10 Dogs Saved In The Nick Of Time – With Tractive
Whether it's from prey drive, fear, or an escape - here are 10 inspiring, real-life stories of dogs that went missing but ended up rescued in the nick of time because of the Tractive device strapped to their collars.
Picture this: you let your dog out for a quick potty break, and in a flash, they vanish. Maybe they caught a scent or heard a sound that spooked them — and just like that, your whole world is running down the street. Thankfully, for these 10 dogs, having a Tractive GPS strapped to their collar turned out to be a lifesaver. Here are a couple of true stories from dog parents who believe Tractive saved their dog’s life.
- “We live by a busy highway…”
- “She heard fireworks and bolted.”
- “He sniffed out a female in heat.”
- “My dog was stolen.”
- “She took off after a squirrel.”
- “She ran out the door.”
- “She got scared during a thunderstorm.”
- “He got lost during a hike.”
- “He got stuck.”
- “He got attacked by another dog.”
- Ready for complete peace of mind as a dog parent?
“We live by a busy highway…”
“…and I can say that having a device on my dog which enabled me to find him quickly running on this highway likely saved his life.
I live in a rural area and have 2 dogs. I have had Tractive devices on each of their collars for 2 years now. One of my dogs has gotten out of my yard 6 times during that 2 years. He runs fast and far and the only way I was able to locate him and go get him was by using the Tractive ‘LIVE’ feature.
My other dog has also gotten out 4 times and I was able to find her immediately using Tractive’s LIVE setting.
Each time we were alerted from Tractive by text message that one of them was outside the parameter we had set up. We were then able to go find them and repair the part of the yard where they got out.”
– Rebecca, US (Source: Trustpilot)
“She heard fireworks and bolted.”
Noise anxiety in dogs is a common issue, and it’s one that often leads to dangerous situations. Fireworks, for example, can turn even the calmest dog into an escape artist. They tend to be unpredictable and much louder to dogs’ sensitive ears than they are to ours.
“My Great Pyrenees loves to explore and roam as Pyrenees do. This tracker helps me keep up with her and keep a close eye on her whereabouts.
She is extremely afraid of fireworks and during New Years and 4th of July celebrations this year, she got spooked and ran off deep into the woods. If she had not had her tracker, I would’ve never been able to find her.
We have been able to find her several times with the tracker. It’s very accurate and a life saver for us. I also like the “History” feature on the app, it lets me know where she’s been roaming and protecting during the night.“
– Melanie Floyd, US (Source: Trustpilot)
Read more:
- Dogs & Fireworks: Prepping For The 4th Of July
- Why Are Dogs Scared Of Fireworks? (And How Can You Help?)
- Why Are Dogs Scared Of Thunder? And How To Comfort Yours?
“He sniffed out a female in heat.”
The drive to find the…well, paw-fect mate can make even the best-behaved pup forget their training. In fact, getting your dog spayed or neutered can go a long way in curbing unwanted roaming behavior – especially to find a mating partner.
“The tracker has long been a necessary piece of equipment for our dogs, especially during the growing-up period. We got it for the first time 7 years ago, when our few-month-old puppy wandered off and caused us a lot of worries.
(It also) “saved” us only a few times, when the dog wandered off after a “hot” female or went to explore the house’s surroundings.“
– Lučka Žabkar, SI (Source: Trustpilot)
Read more: How To Handle A Dog In Heat Without Losing Your Mind
“My dog was stolen.”
Dognapping, sadly, can happen to anyone. If you’ve got a rare breed or a dog that hasn’t been spayed/neutered, it’s always possible they’ll be targeted by pet thieves. Even worse, important steps like ID tags and microchips don’t always guarantee you’ll FIND your dog – plus, they put your dog’s safety in the hands of complete strangers.
Like this relieved dog parent shares:
“After a frantic call from my wife that (our hound) Dolly could not be found at the beach, I activated her Tractive LIVE. She was stolen by a women who had her with a rope around her neck walking Dolly and her own dog home.
I was incensed and may file a police report. Dolly is chipped, licensed and had phone number engraved on her collar buckle. This woman could have called us right in the spot. I have no idea what her plans were but Tractive saved the day!”
– Keith Douglas, US (Source: Trustpilot)
Read more:
- Dog Microchipping: All The FAQs Covered
- Microchip vs GPS Dog Tracker: Debunking The Myth Of The Dog Tracker Chip
“She took off after a squirrel.”
Prey drive is a powerful motivator to set off a chase – and many dogs just can’t resist taking off once they’ve picked up the scent of a rabbit, squirrel, or other small woodland animals…but also runners and joggers and even kids playing around the park!
“Last week my dog took off for a squirrel in very thick brush at a creek. Soon I lost track of her. She would not come when I called her, and I did not hear any movement in the brush.
