9 best dog trackers 2023 UK; GPS, activity and behavioural trackers | The Sun

WITH the best dog tracker to keep tabs on your most beloved pet, you don't need to fret next time they do a runner in the park.

You can attach a stylish disc to your pooch's collar, download an accompanying app, and find out all sorts of information about your four-legged companion.

Dog trackers aren't just about locating dogs or finding their favourite hangouts either.

They can be used to track your dog's daily exercise, distance travelled and can even be a useful weight management tool to help your pup stay healthy.

While there are various dog trackers on the market to target specific needs, from behavioural monitors to GPS models for dogs that like to explore far and wide, you don't need to invest in a dog-specific tracker to monitor your pooch.

Tile Pro trackers, for instance, are cost-effective and are commonly used to help locate phones or keys, but attach one to your pooch's collar and it can also effectively reunite owners with lost dogs quickly and easily.

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Bonus: this can also help you find any dog paraphernalia like leads that you happen to lose on a semi-regular basis around the house.

Read on for our ultimate selection of the best dog trackers in the UK for 2023.

Best dog trackers at a glance:

• Best dog fitness tracker: PitPat Dog Activity and Fitness Monitor
• Best on a budget dog tracker: Tile Mate Bluetooth Item Finder
• Best GPS dog tracker: Tractive GPS DOG 4
• Best dog behaviour monitor: SureFlap Petcare Animo dog tracker
• Best subscription-based dog activity tracker: Pawfit 2 Pet GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor

PitPat Dog Activity and Fitness Monitor

• PitPat Dog Activity Monitor and Fitness Tracker, £39 from Amazon – buy here

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This waterproof dog fitness tracker displays your dog's daily activity, rest, distance and calories to help manage your furry friend's weight.

Owners can set and track goals and get achievement badges via a dedicated app.

The tracker slips easily onto any harness or collar – and the battery has a very long life of more than a year. Plus, it can easily be replaced when needed.

Specs – Size: 34 x 32 x 15 mm Battery life: 1 year + Subscription: No

Tile Mate Bluetooth Item Finder

• Tile Mate Bluetooth Item Finder, £19.98 from Amazon – buy here

A favourite amongst shoppers for helping locate lost keys or phones, the Tile Mate uses Bluetooth connectivity.

It has a 250-foot range, is water-resistant and can slip onto a dog's collar with ease.

While not explicitly designed for dog tracking, you can use it if necessary – it's helped reunite dogs and owners in the past, thanks to the Tile app.

Specs – Size: 35 x 6 x 35 mm Connectivity: Bluetooth Subscription: No

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Best GPS dog tracker: Tractive GPS DOG 4

• Tractive GPS DOG 4 Dog Tracker, £29.29 (on offer) from Amazon – buy here

The Tractive tracker works for tracking dogs, valuables, cars and more.

It allows you to track Fido in real time and add virtual fences, meaning it alerts you in real time if your dog wanders off too far. It's also ultra-lightweight and waterproof.

Since it works via GPS and had unlimited range, you will need a monthly subscription to use this tracker. Prices start from £4 per month for the two-year subscription, £5 for the yearly option, and £10 if you choose to pay monthly.

Specs – Size: ‎2.8 x 7.1 x 1.7 cm Battery life: 3-10 days Connectivity: Cellular/ GPS Subscription: Yes

SureFlap Petcare Animo dog tracker

• SureFlap Animo Activity and Behaviour Monitor, for £29.95 from Pets at Home – buy here

SureFlap's Animo tracker helps to monitor your dog's day-to-day activity patterns and behaviour, helping to alert owners to any changes which could indicate underlying stress or illness.

The collar-mounted monitor tracks activity and exercise, calories burnt, sleep and any elevation in barking, scratching or shaking.

Battery life is around six months, and the app will warn you when you need to order a replacement.

Specs – Size: ‎14 x 10 x 2.5cm Battery life: 6 months (non-rechargeable)

Safer Pet GPS Dog Tracker

• Safer Pet GPS Dog Tracker, £29.99 from Amazon – buy here

This affordable live GPS location tracker has been praised by reviewers for its easy setup and effectiveness at keeping track of pets – it even plays an audible sound to listen out for if your dog is nearby.

