Your new companion: the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs review

Never lose your pet again with LIVE tracking technology...

Did you know that one in three pets go missing at one point in their lives? July is Lost Pet Prevention month, but sadly this is a year-round problem that pet owners face.

Tractive GPS trackers for pets - dogs and cats - offer a solution to this by using GPS LIVE tracking technology so that you can see exactly where your four-legged pal is at all times. By simply fitting the GPS Tracker to your pet's collar and downloading the Tractive GPS App on your phone, you can have access to their location in real-time — providing you with peace of mind anywhere, anytime. The Tractive GPS App also gives you the option to set up virtual ‘safe zones’ in an area of your choice. If your pet strays out of this zone, you’ll immediately receive an alert on your smartphone and can act before your pet is too far away.

User Angela was able to save her dog’s life by using Tractive's GPS tracker for dogs:

"My dogs were outside playing and I noticed that one of my dogs hadn't moved on the GPS for 15-20 min. Using the tracker app, I was able to find her. She had fallen through ice on a creek that runs behind my home and was unable to get herself out. She was shaking uncontrollably with only her face sticking out of the water. I was able to pull her out of the water. If it hadn't been for the tracker, I would not have noticed that she was in danger."

What is Tractive?

But before we delve in and tell you everything about this great GPS tracker for pets, let’s give some context about the company. Tractive is the Austrian company that specializes in pet wearables, that created and sells the Tractive GPS pet tracker that we’re talking about in this quick product review. 

How does Tractive’s GPS tracker for pets work?

Although we’ve summarised that quickly in the intro for this article, this GPS pet tracker is a small unit that you attach to any collar or harness - it works for dogs, cats and any other pet you have that spends time outdoors - and which tracks their location using GPS satellites. The company claims they have 25 feet accuracy, depending on the environment and the number of satellites available at the moment. In any case, you can check where your furry friend is on your phone or via their website and go get them if they’ve wandered off too far from home. 

In case your four-legged friend likes swimming and going for dips, you’ll be glad to know that the Tractive GPS dog tracker is waterproof. No need to worry anytime you’re near a body of water then.

To use Tractive, on top of buying the GPS pet tracker, you’ll need one of their two subscription plans - Basic or Premium. One is cheaper than the other, but that is because the Premium plan has more features. Price starts at $9.95/month (for the Basic) and go up to $299.49 (for a 5-year Premium subscription). Here’s a quick comparison of what they include: 

Tractive Basic Subscription Plan features

• GPS tracking (2-60 minute intervals)
• Unlimited LIVE Tracking (2-3 second intervals)

Tractive Premium Subscription Plan features

• GPS tracking (2-60 minute intervals)
• Unlimited LIVE Tracking (2-3 second intervals)
• Public & Family Sharing
• Worldwide Coverage
• 365 days location history
• GPS Data Export
• PREMIUM Customer service

Range and battery life of Tractive GPS pet tracker

Basically, you can check on your dog - or feline friend - from anywhere in the world, no matter where you are. That is because this pet tracker uses the mobile network for data transfer between the device on your pet’s collar and your phone. It’s seamless, straightforward and reliable. 

In term of battery life, Tractive promises up to 5 days. However, that will depend a lot on how you use this GPS pet tracker. You’re likely to have shorter battery times if you go for long hikes every day with the Live Tracking mode on, than if you just go for a quick walk in your local park two or three times a day. You’ll have to recharge it every now and then, but the app will send you a notification when the battery is low and also let you know once it’s fully charged. Charging your Tractive GPS pet tracker takes between 2 and 3 hours. 

Tractive GPS Tracker - More than just preventing lost pets

Even more good news — the Tractive GPS Tracker for pets can be located accurately and reliably around the world, meaning when you’re away from your pet on your holiday, you can still be connected. 

For devoted pet-owners, planning a trip away can be made even more stressful when you begin to think about being separated from your pet and where they may roam without you. Likewise, when on a sit, it can be just as anxiety-inducing when you’re caring for a pet whose habits you’re not used to - whether you’ve let a particularly energetic pup off the lead on their walk, or seeking the whereabouts of an inquisitive kitty, you can be assured of their safety 24/7 with the Tractive GPS Tracker.

Not just for GPS tracking

As well as giving you peace of mind that they’re safe, Tractive GPS pet trackers also let you monitor your pet’s activity levels, meaning you can gain insight into the reality of how much exercise they’re really getting, so you can ensure they’re as active as they should be. Or make use of the History & Heatmap features to see how far they roam on their own and where their favourite places are.

Aside from the Tractive GPS App which was used to activate the GPS Tracker itself, Tractive also provides a Tractive Dog Walk App. You can download this and use it to track your dog walk and record their behaviour. TrustedHousesitters’ Chief Operations Officer, Georgina, put this to the test with her dog, Dudley, and found the app easy to download on the move and the results interesting…

‘I thought the Tractive GPS app was great, and I downloaded the Tractive Dog Walking app to use when I was out walking. This additional app was also brilliant, really cool and good for taking photos during a dog walk, logging their behaviour... and being able to see how far they travel off lead is fascinating!’

Get to know how active your pet really is

As well as giving you peace of mind that they’re safe, Tractive GPS dog and cat trackers also let you monitor your pet’s activity levels, meaning you can gain insight into the reality of how much exercise they’re really getting, so you can ensure they’re as active as they should be. Or, simply use the feature to see how far they roam on their own!

Share with family and friends... or sitters!

Tractive GPS tracking for pets isn’t confined to just one user. Your friends, family or even your sitter, can access your pet’s live location using the Public Share feature. 

Stay better connected with your pet

If you’re leaving your fur family while you go on holiday or if you’re caring for someone else’s beloved pet, we want all of our members to feel as comfortable as possible. The Tractive GPS Tracker and App can be a great tool to offer peace of mind, as well as, extra reassurance that your pet is where you expect them to be. What else could you ask for?

Find out more information about Tractive GPS pet tracker or buy your cat or dog Tracker here. You’re going to love it!