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GPS dog trackers truly go the distance when monitoring pets’ activity and offering real-time updates. Although Bluetooth trackers — the small devices often marketed for finding keys, wallets, or luggage — are helpful in finding close-range objects, they don’t measure up to GPS’ precision, versatility, and features.
Tractive, a palm-sized GPS tracking device, is engineered with dogs’ safety in mind. Simply attach the tracker to your dog’s collar or harness and get minute-by-minute updates about your dog’s exact location through the app. The device operates on a global scale by connecting to your phone’s mobile network and using GPS satellites to keep tabs on your dog.
Bluetooth-enabled trackers are sometimes repurposed for pets. But unlike pet GPS trackers such as Tractive, they don’t provide real-time location data and have several limitations, making them inadvisable for pets.
With Tractive, you’ll never find yourself endlessly calling your dog’s name at the park or worrying about what they’re doing while you’re at work. With its real-time escape alerts, health monitoring, and location history, Tractive offers security with each step your dog takes.
GPS Trackers Have No Limits
GPS and Bluetooth trackers use different technologies to send and receive data.
Bluetooth-enabled trackers emit short-wavelength UHF radio waves to transmit information over short distances. Since most indoor devices have a maximum range of 33 feet, a Bluetooth tracker may work in small spaces, like an apartment or condo. However, once your dog is “out of range,” you’ll lose connectivity. You often may see a “Last seen…” notification that shows the time the connection was lost, rather than the precise time your dog ventured off.
It’s important to note that Bluetooth-enabled trackers don’t know their locations, as they have no GPS. Instead, they relay the positions of compatible smartphones within a 30-foot range.
GPS technology has no boundaries. They work globally using GPS satellites and transmitting data using LTE, the same innovation that gives your cellphone “signal.” Inside your Tractive device is a SIM card that links to all major networks, ensuring a strong 24/7 connection.
What makes Tractive unique is that it works in almost 200 countries, is compatible with hundreds of cellular networks, and will connect to the strongest cellular provider in any given area. Other dog tracker brands often work with a single cellular network in comparison, meaning that coverage is likely to be spottier in certain areas where that network is less active. Tractive works across county lines, states, and in more than 175 countries with over 500 cellphone providers.
Pros and Cons of GPS and Bluetooth Dog Trackers
Bluetooth-enabled item tracking devices — commonly sold by various brands to be used for keeping tabs on valuable possessions like car keys or a backpack — may not be a reliable solution for pet safety compared to dedicated, pet-specific GPS trackers. In fact, the manufacturers of these kinds of item trackers note that they aren’t designed to track living things, whether they be pets, children, or adults.
Additionally, Bluetooth trackers can be cost-effective for finding misplaced household items, but when it comes to tracking pets or anything in motion, many users report frustrating limitations. By contrast, pet GPS trackers are purpose-built for pets and are typically more reliable, accurate, and versatile
Consider the following about GPS dog trackers versus Bluetooth trackers:
- The area that the Bluetooth-enabled trackers indicate is a radius of around 100 feet, which is often problematic in neighborhoods with houses, cars, or obstacles. On top of this, they cannot connect to their “Find” feature until the owner is within 30 feet of the tag, which again is difficult when the area is 3x times that. In the case of Tractive, live GPS tracking is accurate to within 25 ft, even in busy environments.
- Safety should always be a top priority when adventuring outdoors with your dog, even if you’ve hiked the same dusty trail a million times. In the event that you’re separated, Tractive will ensure you remain connected through the app. If your phone has no cellular connection in the wilderness, once the tracker regains connection, it will transmit the GPS positions it detected while offline, which can be seen in Location History. Bluetooth-enabled trackers would be useless in these scenarios, as there are likely no compatible smartphones within 30 feet of the tracker to ping off of.
- The location shown for a Bluetooth tracker is of the nearby smartphone which has pinged the device, not the device itself. Thus, if your dog had one of these devices on, walked down the middle of the street past several houses on each side, they could appear to be zigzagging from each side of the street, displaying the locations of nearby smartphones.
Search-and-rescue dogs, commercial herding dogs, and K9 units are all tracked with the same GPS technology utilized by Tractive. In fact, many organizations work with Tractive, which provides free GPS trackers to pet welfare groups.
GPS Trackers Make Setting Multiple Boundaries Possible
The world is a different place for every dog, and you want to offer as much freedom as possible without risking their safety. If you want to keep certain parts of your home off-limits (such as the basement), Bluetooth tracking devices may prove beneficial. They’re fairly simple, short-range devices that rely on a paired connection.
GPS trackers offer the most precision. Tractive offers comprehensive coverage because its trackers triangulate data from multiple sources. This allows you to create multiple boundaries both inside and outside of your home. It also allows you to take a more active role in reinforcing off-limit zones inside your home during your dog’s training phase. When your dog enters or exits one of these zones, you will immediately receive a notification to your phone.
GPS Doesn’t Rely on Paired Devices
In the Tractive app, you can get tons of information about your dog’s location, where they’ve been, and how far they’ve traveled. While your phone is technically connected to the tracker, this isn’t the same as when a Bluetooth tracker is paired with another device.
You must be within distance of a Bluetooth-enabled device for it to work. In theory, if you lose your phone while it’s connected to your dog’s Bluetooth tracker, you would have a hard time viewing that data — and by extension, your dog’s location. The same doesn’t apply to GPS because it’s connected to multiple satellites and pinging off nearby cellphone towers.
You can log into your Tractive account on any device, at any time, to check your dog’s location. With the basic subscription, you can access unlimited live tracking and real-time GPS updates, as well as health updates, including your dog’s heart rate, respiratory, and sleep data. With the premium subscription, you get those features, along with family sharing options, 365-day location history, and GPS data reports.
GPS Dog Trackers Overshadow Bluetooth
Bluetooth-enabled trackers are popular tracking devices because they’re small, boast a long battery life, and compatible with various smartphones. While useful for stationary objects, they’re not necessarily the best choice for monitoring dogs’ activity and location due to a range of factors, such as:
- GPS works efficiently in remote places, unlike Bluetooth, which relies on other users connected to the internet
- GPS updates every few seconds, regardless of location, whereas Bluetooth only offers updates based on when it was last in range with a paired device
- Other wireless devices can obstruct or interfere with a Bluetooth-enabled device’s signal. For example, if someone accidentally tries to pair with your dog’s collar, this could sever your connection and cause you to lose signal
Tractive uses a lot of data from satellites and LTE to track your dog’s real-time location without the risk of disruptions, interference, and outdated coordinates.
Is Tractive Right for Your Dog?
Waterproof, bite-proof, and small enough to fit in your pocket, Tractive sets the gold standard for monitoring your dog’s location and allowing for a speedy recovery if you get separated. But, make no mistake: these are more than tracking devices. They share many similarities to smartwatches, offering insight into your dog’s heart rate, respiratory function, and even any changes to their bark!
While you’ll need to activate your tracker with a subscription due to its integrated SIM card, Tractive offers extremely competitive pricing, with plans ranging from $5 to $10 per month.
Tractive is a Smart GPS tracker for dogs and cats that lets you monitor your pet’s location and health in real time. It offers live tracking, virtual fences with instant escape alerts, and insights into your pet’s activity, sleep, and overall health—all accessible through a mobile app. Lightweight, waterproof, and subscription-based with an integrated SIM card, Tractive helps keep pets safe and owners connected, no matter where they are.