Identifying the best dog GPS tracker for you and your dog depends greatly on considering the features that matter most to you. We recommend that you look at dog trackers that offer reliable real-time location tracking with the ability to set custom alerts and geofences to help monitor your pet’s safety. Make sure you consider the tracker’s battery life and the charging system it uses to ensure that it’s easy to charge. Always look at the range of the device and if it requires a monthly data subscription to use it.
We looked at over 50 dog trackers in different price brackets and various features. After doing so, we determined that the Whistle Dog GPS Tracker is the best option available today. Continue reading to find out more about the trackers that made our list.
Top 10 Best Dog GPS Trackers
#1 Whistle Go Explore Dog GPS Tracker
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Whistle Go Explore is a feature-packed dog tracker with quick real-time tracking powered by Google Maps. Dog owners interested in health features will love the Whistle app’s progress trackers, behavioral insights, and health recommendations.
- Automatic weekly wellness reports
- Fantastic battery life up to 20 days
- 3,000-mile tracking range
- No audible tone or sound feature
Not only does the Whistle Go Explore have an attractive, minimalist design, it has all the tracking, health, nutrition, and activity level features you need. Its nearly instantaneous real-time tracking is powered by AT&T and Google Maps. When you have “Track Mode” turned on, the Whistle follows your pet in real-time, updating every 15 seconds. Outside of that, you can choose to receive location updates at intervals of your choice. The actual tracker attaches securely to collars up to 1” wide in a way that is comfortable for the dog.
It runs off of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can last over 20 days depending on your usage. The tracker has a built-in night light with three different flash settings — slow, high, or always on — that is perfect for visibility on night walks. Whistle provides fantastic activity, behavior, and health features through its app. You can view your pet’s active time, estimated calories burned, and more, which you can compare to recommended metrics based on your dog’s breed, age, and weight. The app also offers weekly wellness reports and can give you insight into certain behaviors, such as licking, scratching, and sleeping.
#2 Garmin TT 15 Dog GPS Tracker
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Garmin TT 15 will give any pet owner peace of mind with its pro-grade high-sensitivity GPS/GLONASS receiver and antenna attachment. The device also allows you to communicate and train your dog with vibrations and audible tones.
- Includes extended-range antenna
- Water-resistant to 10 meters
- 3,000-mile tracking range
- 10-ounce weight may be too heavy for small dogs
Garmin’s TT 15 Dog Device is an extremely rugged, durable, well-built tracker that you can rely on in any condition. The tracker is a high-sensitivity GPS/GLONASS receiver with a range of nine miles. It mounts on an included 1” collar, though you can use any collar you like of the same width. The unit also has two antennas — an 18.5” standard antenna and a 22.5” extended range antenna. These serve the purpose of not only extending the distance of your tracking range but also ensuring more reliable tracking when traveling under trees or other obstructions.
This Garmin GPS dog collar also has the ability to vibrate and play audible tones, which is useful for several purposes. You can use the vibrations to aid your training and as signals for the dog to return to you. The audible tones can be used this way as well, and come in handy as a signal for you if your pet wanders out of sight. The tracker also has LED beacon lights built-in, which is useful for walks at night.
#3 FitBark Dog GPS Tracker
Award: BEST ADVANCED FEATURES
WHY WE LIKE IT: Let the FitBark do all the thinking for you, which amazingly fits Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 3-axis accelerometer into a tracker that weighs under an ounce. All that tech lets you sync with your preferred devices, including wearables, and gives you some great data on your dog.
- 24/7 activity and sleep monitoring
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular network enabled
- Notifications for behavioral changes
- No built-in light
The FitBark Dog GPS seemingly has it all when it comes to smart tech features, whether it’s for safety, health, activity monitoring, and more. FitBark offers 24/7 monitoring of your dog’s activity, sleep, location, health, and behavior with a 3-axis accelerometer. It then analyzes that data and presents useful insights on an easy-to-read dashboard in the app, such as your dog’s sleep score and health index.
