Do GPS Trackers Function Properly for Farm Dogs Roaming Wide Farmland?
Discover why GPS trackers are perfect for wide-open spaces. Monitor your dog’s location and health across the entire property.
If you live on a farm, your dog isn’t just a pet—they are often your hardest worker and your best friend. But with hundreds of acres to explore, it’s natural to wonder: “Can a GPS tracker actually keep up with a dog on such a big property?”
5 Second Summary
The short answer is yes. In fact, GPS trackers like the Tractive Dog Tracker often work even better on wide-open farmland than they do in big cities.
Always know your buddy is healthy & safe
Read moreWhy farm dogs are perfect for GPS
To understand why trackers work so well on large properties, you have to think about the sky. GPS trackers talk to satellites high up in space.
- Clear views: In a city, tall buildings can block the signal. On a farm, there is nothing but wide-open sky. This makes the connection between your dog’s Tractive GPS and the satellites incredibly strong and accurate.
- Unlimited range: Unlike Bluetooth tags (which only work if the dog is near your phone), a Tractive GPS Dog Tracker has unlimited range. Whether your dog is in the barn or three pastures over, you can find them.
Tractive: Built for the farm life
Farm dogs don’t just walk on paths. They run through tall grass, jump over creeks, and sometimes get a bit muddy. That’s why a tracker needs to be as tough as the dog wearing it.
1. 100% waterproof and adventure-proof
Tractive trackers are built to handle the “ruff” stuff. If your dog decides to cool off in the stock tank or chase a scent through a rainy field, the tracker will keep on working. It’s shock-resistant, too, so it can handle all the jumping and running a farm dog does.
Read more on why Tractive is the Best Waterproof Dog Tracker
2. Virtual fences for safety
On a large property, managing where your dog goes is key to their safety. With the Tractive app, you can set up a Virtual Fence to create two types of digital boundaries:
- Safe Zones: These are green areas on your map, like your home or the main yard, where it’s perfectly fine for your dog to be.
- No-Go Zones: These appear in red and mark spots you want your dog to avoid—like a busy road, a neighbor’s property, or a hazardous area with wild animals.
If your dog wanders out of a safe zone or into a no-go zone, your phone will alert you right away so you can bring them back to safety.
3. Default and LIVE tracking
Tractive gives you two ways to keep an eye on your dog depending on what they are doing:
- Default tracking: This is the standard mode that saves battery. It updates your dog’s location every few minutes while they are moving. It’s perfect for seeing a general overview of where they’ve been working throughout the day.
- LIVE mode: If your dog doesn’t come back when you whistle, you can turn on LIVE mode. This updates their location every 2-3 seconds, showing you their every step in real-time. It’s like having a high-tech map that shows you exactly which bush they are sniffing behind.
4. Battery life that works as hard as they do
You have enough to do on the farm without worrying about charging another device every few hours. Tractive trackers feature long-lasting batteries designed to go the distance. The battery of Tractive DOG can last for up to 2-4 weeks (depending on the model, use and how active your dog is). This ensures that even on the longest workdays, your dog stays protected from sunrise to sunset.
What about cell service?
A common question for rural dog parents is: “What if I have bad cell service on my farm?”
Tractive trackers use the same networks as mobile phones to send the location to your app. The great news is that Tractive uses an integrated SIM card that connects to multiple different network providers. If one signal is weak, it automatically looks for a stronger one. As long as there is some mobile coverage in your area, your tracker will be able to tell you where your dog is.
Pro tip: If your dog spends a lot of time near the farmhouse, you can set up a Power Saving Zone using your Wi-Fi. This tells the tracker to “rest” while the dog is home, making the battery last much longer!
Read more about Pet Tracker Battery Life
More than just a map: Health monitoring
A farm dog is an essential part of the team, and their health is vital to keeping the property running smoothly. Because dogs are experts at hiding when they don’t feel well, Tractive acts as an extra set of eyes on their well-being.
- Activity and sleep tracking: See exactly how many hours your dog spent “on the job” versus how much quality rest they got.
- Health alerts: This is the early warning system for your dog. Tractive monitors your dog’s typical behavior. If their activity level changes or their sleep is disturbed, you’ll get an alert. This helps you catch issues before they become serious.
- Resting heart and respiratory rate: While your dog is sleeping soundly, Tractive measures their heart rate and breathing. A sudden rise in these numbers can be an early sign of stress or illness.
- Barking monitoring: Want to know if the coyotes were pestering the barn late at night? Tractive can track how much your dog is barking, giving you a better idea of what’s happening on the property when you aren’t there.
- AI-powered weekly reports: Every week, you’ll get a simple, easy-to-read report powered by AI. It summarizes your dog’s health trends, compares them to similar dogs, and helps you stay on top of their long-term wellness.
What real Tractive users have to say
“Perfect for free range dogs”
“I have a very hyper dog that lives off leash as we live on a farm. He runs the fields all day long and with Tractive I don’t have to worry that he’s wandered off the property. I couldn’t live without Tractive anymore.”
— Gracie, California (Source: Trustpilot)
“Hands down the best tracker”
“My pup is a farm dog and constantly swimming in ponds, rolling in mud, and just very active in the elements. His tracker is the XL and lasts for weeks. Also, Tractive support is PHENOMENAL! 10/10 recommend!”
— Rachel, USA (Source: Trustpilot)
“Other GPS systems don’t come close”
“We’ve been using other GPS systems which we found useless… Tractive has been amazing and the live tracking and virtual fence are incredibly useful, especially as we live on a farm and I can track my little guy when I’m at work in real time…”
— Cam, Australia (Source: Trustpilot)
The verdict: Peace of mind for large properties
For a farm dog, freedom is everything. For a farm owner, peace of mind is everything.
Using a Tractive GPS Tracker means you never have to spend hours driving the perimeter looking for your dog. You can let them do their job, knowing that their location is always right there in your pocket.
Keep track of your dog’s daily adventures
Follow every step with unlimited range Live Tracking. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Activity & Sleep Monitoring. Get Health Alerts if something seems off.
