Tractive Opinions: Is This GPS Canine Tracker Dependable?
Photograph by Sadie Cornelius for Canine Journal, © Cowl Story Media, Inc. 2024.
Rising up, my dad and mom all the time let our miniature poodle, Duffy, run by the streets of our small city. Duffy traveled right here, there, all over the place, and my household would repeatedly get calls from the neighbors when he strayed previous town limits.
Often, after such adventures, Duffy would come residence with a brand new “toy” or significantly putrid odor, and I’d surprise, “The place have you ever been?” I may have actually used a GPS collar to trace his adventures.
I do know what you’re pondering. Sure, letting your canine roam free isn’t secure—even when you stay in a rural space. Please, please, please be a accountable canine proprietor and preserve your pup from wandering round your neighborhood. That being mentioned, there are nonetheless many advantages to buying a GPS collar on your pet.
Our staff has examined and reviewed one of the vital standard pet trackers available on the market, the Tractive GPS and well being tracker. We break down the important thing options, execs, cons, subscription plans, and extra.
Tractive Overview
Product Identify: Tractive
Product Description: Tractive is a GPS and well being tracker for canines.
Abstract
Tractive GPS trackers for canines mix incredible location accuracy with extra wellness monitoring options at an affordable value. LIVE monitoring updates your pet’s location each 2 to three seconds so you’ll be able to see precisely the place their heading. It’s also possible to arrange digital fences to obtain a textual content alert when your pup leaves a particular space. Bonus options embody sleep and exercise insights (e.g., in case your pet is much less energetic than ordinary).
Execs
- Makes use of GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo natigation methods to find out canine’s location
- LTE, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity
- Geofencing characteristic to create digital perimeter
- Two sizes out there
- Light-weight
- 100% waterproof
- Two-year guarantee
- High quality cellular app
Cons
- Requires month-to-month subscription
- Premium subscription required for worldwide protection, location historical past, household sharing, and GPS information export
- Could also be much less correct indoors because of GPS interference
10 Key Options
- Stay monitoring: Tractive’s real-time monitoring enables you to monitor your canine’s actions by way of your cellular app.
- Radar mode: Faucet the app’s Radar button, and lights and sounds will information you to your pet’s location.
- Digital fence: Set as much as 5 geofences to obtain alerts when your canine enters or exits a selected space.
- Location historical past and territory monitoring: Tractive’s premium subscription features a 1-year location historical past to see your canine’s earlier routes.
- Wellness and exercise monitoring: Tractive’s well being monitoring consists of sleep and exercise degree insights to offer your canine an general wellness rating. You’ll be able to see how your pup performs in comparison with others by checking the Tractive leaderboard.
- Well being alerts: Obtain electronic mail notifications of modifications to your canine’s sleep and exercise minutes.
- GPS information export: With Tractive’s premium subscription, you’ll be able to share a monitoring hyperlink with neighbors, pet sitters, and associates who don’t have a Tractive account.
- Household sharing: Tractive’s premium subscription permits a number of customers to view your pet’s monitoring information after they create a free account.
- Waterproof: Tractive calls its tracker “100% journey and waterproof.” It may be protected for half-hour in as much as 1 meter of water.
- Limitless vary with premium plan.
How Does The Tractive GPS Tracker Work?
The tracker makes use of a mixture of satellite tv for pc navigation and Bluetooth to find and monitor your furry buddy.
GPS and different satellite tv for pc navigation decide your canine’s location after they’re farther from residence. The tracker connects to LTE by way of the built-in SIM card to seek out your canine’s location inside a limiteless vary. This implies you’ll be able to see the place your pet spends their time, even if you’re out of state, on a trip, or work journey.
The tracker additionally permits for Bluetooth communication. It shifts into Bluetooth mode if you’re nearer in proximity to your pup to assist pinpoint their precise location utilizing lights and sound. In Bluetooth mode, you’ll be able to even “ring” your canine’s collar to steer your self to your wandering pup. This characteristic is a superb software to discover a hidden pet.
Tractive additionally affords a power-saving mode when related to trusted Wi-Fi networks. On this mode, sure options—like stay monitoring—are paused to increase battery life.
Tractive Fashions For Canines
Tractive sells two fashions for canines. Select between the smaller DOG 4 or the DOG XL / Journey, which options an prolonged battery life and protecting cowl.
DOG 4
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The Tractive DOG 4 comes with a rubber fastener, a clip charger, and a USB-C cable. Tractive affords three shade choices: brown, darkish blue, and white.
The gadget is slender and light-weight, permitting for normal put on. It’s appropriate for puppies and canines as small as 9 kilos.
Tech Specs
- Weight: 1.2 oz
- Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.1 x 0.7 in
- Appropriate for canines weighing 8.8 lbs and above
- As much as 10 days with out charging
- IPX7 waterproof
Pricing
- Worth
$49.99
DOG XL / Journey
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Tractive created the DOG XL / Journey for pets above 50 kilos. This tracker comes with a rubber clip mount and charging cable. You'll be able to select between the usual for on a regular basis use or the journey addition, which encompasses a robust fiberglass casing.
This mannequin is heavier however affords prolonged battery life—as much as one month with out charging.