The tracker is Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular network-enabled, so you can actually choose to link it to FitBit, Apple Watch, Apple HealthKit, Google Fit, and other wearable tech and smartphones. This gives you options for how you monitor and control the device, and it also allows you to compare your activity stats with your dog. The device itself is extremely lightweight at 0.60-ounces and has a very long battery life, typically 10 to 20 days on a single charge. If you’re a parent, you may also want to consider the best GPS trackers for kids in order to keep the entire family safe.
#4 Whistle 3 Dog GPS Tracker
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Award: BEST FOR HEALTH INSIGHTS
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Whistle 3 tracker helps you make sure your dog is safe and healthy, providing tons of insights into your dog’s behavior, activity, and fitness through its dedicated mobile app. The app will automatically let you know if it identifies any potential health concerns.
- Monitors problematic behaviors
- Set custom health and fitness goals
- Chat with vets through the app
- Battery life can vary depending on usage
For owners who are just as worried about your dog’s health as its location, the Whistle 3 Tracker has fantastic health and activity features in its dedicated mobile app. As with many GPS trackers, you can see the distance your dog travels in a day. Whistle takes it further, by offering insight on minutes active and how long they were at rest. From there, you can set goals for your dog’s fitness to make sure that it gets enough exercise. Whistle will also help you compare your dog’s health to others of the same breed and age. It can even recommend food portions!
The Whistle dog tracker also uses a built-in accelerometer to track behaviors like licking, scratching, and drinking. This can help you identify skin and health allergies. The app will even alert you of any potential health concerns based on your dog’s behavior. If something does come up, you can chat with a vet through the app to get feedback before actually heading into a vet’s office. For additional ways to keep your pet healthy, check out our best pet products guide.
#5 Findster Duo+ Dog GPS Tracker
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Award: BEST NON-SUBSCRIPTION DEVICE
WHY WE LIKE IT: The well-designed, attractive Findster Duo+ offers reliable real-time GPS tracking and radar guidance all without any monthly fees. With additional health and activity monitoring and the ability to track up to three pets, you get the power of GPS tech without the recurring costs.
- Lightweight, attractive tag design
- No subscription or data plan needed
- Real-time tracking and location alerts
- Magnetic charging cord can be finicky
The Findster Duo+ provides all of the powerful tracking power of a GPS device but does not require any subscription or monthly subscription fee. Users have access to real-time GPS tracking through a dedicated mobile app and the ability to set custom alerts at your preferred time intervals. You can even share the ability to track your pet with as many other people as you want, which comes in handy if you hire a dog walker or leave your dog with a friend for the weekend.
Findster also has a built-in radar feature that shows the distance between you and your dog and helps guide you to them. You can easily view your dog’s location history as well as an overview of its activity. The tracker collects data on time walked, distance, rest time, and “paws walked” — the dog equivalent of a step tracker. Again, all of this is provided without additional monthly costs or a cellular data plan.
#6 Garmin T5 Dog GPS Tracker
Award: BEST DURABILITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: This Garmin tracker is built for dogs who spend time in the great outdoors, making this heavy-duty unit a contender as the best dog tracker for hiking, camping, hunting, and the like. Its durable build is pressure-resistant, shockproof, and designed to withstand foul weather.
- High-sensitivity GPS technology
- Withstands pressures up to 1 ATM
- Includes extended range antenna
- Heavy 9.3-ounces with collar
For the adventurous canine, the rugged Garmin T 5 Dog Tracking Device is water-resistant to 10 meters and shockproof, with an extremely durable build. Garmin uses a high-sensitivity GPS/GLONASS receiver that provides a tracking range of nine miles. It comes with two antennas, one for standard range and a longer one for extended range. This isn’t unlimited range, but it is still especially useful when traveling through the woods.
Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery is replaceable and lasts up to 40 hours on one charge. Recharge easily via the tracker’s USB interface. The tracker has built-in LED beacon lights that you can activate and control remotely. These lights are very powerful and offer high-visibility up to 100 yards away, making it super easy to keep aware of your dog’s location, even at night. The tracker also has a Rescue Mode that you can activate remotely in case there is an emergency.