I became very alarmed as her recall is normally very good, and turned on the tracker’s LIVE feature. Within minutes I found her, deep in the dense brush. I would not have found her without the Tractive guidance.
Her collar had caught and become twisted on a branch and she could not move. The collar was so tight she couldn’t call out to me. I think it is very likely that Tractive saved her life. Thank you for making such a reliable product. I am so grateful.“
– Amy Smith, US (Source: Trustpilot)
Read more: Dog Recall: How To Teach Your Dog To Come When Called
“She ran out the door.”
Funny how we care for our dogs, feed them, love them, nurture them…and the first sight of an open door and off they go. Accidents are a part of life – and they often involve dogs and doors accidentally left open. Like this happy reviewer shares:
“This tracking device saved my Alaskan Malamute’s life! I was on a short vacation and my dog sitter was putting the leash on her while the door was open! Big mistake!
My dog was missing for 7 hours and went 10 miles, across a busy road 3 times. She’s a rescue, and was terrified and when people who tried to catch her, she kept running away.
Finally they got her before dark. We never ever would have found her. I’m so grateful I had it!”
– Jean Donlevy, US (Source: Trustpilot)
“She got scared during a thunderstorm.”
Thunderstorms – much like fireworks – can be terrifying for dogs and fear often leads them to run for cover. Even more so if you’ve got a senior dog at home that might feel both confused and frightened hearing these “scary” sounds from the outside.
“This tracker saved our own dog and my grand dog. Our dog is a senior dog who wandered away from home.
We lost our grand dog in a storm that came up. She ran for the high hills. It took us to the field in where she was lost in and she was extremely happy to be found. Best investment for my pets EVER.“
– Lori Friend, US (Source: Trustpilot)
“He got lost during a hike.”
Hiking with dogs can be a wonderful experience, but the outdoors can be unpredictable. Especially if your dog gets lost in the snowy winter months – which can actually mess with their sense of smell.
“It saved my dog today (in early March.) I went on our normal hiking trail after 6” of snow and let him off leash. Instead of sticking with me, he took off and wouldn’t come back.
I would switch back and forth from LIVE mode (to) get an idea of where he was…after about an hour, he seemed pretty stationary and I got within 250 feet of him on one of the trails. He wasn’t coming back when I called. I saw lots of broken ice and thought he must have drowned.
Then I saw him on a little clump of trees in the middle of the ice. He was wet, bloody, cold and scared. I waded through thigh deep swamp ice and had to carry all 85 pounds of scared wet dog back to the shoreline, but only after I put the leash on him.
He doesn’t bark, so there was no way I would have ever found him without the tracker.”
– Jason Leroux, US (Source: Trustpilot)
“He got stuck.”
Sometimes we just have no explanation why dogs behave as they do – especially if they’re already a little anxiety-prone. And another danger a missing dog might run into is potentially getting stuck somewhere that’s not so easy to escape from. (Worse if you have a small dog or one that’s lean, like a Whippet – so it’s easy to wriggle into some tight spots.)
“(I was) walking my whippet when it started to rain. Stopped to put my hood up and when I looked round, no whippet. I had no idea which way he had gone.
My tracker immediately told me where he was and that he was stuck. Not only did it show me when I was walking in the right direction, it took me right to him.
I’d never have found him without the Tractive. Absolutely fantastic and worth every penny.“
– Rosemary Bowden, GB (Source: Trustpilot)
“He got attacked by another dog.”
And finally, here’s a story that’s a bit unconventional from the rest. Your trusty Tractive device might just help your dog avoid the brunt of…well, another dog’s roughhousing!
“We bought the Tractive as our Welsh Terrier is nearly totally blind and we wanted to make sure that we could find him should he wander off when on holidays. We were in Warrnambool and Loki was attacked by a Golden Retriever who bit him over his neck and shook him violently.
…upon inspecting Loki for injuries, he was just covered in saliva. I believe the Tractive which was on Loki’s collar at the bottom under his neck prevented the (Golden Retriever) from fully closing his jaws.
I truly believe this tracker saved Loki’s life.”
– Andrew, AU (Source: Trustpilot)
Ready for complete peace of mind as a dog parent?
All these real-life stories are a powerful reminder that our dogs are so much more than just pets — they’re family. And family deserves protection. Whether it’s prey drive, fear, or an accidental escape, the Tractive GPS has helped countless dog parents find their missing furry friends before things could take a turn for the worse.
No matter what adventures (or misadventures) your dog gets up to, your trusty Tractive device is there to bring them home safe and sound.
Always know where your dog is
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
🐶 Got your own Tractive rescue story to share? Then drop us a kind word on Trustpilot or get in touch with us over Facebook or Instagram. Stay connected and discover a growing family of loving, responsible dog parents – just like you!
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