Dogs are good at finding their way back home as long as they can follow a familiar scent. But when the scent disappears, so does the trail. This is the reason why dogs that wander far from home end up getting lost. Without the scent trail, their navigation goes haywire.
As a pet owner, you want to know where your dog is at all times, but it would be impossible to monitor his every movement without a pet tracking device. Not everyone would be on board getting a pet tracker but knowing the advantages of having one might just convince you to get one.
Here are the advantages of having a pet tracker:
Relocating a Lost Pet
If your dog is somewhat an escape artist, a pet GPS tracker can help you keep track of his whereabouts. Even if he gets lost around the neighbourhood, you’d still be able to pinpoint his exact location.
Many tracking devices have upgraded their features to include real-time tracking of missing pets. Every movement of the pooch is recorded and can be accessed through emails or text messages. Tractive GPS Pet Tracker and the Whistle GPS Pet Tracker are two pet tracking devices that provide real-time information. Both trackers enable you to create a virtual ‘safe zone’ around your house and will send a notification once your pet leaves the area.
Monitoring Pet Activity
A pet tracker is also a good way to keep track of your pet’s fitness and health. Think of it as Fitbit for your pet. It provides information on how active your pet has been throughout the day and how many hours he spent in bed resting.
Locating a Stolen Pet
In the most unfortunate situation where your pet is stolen, having a pet tracker gives you a better chance to find him.
With a pet tracking device, it just takes a minute to find where your dog is being held captive. Of course, this only works if the tracker has not been removed from your pet. But even if that’s the case, you can still determine the last known location of your pet and you can start from there.
Tracking Off-leash Outdoor Activities
You don’t have to worry about your dog going missing when you go hiking, or engaging in any outdoor activities. He can go explore the outdoors off-leash and there’s no real danger of losing him because you know where he is at all times.
Accessible through smartphones.
Pet trackers work with smartphones through apps that can be downloaded. Such apps are needed to receive messages from tracking devices attached to your pet’s collar.
Questions to ask when choosing the best pet tracker
1. Does the pet tracker fit my pet?
Photo Credit: Amazon Pet trackers are not a one-size-fits-all gadget, so it is important to consider the size and weight of the device. Before purchasing a tracker, make sure that its size is appropriate for your pet.
If you have a very energetic pooch that enjoys exploring the outdoors, choose one that can stay secure in place and is waterproof.
2. Does it give accurate tracking data?
Get a product that can give you an accurate and precise location. If your pet leaves the safe zone, the tracker should:
- Send you a notification message
- Show your pet’s current location.
- Give updates to every location your pet has been to.
To provide an accurate location, you need to wait for it to successfully load and refresh. This should not be a problem if you are living in an area with a good connection service. However, it will still need time to load and give you updates on the current GPS position on every movement. With more frequent updates on his location, the next concern is its battery life.
Tip Please check out the 3G/4G signal in your area as most devices will not work in areas that have no signal.
Good tracking devices also allow users to adjust their notification settings. For instance, if you know your pet will stay all day indoors, you need to know how to adjust its settings to give updates less often. The moment you are outdoors, you may adjust the frequency of its location updates.
3. Does it have a long battery life?
Most trackers run on battery power which means it needs to be recharged. Know its battery capacity and consider your activities to see how easy it is to recharge.