Is There A GPS Implant For Dogs That Works Like A Microchip?

Have you ever wondered, is there is a GPS implant for dogs? Aka, a GPS tracker that can be implanted under the skin – so it can prevent your dog from getting lost, like a microchip?

Because, well, that really would be ideal – i.e., something that can both identify AND track down your missing dog, all in one device.

But to answer your question in a nutshell: no, a GPS implant for dogs doesn’t exist yet. And it wouldn’t actually be the best idea for animals in the first place.

And here’s why.

Always know your buddy is healthy & safe

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Is there a GPS chip for dogs? (And do you even need one?)

Let’s face it – losing your dog can be a dog parent’s worst nightmare. (Especially in a world where dognapping is on the rise and with all the reasons that dogs run away.)

And 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.

But nope, such a device doesn’t exist in the first place.

(You might be confusing it with microchips instead – which we’ll cover a bit further below.)

💡And the good news? You don’t need to implant a GPS tracker into your dog’s skin to find them.

A dedicated dog GPS tracker that works across an unlimited range and includes real-time tracking works just fine – strapped comfortably to your dog’s collar.

What could a GPS implant for dogs be like? (Theoretically?)

The phrase ‘GPS implant for dogs’ is commonly searched for in search engines every month around the world. But what could such a device for dogs be like, theoretically at least?

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.

Which raises the question…

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. Let’s explore this in greater detail.

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.

• Microchips firstly can be implanted into your dog’s skin. But they only help a vet or a local shelter identify your dog if they’re lost.
• GPS trackers can’t be implanted into dogs’ skin. But they help you track your dog in real-time and take a more active role in finding them.

Details	Microchip for dogs	Tractive GPS Tracker
Size	12 x 2 mm	72 x 29 x 16 mm
Weight	0,025 g	35 g
Implantable
Waterproof
Battery life	No battery included	7-10 days – or 30 days on the Adventure edition
Upfront cost	~85 €	49,99 €
Ongoing costs	None	Yes – meaning a monthly fee less than your Netflix subscription
Location tracking
Are you going to have to rely on strangers?	Yes	No
Real-time location updates
Legal requirement	Varies from country to country	No
Theft insurance		No**
Area of operation	Worldwide	Worldwide
Escape alert
Activity tracking
Sleep tracking
Health alerts
Light & Sound tracking
Dog weight requirements	None	From 4 kg/~9 lbs onward

Now that we’ve covered these basic differences, here’s why a GPS implant for dogs would be a terrible idea.

Why you can’t implant a GPS tracker into a dog

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.)

So here are two main reasons why these components make it impractical to implant a GPS tracker into your dog’s skin.

Reason 1: Size

The Tractive GPS dog tracker, has dimensions of about 72 x 29 x 16 millimeters and weighs approximately 35 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, your dog can comfortably wear their GPS tracker at all times, in the same way that you wear a standard or smartwatch.

⚠️ So 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 don’t often contain a ton of info about your pet. Nor do they have too many functions or features besides just identifying your dog or cat.

• Microchips in general contain an ID number which can be linked to your pet.
• Meaning, they don’t contain any GPS hardware components or technology.

That’s why microchips can afford to be the size of a grain of rice – they don’t come with the features a GPS tracker might.

Which explains the first reason why GPS devices cannot be implanted into dogs at this time.

“We use modern high-integrity components for building our GPS trackers. These components tend to consume space – because we want to ensure the best quality.

Also, if you want to reliably and continuously track your pet, you’ll need a strong, heavy battery pack. (In some cases, more than half the space in the device is reserved just for the battery.)

It’s a balancing act to find a compromise between size and quality. And one we can assure you that we’re constantly working on.”

– Ivelin Nenkov, Embedded Systems Engineer at Tractive since 2016

Track Your Dog With Tractive

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.

Here are some of the hardware components you’ll find in a GPS tracker:

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

Standard GPS trackers come with an integrated battery, which you need to charge 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 you implant this in your dog’s skin – how are you going to charge it? (No way of inserting the USB charging cord, right?)

⚠️ Implanting a lithium-ion battery inside your puppy would likely come with certain health risks as well.

It’s one reason why vets discourage the use of Apple AirTags for dogs – because if your buddy chews or swallows the little tag by mistake, it could severely damage their organs.

“A battery pack is built from very poisonous chemicals. A little puncture can lead to a leakage, fire or explosion. That’s why implanting a battery pack under the skin of your dog or cat can be very dangerous. So we wouldn’t recommend it.”

– Ivelin Nenkov, Embedded Systems Engineer at Tractive since 2016

Technically, there may be a way to integrate the tracker inside your furry buddy – but this is far from a “smart solution”.

But at the end of the day: implanting a GPS tracker under your dog’s skin is neither a pet-friendly nor healthy way to keep your pet safe.

The safe, sane way to keep your buddy safe? A dedicated pet GPS tracker that’s saved dogs’ lives

Tractive pet parents from around the world are relying on our life-saving technology to keep their dogs safe and healthy.

• Like Imogen the Borzoi who bolted her fence and crashed through the ice in a nearby frozen lake. Luckily, her Tractive device and Location History helped her mum rescue her from freezing and drowning.
  
• Or Happy, an off-leash Golden Retriever who ran off during his first hike in the Alps – but whose mum found him soon after with Tractive’s LIVE Mode.

Besides being lightweight and easy to wear, Tractive comes in three different versions – for dogs of every shape, size, and speed.

• Tractive Dog 4, which fits dogs as small as 9 lbs (or 4 kg)
• Tractive DOG XL, for dogs above 45 lbs (22 kg)
• Tractive DOG XL Adventure Edition, for dogs above 45 lbs – and who like their rough and tumble outdoors time

So no need to implant anything besides a microchip into their skin.

With a Tractive device, you have the peace of mind that your buddy is safe – no matter where they are (or where you are.)

More: Tractive reviews on Trustpilot

Track Your Dog With Tractive

So, is there ever going to be a safe GPS implant for dogs?

At present, there’s no such thing as a safe GPS implant for dogs available on the market today.

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.

But 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.

Because at the end of the day, 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.

So 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, you can track your dog:

• In real-time with Tractive’s LIVE Tracking, or
• brought into a vet and identified with the help of an RFID chip (if found by someone other than you)

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.

Discover Tractive GPS

Want to see the Tractive GPS in action? Here’s why this pet parent considers Tractive the best GPS Dog Tracker for 2022:

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