10 Reasons To Get Your Dog A GPS Tracker

In the United States alone, 1 out of every 3 dogs will go missing in their lifetime¹. But here’s the good news: getting your dog a GPS dog tracker can help your canine buddy beat that statistic. Here at Tractive, we’re on a mission to end the lost pets epidemic and give every pet parent peace of mind. So here are ten reasons to get your dog a GPS tracker – for a longer, safer life together.

1) Your dog is an escape artist.

There are so many reasons why dogs run away. So if your buddy is an escape artist, you’re not alone. In fact, in a recent survey, we found that 37% of pet parents had their pet escape from home at least one time². That’s the number one reason why millions of dog parents around the world use a GPS tracker on their dog’s collar.

“GPS trackers help you find your pet fast when they run off.”

— Andrew Bleiman, Executive Vice President of Tractive

2) A microchip alone won’t help you find your lost dog.

Microchipping your dog is definitely a good idea (and legally required in some countries). The chip increases your chances of being reunited with your lost dog – if somebody finds them and scans the chip.

But can a microchip actively help you locate a lost, runaway or hiding dog? No. Microchips don’t contain GPS technology and can’t track your dog, despite common misconceptions.

Read more: Microchip vs GPS Dog Tracker: Debunking The Myth Of The Dog Tracker Chip

🐾📍 A GPS dog tracker is the only true way to track and find your runaway dog in real-time.

3) A GPS tracker protects against dognapping

Sadly, dognapping is on the rise around the world. But luckily, a GPS dog tracker can protect against dognapping in a few ways:

1. You’ll know where your dog is at all times, including if they jumped the fence. So it will be less likely that they’ll cross a dognappers path, with you keeping a (digital) eye on them.
2. A GPS dog tracker can alert you to the fact that your dog may have been stolen. For example, if you notice your dog traveling at the speed of a car, but they’re not with you. They may have been taken.
3. Then, it’ll show you exactly where the dognappers are heading. So you can have the police meet them there.

You might be thinking that the thief could just remove the GPS tracker from the dog’s collar. And while that is a real possibility, we’ve heard many Tractive users share that when their dog was stolen, the thief didn’t even recognize that the dog was wearing a tracker! Score one for smart dog parents, zero for pet thieves.

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4) You can locate your dog, no matter how far

Since GPS works worldwide, dog GPS trackers allow you to track your dog, no matter how far they roam. Or to put it in other words: you can track them no matter how far away you are.

While Bluetooth trackers have a very limited range of operation, a true GPS tracker works over any distance. So you can find your dog no matter whether they ran miles into the woods, or they’re just hiding in the backyard.

You can even monitor your dog when you’re away on vacation and they’re back home. Or if you want to take your dog with you? With Tractive, you can track them in over 175 countries worldwide.

Read more: The Problem With AirTag for Dog Tracking

5) Your dog is easily scared

A frightened dog is one that is more likely to run away. That’s why so many dogs go missing on New Year’s Eve and 4th of July each year³. Dogs are often afraid of fireworks and other loud noises, but other things can cause a fear response too.

So if you notice your dog getting scared easily, a GPS tracker is a good safety measure. You may not be able to predict when they bolt, but you can see where they’re off to right away.

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.

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6) You want a better way to monitor your dog’s health

Guess what’s even better than being able to find your dog fast? A GPS tracker that does that PLUS helps you monitor your dog’s health. That’s what you can expect from your Tractive GPS & Health Tracker for dogs:

• Activity Monitoring: Make sure your dog gets enough exercise and rest. Set goals and track walks.
• Health Alerts: Get alerted of unusual changes in their sleep or activity, which could be an early sign of pain or illness.
• Bark Monitoring: Find out if your dog is barking more or less than usual, which could indicate a health issue.

7) You want to enjoy your evening walks, stress-free

Has your dog ever got loose on a night walk, or dashed out of the house before dawn? A GPS dog tracker can help you find your dog on even the darkest of nights. With the tap of a button in the app you can activate the:

• 💡LED Light to help you locate your dog in the dark or
• 📢 Sound, which triggers a high-pitched melody to locate your dog audibly

To quote one of our users, it’s “Especially useful if you have a black dog!”

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8) You want escape-proof your home & backyard

Outdoor dog fences are effective, but no match for adventurous dogs who might dig their way out. And electric invisible fences for dogs are not ethical, leaving dogs with a nasty shock and more fear and anxiety.

So, what to do? Easy.

Set up a Virtual Fence around your yard, or anywhere you think of as a safe space. Your Tractive GPS tracker will then alert you the moment they leave it, and when they come back in.

9) You want to let your dog enjoy nature leash-free

It’s important to mention that some countries have leash laws that mean dogs can’t be off-leash, period. However this is not the case everywhere. Like Sally the Samoyed in Scotland, unleashed dogs can enjoy their freedom and get lots of healthy exercise. That, plus be able to 100% enjoy just being a dog.

Of course, the safety of everyone – you, your dog and others around you – is the top priority. So make sure your dog is not a threat to anyone before you let them off leash. Follow local leash laws and equip your dog with a GPS tracker for security, and peace of mind.

10) You just want to know your dog is safe and sound

Some say that the real point of a GPS dog tracker (besides GPS tracking of course) is to let a dog parent worry less. If you’re someone who tends to get anxious about your beloved pet(s), or often worry about where your dog is and whether they’re in danger, a GPS dog tracker may be your new best friend.

And while peace of mind is priceless, it doesn’t have to cost a lot. You can keep your dog safe for the cost of a Tractive GPS tracker and a subscription that costs as little as a cookie and a coffee a month.

11) (Bonus) A GPS tracker could save your dog’s life

We just listed a whole bunch of reasons to get your dog a GPS tracker. But there’s one more big reason we have to add to this list. A GPS dog tracker could save your dog’s life – like it did for this caring dog parent:

“Have had Tractive GPS a few months for 2 of my dogs who like to wander sometimes. The tracker has saved my dogs life already once. She got stuck in a hole and couldn’t get out. The tracker lead me right to her. I would have never found her otherwise.”

– Heather

Read more: Tractive Saved My Dog’s Life: 10 True Stories

So there you have it, 10 reasons why you should get your dog a GPS tracker! If you’re curious to see the Tractive GPS in action, check out this (non-sponsored) review by the folks at McCann Dog Training:

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