If you are a devoted dog owner, there is likely nothing you would not do to protect your furry family members. Whether the concern is your dog running off after a cat or exploring a new park, ensuring their safety is a top priority. Fortunately, there is a reliable solution: the Tractive Smart Dog Tracker.
What is the Tractive Smart Dog Tracker?
The Tractive Smart Dog Tracker comes in various sizes to suit different dogs and multiple colors to keep your pet stylish. It allows you to monitor your dog's location directly from your phone, providing peace of mind. Prices start at £59, which is reasonable given the features and long battery life. A version for cats is also available, starting at the same price.
In addition to being waterproof, the tracker offers several useful features: heart and respiratory rate monitoring, virtual fences that alert you if your dog leaves safe zones, an LED light for nighttime walks, a sound feature to locate a lost tracker, and sleep tracking. The battery lasts up to two weeks and attaches easily to the collar, even for dogs that dislike wearing gear.
Premium Plan and Additional Features
The premium plan costs £8 per month for a one-year subscription or £5 per month for a two-year plan. Benefits include location, health, activity, and sleep monitoring, family sharing so multiple people can track the dog, worldwide coverage, 365-day location history, and GPS data export. While not all features are essential, they can be particularly helpful for older dogs that need closer health monitoring, younger hyper dogs whose activity levels should be tracked to avoid vet visits, or dogs prone to wandering off, where virtual fences are ideal.
Testing the Tracker
The DOG 6 size, designed for dogs weighing 4-20 kg, was perfect for an 11 kg cockapoo named Roger. For larger dogs, there are the DOG 6 XL (20-25 kg) and the DOG XL Adventure (over 25 kg). The tracker is slim and sleek, attaching to the collar with a rubber case for comfort. Roger did not seem to notice it. Syncing to a phone was quick, and the live tracking and Bluetooth syncing allowed precise route monitoring. Setting the mode to 'walk' displayed the duration and distance covered, a feature that quickly became addictive.
User Feedback
A family friend named Jim, who trains dogs for search and rescue and owns multiple dogs, praised the Tractive tracker for its reliable tracking worldwide with no distance restrictions and easy sharing with friends and family. He also appreciated the battery saver zones when connected to Wi-Fi. Jim uses the Tractive 6XL and the 6 for his larger dogs, noting the app's ability to track distance, pulse, and barking rates. While he mentioned that battery life could be improved, it was an upgrade from the Tractive 4. Overall, he found the tracker very reliable and worth the annual £120 fee billed every two years.
Final Verdict
The Tractive Smart Dog Tracker balances useful features without overwhelming the user. While not every feature is used daily, knowing they are available—such as the flashlight for dark winter walks—provides comfort. For a reasonable price and informative data, it is a worthwhile purchase for any dog owner.
