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Checklist2 min read

Best GPS for dogs: how to choose one

The best dog GPS is the one that fits your dog and how you use it: town, countryside, a dog that escapes, a small breed. Here is how to choose for your situation.

By Bixar team · updated

A grey pointer sitting, the Bixar Phoenix tracker on its collar, against a sage green background

In brief

  1. No GPS is “the best” for every dog: it all depends on size, where you walk and your budget.
  2. A 4G GPS is the only one that tracks a dog far away in real time.
  3. Mobile coverage where you walk matters more than the figures on the product sheet.
  4. Compare the total cost over several years, connectivity included.

When you search for “best GPS for dogs”, you hope for a ranking. There is no single answer: a GPS suited to a Labrador that heads off into the forest isn’t necessarily right for a Chihuahua that lives in a flat. Here is how to narrow things down for your situation.

Choosing for your situation
  • Walks in townThe network is dense: 4G is reliable, accuracy in the street matters.
  • Countryside and forestCheck mobile coverage on your paths before buying.
  • A dog that escapesSafe zones with exit alerts and live tracking.
  • Small breedThe weight of the device relative to the dog’s.
  • BudgetThe total cost over two or three years, not the price of the device.

Start with the technology

Only a 4G GPS tracks a dog far away in real time: it works out its position and sends it over the mobile network. A Bluetooth tracker only works near a phone. Our guide AirTag or GPS for dogs details the difference. If your dog may wander off, this is the first filter.

Then check what really matters

Four criteria make the difference: network coverage where you walk, real battery life, weight relative to your dog’s size, and waterproofing. Our guide how to choose a dog GPS details them one by one. To put figures on these criteria, see our dog and cat GPS comparison: prices, subscriptions and battery life.

The full cost

4G connectivity always has a cost, whether it is billed by subscription or included in the price. Compare the total over two or three years. See Dog GPS without a subscription.

The steps

The steps to choose

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An example: the Bixar 4G GPS

The Bixar Phoenix 4G GPS is a 32 g, IP67-certified 4G tracker that clips onto its collar. It offers real-time position, safe zones with alerts, walk history and remote ringing. It comes in two editions: 1 year of 4G included, or 4G included with no annual renewal. It is one option among others: check it against the list above, like any product.

A grey pointer wears the Bixar Phoenix tracker on its green collar, in front of colourful walls

Bixar 4G GPS

Discover the Bixar 4G GPS

Live position, safe zones, history and walks in the Bixar app. Two editions, 4G subscription included.

Discover the 4G GPS

In the guide to GPS for dogs and cats

The whole guide →
Diagram

GPS · 4 min

How does a 4G GPS for dogs and cats work?

A 4G GPS works out its position from satellites, then sends it over the mobile network to your app: it doesn’t need to be near your phone. Here is the real journey of a position, what affects its accuracy, and why the app sometimes shows an old position.

Comparison

GPS · 3 min

AirTag or GPS for dogs: what’s the difference?

Three very different technologies hide behind the word “tracker”. Here is how each one works, and in which situations it really locates an animal.

Explainer

GPS · 3 min

Dog GPS without a subscription: what it means

A 4G GPS always needs the mobile network. So the real question is: who pays for connectivity, for how long, and what is included?