I’ve Had Runner Dogs for Years — Here’s What I’d Look for in a GPS Tracker Today
Real-life pet experience and researched recommendations. This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you buy through them at no extra cost to you.
I have apparently spent a good portion of my life owning dogs who believe an open door is an invitation to adventure.
Shivers, my wire-haired dachshund, was an explorer. If the door opened, he was ready to investigate, usually following a scent and sometimes apparently looking for my son. Bella, my red dachshund, had a different strategy. She simply ran as fast as her little legs could carry her — and those little legs could carry her surprisingly far.
Ranger was a runner too, and when we lived in the country beside a county highway, getting out wasn't just frustrating. It could be dangerous.
And then there is Jaya. I've searched for that girl at lakes, through woods, around a cornfield and in more places than I care to admit. There is nothing fun about spending hours looking for your dog when you have absolutely no idea which direction she went.
Emma Sue technically runs away too, although her version seems to require an audience. She'll take off, look back to make sure I'm following, and generally keep me about ten feet behind her. Apparently running away isn't nearly as much fun if Mama isn't watching.
After living with this many escape artists, I started looking at the GPS trackers available today. I haven't personally used the trackers below, so this isn't a hands-on product review. Instead, I looked at how they actually track a dog, whether they require cell service or a subscription, and which ones make the most sense for different kinds of dogs and different kinds of adventures.
The Quick Version: Which GPS Tracker Is Best for What?
Best Everyday GPS Tracker: Tractive DOG 6
Best for Travel & Areas Without Cell Service: Aorkuler 2
Best No-Subscription Cellular Tracker: PitPat GPS
Best Lightweight Cellular Option: Pawfit 3
Best for Serious Backcountry/Hunting: Garmin Alpha T20
Tractive DOG 6 — Best Everyday GPS Tracker
For most dog owners, Tractive DOG 6 is the tracker I would look at first. It uses GPS to locate your dog and a cellular connection to send that location to the Tractive app on your phone. In Live Tracking mode, it can update your dog's location every few seconds, which could make a huge difference when you're trying to figure out whether your escape artist turned left, right or headed straight for the next county.
The DOG 6 is small enough for dogs over about 9 pounds, waterproof, and the battery can last up to about two weeks depending on how it's used. You can also create virtual fences and receive an alert if your dog leaves a designated safe area.
The important catch is that Tractive requires both a subscription and cellular coverage. The tracker can still determine its GPS position when you're away from cell service, but it needs a cellular connection to send that location to your phone. That makes it a strong choice around home, towns, campgrounds and many travel destinations — but not necessarily the tracker I'd choose if I regularly took my dog deep into areas without cell coverage.
For a dog like Ranger, living beside that county highway, the escape alert and frequent location updates are exactly the kinds of features I would have wanted. For Jaya at a lake or campground with decent cell coverage, I'd feel the same way.
What I like: Frequent live location updates, escape alerts, waterproof design and a relatively small tracker.
What I'd consider: It requires an ongoing subscription, and live tracking depends on cellular coverage.
Best for: Everyday runners and explorers in places where cellular service is generally available.
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Aorkuler 2 — Best for Travel & Areas Without Cell Service
Aorkuler 2 caught my attention for a completely different reason: it doesn't need cellular service. Instead of sending your dog's location through a cell network to an app, it uses GPS along with a direct radio connection between the tracker on your dog and a handheld controller.
That makes it particularly interesting for people who travel with their dogs to places where phone service can be unreliable or nonexistent — camping, hiking, fishing, remote lakes or rural areas. The company lists a maximum tracking range of about 3.5 miles in open terrain, although trees, hills, buildings and other obstacles can reduce that range.
There is no monthly subscription and no phone app required. The tradeoff is that you're carrying a separate handheld controller, and unlike a cellular tracker, the tracking range isn't unlimited. The tracker also has a much shorter battery life than some everyday cellular trackers, so this is something I'd think of more as equipment for an outing than something I'd simply leave on a dog for days at a time.
This is the one that interests me most for the kind of places where I've lost track of Jaya before. A GPS tracker isn't much help during a search if the feature you're depending on needs a cell tower that doesn't exist. For someone who regularly camps, hikes or spends time with a dog well outside town, I'd rather know that before buying the tracker.
What I like: No cellular service, phone app or subscription required, and it's designed specifically for tracking away from cell coverage.
What I'd consider: Limited radio range, terrain can reduce that range, a separate handheld controller is required, and battery life is shorter than many cellular trackers.
Best for: Camping, hiking, fishing, rural travel and other trips where reliable cell service isn't guaranteed.
