GPS Implant For Dogs: Myth Or Fact?

Have you ever wondered, if there is a GPS implant for dogs? A GPS tracker that can be implanted under the skin? One which will help you find your dog in case they ever run away or get lost? No doubt, this would be a very useful invention!

Do GPS implants for dogs exist? Are they safe? If so, where can you get one?! We know how deeply all dog parents care about their four-legged friends. That’s why we’ve compiled the most important information on GPS implants for dogs right here in this article.

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Is there a GPS chip for dogs?

If you’re like most dog parents, you’re probably always looking for the best ways to keep your furry friend safe. You keep your dog on a leash when necessary, have invested in training, keep dangerous items out of their reach, visit your vet regularly and make sure that your four-legged family member always gets the activity & exercise and love & affection they need.

But what happens when your worst nightmare comes true, and your dog gets lost or runs away? How can you ensure his or her safety then? This is a frightening possibility for most dog and pet parents.

In your effort to best-prepare for this situation, you may have wondered if there is a GPS implant for dogs – a technology that can be implanted under your dog’s skin, which will help you to locate him or her in case they ever go missing. Does such a device exist, and is it available in the market for pets?

What is a GPS implant for dogs exactly?

The phrase ‘GPS implant for dogs’ is commonly searched for in search engines every month around the world. People with dogs everywhere are wondering if such a product exists, to help them keep their fur-buddy by their side.

But what is it exactly, a GPS implant for dogs? Let’s take a closer look at this phrase:

• GPS – short for Global Positioning System: a technology which tells you where you are on earth at any given moment¹
• implant – something which has been put into the body in a medical operation²
• for dogs – for our favorite canine friends.

So it is possible to implant GPS, or a device using the Global Positioning System, into our furry friends at this time?

Is it possible to implant a GPS tracker into my dog?

The answer is a hard NO – it is not possible to implant a device, which uses GPS technology to track your pet, into your dog at this time. Why? For the same reason such a device is not currently available for humans. We will explore that in more detail below.

If microchips can be implanted, why not a GPS tracker?

This is the most common misconception when it comes to the idea of GPS and implants for our dogs. As a dog owner, it’s very important to understand the difference between the implantable chips that are used for identification of your pet, and GPS trackers, which are another type of technology entirely. Unlike ID chips, GPS tracking devices are used for tracking your dog’s location in real-time rather than providing a simple solution to identify your dog if lost and found.

At the link below you can read all about the differences between implantable RFID technology and GPS trackers for dogs:

There are several reasons why it is not possible to implant a GPS tracker into a dog at this time. Firstly, think of any device you know of that uses GPS technology – for example a smartphone or automotive navigation system. All of these devices contain other important hardware components that must be built into the device to keep it running. For example, a battery, or screen to show you the GPS location information.

Therefore, the two main reasons why these components make it impractical to implant a GPS tracker are explained below.

Reason 1: Size

The Tractive GPS dog tracker, has dimensions of about 72 x 29 x 16 millimeters and weighs approximately 30 grams. Below, you can see the size of the GPS tracker, which easily fits onto your dog’s collar or harness:

Small, compact and lightweight, GPS trackers can be worn comfortably by your dog at all times, in the same way that you wear a standard or smartwatch.

Imagine the face of a watch being implanted under your skin – ouch! In this way, it would not be comfortable nor safe to implant a GPS tracker into your dog.

By comparison, an implantable ID chip or transponder is about 11 millimeters long and two millimeters thick – nearly the size of a grain of rice. At this size, they can be safely implanted between your dog’s shoulders. It is a simple, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder, as shown in the x-ray photo below:

Why is there a size difference between GPS trackers and implantable chips?

Current implantable chips contain no information about your pet, or have any other functions or features, other than to provide an ID number which can be linked to your pet. They contain no GPS hardware components or technology.

This key difference between implantable chips and GPS trackers explains the first reason why GPS devices cannot be implanted into dogs at this time.

Reason 2: Battery & Charging

As we mentioned above, a GPS tracker contains several necessary hardware components, each of which is larger than a grain of rice and therefore contributes to the size of the device. Hardware components you’ll find in a GPS tracker include:

• GSM module
• GPS antenna
• LED-light
• loudspeaker
• battery pack

Standard GPS trackers come with an integrated battery, which needs to be charged every now and then. Since the size of the battery is directly related to the battery life of the device, this is the component which takes up the most space inside of the tracker. If this would be implanted under your dog’s skin, it would not be possible to charge the device – which comes with a USB charging cord.

Moreover, implanting a lithium-ion battery inside your puppy would likely come with certain health risks as well.

Technically, there may be a way to integrate the tracker inside your furry buddy – but this is far from a “smart solution”. Implanting a GPS tracker under your dog’s skin is neither a pet-friendly nor healthy way to keep your pet safe.

Outlook on GPS implant for dogs

There is no such thing as a safe GPS implant for dogs available on the market today. Even so, we have good news:

Both GPS trackers and implants are widely available and necessary and helpful precaution measures to keep your dog safe.

We all know that even the most well-behaved and properly trained dogs can sometimes get scared and run away. For instance, in the case of fireworks, or being in an unfamiliar new environment. When this happens, it’s best to make sure your dog is already equipped and prepared with both a GPS tracker on the collar and a microchip ID implant. This will ensure that if lost, your dog can be 1) located and retrieved immediately with the help of the LIVE Tracking feature of the GPS tracker or 2) brought into a vet and identified with the help of an RFID chip (if found by someone other than you).

Remember, you can get all the facts on implants vs GPS trackers here. We hope you’ll continue reading, so you can best keep your furry pal safe and sound.

While an implantable GPS tracker might be available in the distant future, the technology to make this device small enough, and safe enough, to be implanted into your friend is not available (or affordable) for mainstream use at this time.

However, the good news is that a GPS implant is not necessary. You can already easily keep track of your dog’s whereabouts anytime with the Tractive GPS dog tracker and companion app.

We hope you liked learning about the facts vs myths on GPS implants for dogs! Share this article with a friend and educate your dog-loving community today.