Do you worry about your dog running away when you’re out on a walk?
Perhaps you have an escape artist as a pet and your dog has previously managed to escape from your garden or yard.
As an owner of Alaskan Klee Kai, I’m accustomed to owning dogs that have an independent streak and don’t always return when called.
The good news is that there an array of companies that offer GPS trackers for dogs so you can keep tabs on your canine companion at all times.
Where To Buy: www.tractive.com
Tractive are one of the most-well established dog tracker companies in the world, featuring in TV shows such as Amazon’s The Pack.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the Tractive GPS Dog 4 tracker, what the device can do, what customers are saying about the product and give our verdict on the product.
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Tractive GPS Dog 4 – The Basics
Where To Buy: www.amazon.com
Alaskan Klee Kai wearing the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Tractive are an Austrian company that have established themselves as one of the leading dog tracker brands currently available on the market.
With over eight years of experience, Tractive have produced a number of different dog trackers. Their latest offering is the Tractive GPS Dog 4.
Tractive’s website explains that their mission is to strengthen the bond between pets and their owners by leveraging technology to ensure a healthier, longer and safe life together.
Their tracker is designed to be robust and easy to use so it can withstand all sorts of adventures you and your canine companion have together.
The Austrian company have designed an easy-to-use app so pet parents can keep an eye on their four-legged friends at all times. Tractive write that their aim is to provide the most intuitive and reliable application experience.
Although Tractive started in Europe, GPS Dog 4 works throughout the world, whether you live in Great Britain, Australia or North America. They provide worldwide tracking and activity monitoring.
Tractive GPS Dog 4 – The Main Points
• Live GPS Tracking – Tractive GPS Dog 4 offer live GPS tacking that allows dog owners to keep an eye on their furry friend at all times. The app updates every 2-3 seconds so dog owners have realtime tracking.
• Virtual Fence – If you’ve got an escape artist like me, Tractive provide dog owners with the ability to create safe zones in their home and their garden. As soon as your dog leaves this virtual fence, Tractive will send a notification to your phone.
• Activity Monitoring – Unlike some other GPS tracker for dogs that we have reviewed, Tractive GPS Dog 4 provide activity monitoring. They can track their active minutes, their resting minutes as well as calories burned.
• Dog-Friendly Design – Although Tractive GPS Dog 4 isn’t the smallest GPS tracker for dogs on the market, Tractive do believe their device is dog friendly so your dog won’t even notice they’ve got it on their collar.
• Social sharing – Tractive have a big community element to their service. You can see how much exercise your dog is getting in comparison to other dogs. They’ve got a world, regional and local leaderboards.
• Subscription – Tractive offer two different subscription models with different pricing. Their basic subscription plan can be purchased monthly (£6.99), yearly (£54.99 or £4.58 a month) and two years (£3.75 a month). This comes with GPS tracking, unlimited LIVE tracking and activity monitoring. Their premium subscription plan can be purchased yearly (£64.99 or £5.42 a month), two years (£4.17 a month) and five years (£3.33 a month). Premium includes the same as Basic as well as public and family sharing, worldwide coverage, 365 days location history, GPS Data Export and premium customer service.
How Tractive GPS Dog 4 Works
Alaskan Klee Kai wearing the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
It’s easy to set up your Tractive GPS Dog 4 using Tractive’s app.
Once you’ve fully charged the device, it doesn’t take long to sync the tracker with the app so you can monitor your dog’s activity.
The app makes it easy to set up an integrated virtual fence (geofence) in order to provide dog owners with a peace of mind.
Once you’ve purchased your device, you’ll need to select a subscription plan in order to avail of their full range of services.
Our Verdict
Alaskan Klee Kai wearing the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
I was sent a Tractive GPS Dog 4 to try – and I was impressed with the device.
It was easy to set up and sync with the app by following the steps provided by the Austrian company.
Tractive’s app was simple to navigate with a pleasant design that made the app fun to use.
I liked having the ability to compare my Klee Kai’s active minutes in comparison to other dogs in my area.