(Affiliate Link)
PitPat GPS — Best No-Subscription Cellular Tracker
PitPat GPS sits in an interesting middle ground. Like Tractive, it uses GPS and a mobile network to report your dog's location, so you can track from your phone over long distances where cellular coverage is available. The big difference is that PitPat doesn't charge a monthly tracking subscription.
That makes it appealing if you want the convenience of phone-based GPS tracking but don't like the idea of adding another recurring bill. PitPat also includes activity monitoring, so it can track things like your dog's exercise in addition to helping locate them.
The tradeoff is the same basic one that applies to cellular trackers: you're still relying on mobile-network coverage. “No subscription” doesn't mean “no cell service required.” If your dog disappears somewhere with little or no cellular coverage, this wouldn't give me the same confidence as a direct-radio tracker like Aorkuler.
For everyday life, though, I can see the appeal. If Emma Sue decided to extend one of her ten-foot supervised escapes into an actual getaway, I'd much rather open my phone and look for her than wander around the neighborhood calling her name while she enjoyed herself.
What I like: No monthly subscription, phone-based GPS tracking, activity monitoring and long-distance tracking where cellular coverage is available.
What I'd consider: It still depends on cellular coverage, and the upfront cost is higher than some subscription-based trackers.
Best for: Someone who wants everyday phone-based GPS tracking but really doesn't want another monthly subscription.
👉 Check Price (Pending)
Pawfit 3 — Best Lightweight Cellular Option
Pawfit 3 is another cellular GPS tracker, but what stood out to me is its size. At just under an ounce, it's one of the lighter options I researched, which could matter quite a bit if your escape artist happens to be a small dog.
Like Tractive, Pawfit uses GPS along with a cellular network to send your dog's location to an app. It offers live tracking, safety-zone alerts and location history, and it can also monitor activity. Pawfit says the battery can last up to about eight days depending on use.
It does require a subscription, so this isn't the option I'd choose simply to avoid a recurring bill. And because it relies on cellular service, it has the same limitation as other app-based cellular trackers when you're somewhere without coverage.
But weight matters. Something that seems perfectly reasonable on a 30-pound dog like Jaya can feel very different on a little dog like Emma Sue. If I were shopping specifically for a smaller dog and wanted cellular GPS tracking, Pawfit would be one I'd compare closely with Tractive.
What I like: Lightweight design, live GPS tracking, safety-zone alerts, activity monitoring and several days of battery life.
What I'd consider: A subscription is required, and tracking depends on cellular coverage.
Best for: Smaller dogs whose owners want app-based cellular GPS tracking without putting a heavier device on their collar.
(Affiliate Link)
Garmin Alpha T20 — Best for Serious Backcountry/Hunting
Garmin's Alpha T20 is in an entirely different category from the everyday pet trackers above. It's designed for serious outdoor and hunting use, where dogs may be working far from their owners and well outside cellular coverage.
Instead of depending on a cell network, the T20 communicates by VHF radio with a compatible Garmin handheld device. Depending on the setup and conditions, Garmin lists tracking range of up to about nine miles. Battery life can also stretch far beyond the smaller trackers, especially when using extended tracking modes.
There are two big catches: price and equipment. The collar itself costs several hundred dollars, and you also need a compatible Garmin handheld, which can cost considerably more. For someone whose biggest concern is a dog slipping out the front door, this would be serious overkill.
But I wanted to include it because not every runaway-dog situation happens in a neighborhood. Hunters, people who spend significant time in remote backcountry, and owners whose dogs routinely work or roam far from them may need something much more substantial than an app-based pet tracker.
What I like: Long-range tracking without cellular service, rugged outdoor design and significantly longer battery options.
What I'd consider: Expensive, requires a compatible handheld device, and far more equipment than most everyday pet owners need.
Best for: Hunters, working dogs and serious backcountry users who need long-range tracking where cellular service may not exist.
(Affiliate Link)
Which GPS Tracker Would I Choose?
If I were choosing one for everyday life with a runner, Tractive DOG 6 is probably where I'd start. The escape alerts and frequent location updates make the most sense for the kind of everyday situations I've dealt with over the years.
But if I were regularly traveling with Jaya to lakes, campgrounds or remote areas where cell service might disappear, I'd look much harder at Aorkuler 2. A cellular tracker can have tremendous range when it has service, but that advantage doesn't help much when there isn't a cell signal available.
For me, that's really the biggest lesson from comparing these trackers: don't choose one based only on price, range or a long list of features. Think about where your dog is most likely to get away from you. The best tracker for a dog who slips out the front door may be completely different from the best one for a dog who disappears into the woods.
I've spent enough hours looking for dogs in my lifetime. If technology can make the next search shorter — or help prevent one altogether — I'm all for it.