Once you’ve decided to buy a GPS dog collar, the next question is which one to choose since you’re faced with many options, some similar to each other, others different in terms of the services offered and costs. So in this article we’ll see what aspects are most interesting and important when wondering which GPS dog collar to choose.

From the hardware point of view, if there are no particular needs, nowadays locators without a specific receiver are more than sufficient: the paired GPS device and receiver has a particular operating system, which is very precise but with a limited range, without taking the significantly higher costs into account. Most of the options we’ll come across when looking for animal locators are devices which interface with our smartphones via an app and do not require any other type of terminal.

GPS dog collar - which one to choose

GPS dog collar, which one to choose?

Another element you should take into consideration when you’re faced with a wide choice and wondering “But what GPS dog collar should I choose?” is the different functions offered. Modern collars can collect information in real time, not only about our animal’s location but also other information which is then processed by the app algorithms to show us their estimated level of activity, the number of calories consumed and to keep a log allowing us to monitor if everything’s normal or there are any sudden changes which might suggest that something’s wrong.

GPS collar: SIM or subscription

The collar connection method is now common to all devices and it uses the GSM mobile telephone line, but not all manufacturers adopt the same strategy on this point. Some limit themselves to inserting a connectivity module of this type with a slot to put in a SIM: the buyer will be responsible for getting the card and paying for the tariff plan to allow communication by the locator. Other manufacturers, on the other hand, manage this aspect themselves by offering it as a service in exchange for a subscription fee. The latter option may be preferable if the manufacturer has entered into agreements with several telephone operators, solving the problem of there being areas where one operator’s signal is weaker than another’s.

Generally speaking, these are the aspects which you should take into consideration when purchasing a tracker; there are certainly others like battery life and/or map management but all in all you should now have some idea of which GPS dog collar to choose.