#7 Tractive Dog GPS Tracker
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: Tractive provides a smartly designed, reliable GPS tracker with the most important tracking and safety features at a fantastic price point. Its real-time tracking speed is especially impressive, even compared to more expensive models.
- Live location updates every two seconds
- IPX7 waterproof and shock-resistant
- Secure, adjustable collar clasp
- Uses less efficient lithium polymer battery
Tractive has thrown-out the idea that GPS technology has to be very expensive. Its GPS dog tracker offers live tracking, location history, activity monitoring, and more at a fantastic price point. While it may be our budget option, Tractive’s tracker has surprisingly fast real-time tracking performance, with updates on your dog’s location in as quick as every two to three seconds. Tractive also stores your dog’s location history and has a heatmap view that provides more insight into where your dog spends its time over the course of the day.
Additional safety features include the ability to create virtual fences around your home or another location of your choice. You’ll get alerted if your dog ever leaves those areas. The device itself is powered by a lithium-polymer battery that can last up to five days and charges in as little as two hours. Its compact design measures under 3” and attaches to your dog with a secure, adjustable clasp.
#8 PetFon Dog GPS Tracker
Award: BEST FOR COMMUNICATION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The PetFon Dog GPS Tracker allows you to record your voice onto the tracker and play those recordings from the dedicated app when needed, which provides the unique ability to communicate with your dog even when it’s out of hearing range.
- Convenient, portable charging case
- Play voice commands on the tracker
- Built-in color LED lights
- Battery life can be short with heavy use
PetFon’s GPS tracker has a number of unique features. It relies on a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth to keep track of your pet’s location. It comes with three main components: a portable charging box, a controller, and the tracker. The controller and tracker are both extremely lightweight and compact, measuring just over a 1.5”x1.5” square shape. While the owner keeps the tracker on them, you can still fully monitor and control everything through PetFon’s mobile app. This system simply makes it so you don’t have to pay monthly fees or a subscription.
The tracker has a range of up to 3.5 miles away, depending on the density of the area. One of the coolest features is that you can pre-record voice commands on the tracking device. The app then gives you the ability to activate and play that audio through the tracker’s hi-definition speaker remotely for your dog to hear. This is a very useful feature for communicating with your pet when out of hearing range. Additionally, the tracker has built-in LED lights that help increase visibility. Do you tend to lose your phone? You might also like the best GPS phone trackers.
#9 Link AKC Plus Dog GPS Tracker
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Award: BEST AESTHETICS
WHY WE LIKE IT: Link AKC Plus Smart Tracker has a beautiful, stylish look with its leather exterior that sets itself apart from most trackers. It provides powerful health insights — including temperature monitoring and vet record storage — that prove you don’t have to sacrifice functionality for looks.
- Device clicks seamlessly onto matching collar
- Remote sound and LED light feature
- High-quality, waterproof leather
- May be bulky for small dogs
The leather exterior and streamlined design of the Link AKC Plus dog tracker look fantastic. Link uses the same high-quality brown leather on the actual tracking device and its compatible collar. When attached, the curved shape of the tracker looks as if it’s actually a part of the collar. The leather has been waterproofed so that it stands up to whatever your dog gets into.
This tracker is much more than just looks, with a dedicated mobile app that offers real-time tracking, activity monitoring, and goal-setting. The tracker also takes note of the temperature to make sure that it’s not too hot or cold for your dog. You can also store your dog’s vet records in the app and set reminders for future vaccinations and appointments.
#10 Bartun Dog GPS Tracker
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Award: BEST FOR TRAVEL
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Bartun Dog GPS Trackers allows you and your best friend to go anywhere, with unlimited distance tracking and the ability to use it in over 150 countries worldwide.
- Can be used in over 150 countries
- Durable waterproof and shockproof design
- Convenient magnetic charging system
- May be too small to fit very large dogs
If you and your dog are on the move a lot, the Barun GPS Tracker is a great choice for all kinds of travel. The device offers real-time tracking with a limitless range. It works off of an included SIM card that gives you the option to have tracking ability in over 150 countries. Its compact design weighs only 0.7-ounces, so it’s easy to take anywhere and place on your dog’s collar without discomfort. The device uses a convenient magnetic charging system that can recharge in a little as two hours, and helpful alerts when the battery is running low.
