner is his tendency to run away from you. Whether the dog is your pet or he’s a working dog that you use for hunting, it can be a difficult time to track your dog down.
Dogs run – that’s what they do – it brings them a great deal of delight to take off running in the wind or just running away from you. If you’re a hunter and your dog takes off through the field chasing a rabbit that caught his attention, he could be long gone before you can even blink your eyes. What can be intimidating is the thought of your dog wandering around lost in an area that he’s not necessarily familiar with and not being able to hear you to find his way back. For you, the answer could well be a dog tracking collar.
Options for dog GPS tracking collars
The fact of the matter is that as a dog owner, you have two distinct choices when it comes to dog tracking collars you can elect for a GPS type collar where the signals are transmitted from a satellite or you can elect for the Radio tracking collar which transmits from a frequency feed. Both types of Dog Tracking Collars have some features in common which are:
• Transmitters on your dogs collar
• Hand Held receiver
• Lightweight
• Safe in all types of weather
Each of these dog tracking collar options has distinct advantages and disadvantages as well which can be deciding factors when you are making your decision:
GPS collars are more expensive
- Neither GPS nor radio tracking collars work out of the line of sight
- Both radio and GPS collars have sturdy casings that resist damage
- GPS collars are easier to use in tracking your dog
- GPS collars have a shorter range and (often) shorter battery life than radio collars
Dog Tracking Collar Brands
Looking at a couple of brands of dog tracking collars, we’ll be able to see the features that these can provide:
Johnson tracking collars
This is a well-known and trusted name in dog tracking collars and has the following features:
• Tracks from 10 to 12 miles from the range site
• Works effectively with other receives
• Are waterproof and are treated for protection
• Works even if the dog is swimming or is in the water
• Receiver produces beeps when your dog is close by
Garmin astro 220
This one is considered the best in the industry for GPS type tog tracking collars and the Garmin Astro 220 has the following features:
• Lightweight
• Colored screen
• Flexible antenna
• Display map
• Can track up to 10 dogs simultaneously
• Tracks for seven miles
After Purchasing Your Dog Collar
Whether you go for the GPS collar or radio collar, you will find that the ranges are long and works in large areas. However, bear in mind that either tracking collars will only work when in the line of sight, tthe way you find your dog will be affected. If your dog finds himself in heavy landscape conditions, like thick brushes, the area of coverage will be somewhat limited.
Also, remember that you will have to learn how the dog tracking collar works to locate your dog. For this reason, test the dog tracking collar in your backyard or in an enclosed, private space before using it out in the open fields. Do this until you become familiar with the signals.
Summary
It’s horrific for most of us to think about our dog being lost in the woods in an area he’s unfamiliar with, unsure of where to go or what to do. Wandering aimlessly, your dog is likely to just get even more lost without your help finding him. Dog tracking collars can be a big boon for that, even if the dog is not in sight and is out of range of the collar and receiver. Once you get close, usually well before you’d ever see or hear your dog, the receiver will let you know. This lets you know you’re on the right track.