GPS Tracking for Dogs

History

• The technology necessary to make GPS units small enough to fit on a dog's collar has advanced considerably in the last 50 years. The first GPS units were used by the military exclusively and when they launched the satellites in the 1960s, the receiving units were the size of a shoe box. With the passage of time, Units are now small and lightweight, and have far more functionality than the early GPS units did.

Types

• Some of the GPS units designed for athletes are small enough to attach to a dog's collar. These not only keep track of the location of the dog, they also collect data that can be downloaded to a computer so that the dog's owner can see how far the dog went, how fast the dog walked or ran, and the dog's pulse rate.

  Some GPS units specifically made for dog collars just track the dog's location which for the average dog owner offers many benefits since they always know where their dog is.

Potential

• Dog trainers, sled dog racers, hunting dogs, and dog racers and their trainers now have specific ways to measure their dog's performance and work with them just as a human trainer would work with an athlete. They can measure the benefits of the exercise routines, the type of training they use for the dogs, and evaluate its impact on the speed and agility of the dog.

  Sled dog enthusiasts also benefit by knowing exactly where they are while they are in the wilderness, an important benefit in case they need assistance or a quick rescue in inclement weather or in case of an accident.

GPS Versus Microchips

• GPS units for dogs are entirely different than the microchips that can be embedded just under a dog's skin. Microchips are less expensive than the GPS units but will not locate a dog using any kind of a satellite signal. They work when a stray dog is located and taken to a vet's office or a animal shelter where the workers can scan the dog and learn who the dog's owner is and how to contact him. GPS units, on the other hand, can pinpoint the dog's location.

Benefits

• Knowing exactly where a dog is at all times is the biggest benefit for dog owners. Pet owners or those who use working dogs for any purpose appreciate the ability to locate their animals. Owners may have a strong attachment to their pet or a great deal of time and money invested in the animal, in which case losing the dog would pose an emotional or financial hardship. People who leave their dogs at home, but outdoors, can also check to see where their dog is at all times, providing a comfort level for them and an early alert system should the dog range out of the permitted territory.