The Bartun tracker is also great for the wandering dog at home, with the ability for users to monitor activity in real-time and establish geofences so that you receive alerts if your pet happens to go outside of it. Even though it’s small, this tracker can hold up against the elements with an IP67 certified waterproof and shockproof exterior. If you’re planning a camping trip, you might also want the best GPS tracker for hiking to help you navigate new terrain.
How We Decided
For dog owners, the ability to track your pet reliably no matter how far it travels is paramount. Although there are three different types of tracking technology available — radio, Bluetooth, and GPS — we only considered GPS tracking collars in our search. GPS is the most common tracking technology for dogs because it can be used anywhere and has an extremely long-range, so you won’t have to worry about your dog going out of range.
As trackers operate on battery power, this is the next component we looked at. To make our list, tracking devices needed to have a battery life of at least three days. We looked at other features that helped to manage and optimize battery life, including the ability to recharge easily, remove the battery, and monitor and control battery settings remotely.
Durability was another big factor in our criteria. First, only tracking devices that secured to a dog’s collar or harness securely were considered. There should be no risk of the unit falling off. Tracking devices also needed to be waterproof to ensure that it won’t fail if it rains or if the dog takes it for a swim. It was an added benefit if a tracker was shockproof, though not essential so long as it had a durable enough build.
Best Dog GPS Tracker Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- GPS Technology
The single-most important feature to look at when buying a tracker is the GPS component and how well it performs. Because GPS uses several different satellites to triangulate the device’s location and movement, most trackers will have plenty of range. Still, it’s important to know the range of a tracker so you don’t get hit with any surprises like a limited range. Be sure to consider if the GPS’ tracking capabilities show the exact location rather than an estimated one. Another consideration with GPS technology is that most pet trackers require a monthly subscription or data plan to access the network it uses to provide the location tracking service, like a cellular service. Many companies offer a subscription plan with a monthly service fee directly through them. Make sure that you know the specifics of the plan and, in the case that it needs coverage through a cell-phone provider, that it is one you want to use together with your cell service. And keep in mind cell coverage plus any limitations. Do you get worldwide coverage for your cellular signal? If that’s not the case, make sure you’re aware of how the tractive GPS actually works in the GPS collar. Do these devices for dogs only work if connected to a Wi-Fi network? Do you get real-time updates by the second or if there a delay of 15-30 seconds? Do you get worldwide coverage? Are there extra features like a geofencing feature? - Battery
One of the most variable features of dog GPS trackers is the battery life. Most types of tracker devices run off of a standard rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The amount of time the battery lasts on a charge depends on a number of factors, including battery size, power consumption, usage, features, and even the environment. Consider your usage and what kind of battery life is most convenient for it. Perhaps a smart collar that comes with a handheld device or mobile app would be most convenient for you. If you want to be able to monitor and control battery usage, look for battery management tools in the device’s mobile app that allow you to control settings remotely. Some trackers allow pet parents to remove the battery for charging, in which case you can have multiple batteries and swap in a fully charged one on the collars of your canine companions when the other replaceable battery dies in order to accommodate for the shorter battery life. - Activity and Health Monitoring
Many dog trackers available on the market today have additional features that interest dog owners, such as activity tracking and health monitoring. The higher initial cost might end up paying for itself due to the insight you get towards your canine companions, and the tracker can help you notice when something’s off with your pup. Advanced trackers have an accelerometer sensor built-in that specifically collects that data, similar to the ones used in iPhones. Trackers with activity and health monitoring have dashboards in its mobile app that presents daily info on your dog’s daily activity, rest, sleep patterns, and even insight into behaviors like scratching. Oftentimes these can act as a canine fitness tracker where you can set goals and track the progress of your pet’s fitness and health in the app to make sure your pet stays healthy and happy.