Although Tractive write on their website that the battery life is up to five days, I found I had to charge the tracker every two days.
What Customers Are Saying
Tractive get 4.4 stars out of 5 based upon over 5,449 reviews on independent review website Trustpilot.
Alice gave a glowing review of the GPS tracker.
I was skeptical at first at how reliable the gps would be but Tractive has amazed me. The live tracking is super accurate it has already helped me locate my dog on several occasions. Plus the tracking of minutes / sleep and leader boards are great fun. Tractive allows me to feel so much safer out hiking or in the forest. Best thing I’ve bought in a long time.
Chantal claims Tractive’s device has saved her dog’s life – twice.
We have used Tractive for a couple years now. It has actually saved our Border Collie’s life twice, when he decided to go off on an adventure to the neighbours farm. Our dog, Molson, also goes on group pack hikes with a dog hiker. Having Tractive gives us peace of mind if he were to get spooked and take off. We use it on him not only to locate where he is but also to track his steps. It lets you know roughly how many steps your breed of dog should be getting a day so we try to work towards that goal, and it keeps myself and my husband fit as well as Molson.
Amy explained why she considers Tractive the best tracker on the market.
Thumbs and paws up for the Tractive. My dog normally will stay close to me, but when that prey drive kicks in, wow, she can run. We live on 25 wooded acres, and with the Tractive, I can locate her and call her back. The device fits nicely on her collar and the ergonomic design is comfortable for her… Oh yeah, they have a replacement program too. I feel that the Tractive is the best activity and tracker device on the market as well as the best value.
Price
Tractive’s website explains that new Brexit-related regulations means Tractive can’t sell their products directly to customers in the UK. However, you can order Tractive GPS Dog 4 on Amazon UK, where it costs £44.99.
Tractive offer two different subscription models with different pricing. Their basic subscription plan can be purchased monthly (£6.99), yearly (£54.99 or £4.58 a month) and two years (£3.75 a month). Their premium subscription plan can be purchased yearly (£64.99 or £5.42 a month), two years (£4.17 a month) and five years (£3.33 a month).
Any Negatives
Tractive GPS Dog 4 doesn’t have a ring or vibrate feature like some other dog trackers that I’ve reviewed. These features can prove useful as it transforms such trackers into training devices – too.
But Tractive do offer activity monitoring and social sharing features, something which not all devices have.
I did notice a lot of reviews on Trustpilot that mentioned the battery life. However, the long-lasting battery is supposed to last for up to five days.
Tractive responded to this feedback on Trustpilot.
The expected and advertised battery life of the Tractive GPS is 2-5 days. The actual duration varies depending on factors such as cellular network coverage, GPS availability, temperature, usage, and your pet’s activity level.
Is This The Best Dog Tracker?
Tractive Dog 4 GPS is one of the leading options within the dog tracker market.
The device offers real-time tracking, a virtual fence, activity monitoring and social leaderboards.
You can check out our update guide to the best dog GPS trackers via the link below.
RELATED: The three best GPS trackers for dogs in the UK
Anything Else To Consider?
You might be wondering why you have to get a subscription plan to use Tractive Dog 4 GPS. Their website explains:
The Tractive GPS tracker continuously sends and receives GPS position data via local cellular networks, allowing you to track your pet in real time in over 150 countries worldwide. In order to make this possible, each tracker is equipped with a SIM card which generates cellular service fees similar to those of your mobile phone. Tractive only charges a small subscription fee to cover these costs.
Wrapping Up – Our Final Thoughts
Alaskan Klee Kai wearing the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
We’ve reached the end of our review of Tractive GPS Dog 4.
Tractive have created a device that can provide dog owners with everything they need to monitor their dog when in the garden or on long walks.
They’ve got a virtual fence option that allows pet parents to create a safe zone inside their home or their backyard.
Tractive have created a strong social element with leaderboards so dog owners can see how their activity compares in a global and local setting.
You can also see how your dog ranks in comparison to other members of the breed.