Tech Specs
- Weight: 3.2 oz
- Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.0 x 0.9 in
- For canines above 50 lbs
- As much as 1 month with out charging
- IPX7 waterproof
- Journey version options bite-proof fiberglass casing
Pricing
Tractive Subscription Plans
Tractive’s built-in SIM card requires a month-to-month subscription plan. The SIM card lets the collar hook up with a mobile community, so you'll be able to obtain notifications of your pet’s whereabouts in your telephone.
Tractive additionally affords the Tractive Care plan, which protects customers in opposition to loss, injury, and theft. The plan begins at $2 per thirty days for a 12 months.
Tractive GPS Canine Tracker Opinions
We share our critiques of the Tractive GPS Canine tracker, together with private experiences from our doggy testers, Barley, Lily, and Georgie.
Getting Began
Photograph by Sadie Cornelius for Canine Journal, © Cowl Story Media, Inc. 2024.
Establishing the Tractive gadget is simple; the app guides you thru a lot of the course of. It's also possible to view Tractive’s quick-start guides by mannequin on Tractive’s web site.
Begin by charging the gadget, which takes at the least two hours. The LED mild on the tracker will flip crimson whereas the battery is charging. The crimson mild will flip off as soon as the battery absolutely costs.
As soon as the gadget finishes charging, press the ability button for 3 seconds to activate the tracker. Then, obtain the Tractive GPS app in your smartphone by way of Apple’s App Retailer or the Google Play Retailer. Observe the directions within the Tractive app to activate your tracker.
For the tracker to begin working, you’ll want an energetic subscription plan. You'll be able to enter the pay as you go activation code when you bought a plan when shopping for the tracker. In any other case, you should purchase a plan throughout gadget set-up.
When you’ve activated your account, you'll be able to fine-tune your pet’s profile to incorporate their title, breed, start date, peak, weight, and gender. It's also possible to arrange digital fences to obtain notifications when your pup leaves or enters a selected geographic space.
Is The Tractive GPS Canine Tracker Good?
Tractive is a worldwide chief within the pet monitoring market, and our staff agrees. We selected Tractive as our finest GPS canine collar and our price selection for the finest sensible canine collar and canine exercise monitor.
Understand that the Tractive GPS tracker could not work for everybody. The Tractive collar received’t work correctly if you're in a distant location with a poor mobile connection. A radio frequency tracker or another GPS tracker that doesn’t depend on a cell connection could be a greater choice.
Our Private Expertise With Tractive
Photograph by Sadie Cornelius for Canine Journal, © Cowl Story Media, Inc. 2024.
Our canine has been utilizing Tractive for years, and we adore it! The tracker matches on his harness and lasts for a number of weeks with no recharge. I get notified (on my Apple watch) when he leaves his “Protected Zone” when on walks after which returns again residence. That method, I do know if/when my husband is strolling him and I’m not residence. We don’t use the heatmap or stats that usually, however I ought to actually make the most of that information extra to remain motivated on walks. I’m extra involved about monitoring his location by way of GPS.
– Sadie Cornelius, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Mother or father & Inventive And Content material Advertising and marketing For Canine Journal
Our canines like to hike with us, and Tractive is nice at telling us the place and what number of minutes our canines have been energetic as soon as we related to a cell sign or WiFi. It even reveals their whereabouts visually on an in depth map. If our canine obtained misplaced in a populated space that was effectively served by cell service, this product could be an amazing assist! Nonetheless, the GPS wouldn’t hook up with the app after we didn’t have a cell sign throughout our mountain hikes, so the software would show unhelpful in the event that they obtained misplaced throughout our off-the-grid adventures. And, whereas it tracks the minutes of exercise, the information is much less detailed than with conventional exercise trackers.
– Michelle Schenker, Rescue Canine Mother or father, Licensed Insurance coverage Skilled & Canine Journal Author
Often Requested Questions
Listed below are some questions our staff regularly will get requested in regards to the Tractive GPS tracker for canines. Don’t see yours? Ask us within the feedback.
How Far Away Does Tractive Work?
The tracker’s vary is limitless so long as there's an out there mobile community. Tractive gadgets at present work in 150+ nations.
Does Tractive Work With out A Subscription?
The Tractive has a built-in SIM card that makes use of cellular networks to ship you your pet’s location data. You will need to pay a subscription to make use of this service. Tractive’s Bluetooth options may fit with no subscription, however you received’t be capable of entry your canine’s GPS location.
How Do You Cancel A Tractive Subscription?
Tractive affords a money-back assure inside 30 days of buying your subscription. To cancel your subscription, go to my.tractive.com and log in to your account. From there, choose Trackers & Subscription Plans. Decide your tracker, choose Subscription Plan, after which click on Cancel Subscription Plan.
Gear For Touring With Your Canine
Do you journey along with your doggo? A monitoring gadget like Tractive ensures you realize the place your canine is always. We have now loads of different suggestions for pet journey gear, together with transportable water bottles and crates. Ensure that to additionally take a look at our ideas for flying and vacationing along with your pup.
Why Belief Canine Journal?
Tara is a part of the Canine Journal staff, which has over a decade of expertise researching, testing, and writing about something and all the things dog-related. Most of our staff members are lifelong canine house owners and may present private insights on every subject we cowl. For this text, Tara spent 2+ hours researching Tractive monitoring gadgets and used private suggestions from different members of the Canine Journal staff.