It's splash-proof, offers activity monitoring for your pup, and is available from £3.33 a month, which supports three users on a single subscription.

Specs – Size: ‎‎4.9 x 3.3 x 1.5 cm Connectivity: Cellular/ GPS Subscription: Yes

Pawfit 2 Pet GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor

• Pawfit 2 Pet GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor, £54.99 from Amazon – buy here

The Pawfit 2 per tracker works across Wi-Fi, GPS and mobile network to give you the most accurate tracking possible.

The device is fully waterproof (up to three meters) and comes with various activity and tracking monitoring features, including text-to-speech technology used to broadcast your pet's ID to anyone pressing its power button.

It's a high-tech little unit that will give you serious peace of mind.

Subscription prices start at £5.79 per month.

Specs – Size: ‎‎4.8 x 3.3 x 1.4 cm Battery life: Up to 6 days Connectivity: Cellular/ GPS Subscription: Yes

Kippy Evo GPS Tracker and Activity Monitor

• Kippy Evo GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor, £36.87 from Amazon – buy here

The Kippy Evo GPS Tracker is one of the lightest and most compact gadgets on this list, weighing only 38g and measuring 3.7 x 2.2 x 5.5cm.

It also comes with several activity monitoring capabilities, including your pet's steps, minutes, running, playing time, sleep and calories burned. The tracker automatically compares data with official parameters by the Veterinary University, to make sure your dog is healthy.

Oh, and it offers geofencing, too, with subscription prices starting at £7.99 per month.

Specs – Size: ‎‎5.5 x 2.2 cm Battery life: Up to 7 days Connectivity: Cellular/ GPS/Bluetooth Subscription: Yes

Weenect Dog GPS tracker

• Weenect Dog GPS tracker, £39.98 from Amazon – buy here

The Weenect Dog GPS tracker comes with all the features you'd expect from a tracker in this price range, and then some.

Specifically, the device can be set up to ring or vibrate at each mealtime so that your dog associates the two events, meaning your pet will then come back to you every time it rings or vibrates.

You'll have to pay a minimum of £9.99 per month or £134.99 per three years (£3.75 per month) to use this GPS tracker, but for the amount of features you get, we'd argue it's good value for money.

Specs – Size: ‎‎2.3 x 1 x 5.8 cm Battery life: Up to 3 days Connectivity: Cellular/ GPS Subscription: Yes

New Apple AirTag

• New Apple AirTag, £29 from Amazon – buy here

Let's get this out of the way: Apple AirTags are not GPS trackers. They work remarkably well if you're trying to find something close by via Bluetooth, but beyond that, the results are a mixed bag.

This is because AirTags rely on the network of iPhones around you to pinpoint your items, so the more iPhones around you, the easier it will be to find your Apple trackers.

Still, if you usually walk your dog in places with many people, attaching an AirTag device to their collar could be a good option.

Specs – Size: ‎‎8.3 x 1.2 x 10.4 cm Connectivity: Bluetooth Subscription: No

Can you put a tracker on a dog?

Yes, you can. Most dog trackers are built to be attached to their collars.

The majority of them are also quite small and light, not to weigh on your Fido's neck excessively. Generally speaking, a light tracker is a good tracker.

Most of these devices use a mix of Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular data to locate your dogs. They then display location and other information via dedicated smartphone apps.

Where to buy dog trackers?

Here are some of the best retailers to buy dog trackers online:

• Amazon
• Pets at Home
• Garmin
• Tractive
• Argos
• eBay

What is the best dog tracker?

All the dog trackers on this list are valid options, and they offer slightly different features and app interfaces.

However, our pick out of these is the PitPat Dog Activity and Fitness Monitor.

The device has over 1,500 positive reviews on Amazon, an affordable price, and long(ish)-range capabilities without needing a subscription.

If you do need to track your four-legged best friend over longer distances, however, we recommend either the Pawfit 2 Pet GPS Tracker & Activity Monitor or the Kippy Evo, both valid options well worth their subscription price.

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How much do dog trackers cost?

There are different types of dog trackers with different features and connectivity methods but on average a dog tracker should cost around £30-40.

Remember there may be a monthly additional cost for a subscription for some dog trackers.

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