6 Best Dog GPS Trackers and Collars, Tested by Real Dogs

The Whistle GO Explore tracks your dog's location and provides activity and health data in a compact package that can easily attach to the collar of dogs weighing 25 pounds and up.

What's unique about it is that it features a lost dog mode that will update your pet's location every 15 seconds, unlike other GPS trackers we tested that often took a few minutes to geolocate. Plus, it comes packed with intuitive geofencing abilities that let you create multiple "safe zones" so you're alerted when your pet leaves those areas.

During testing, our pros found the tracker easy to set up and the app intuitive to use. We also like that it was small enough to not bother our tester dog at all when clipped onto the collar, and once it was clipped on, it wasn't coming off. In addition, the Whistle GO offers some of the same amazing features of other luxury trackers, like in-app graphs of your dog's activity levels, details about their positive and negative behaviors (like drinking water or scratching) and records of their sleep, but at a slightly more affordable price.

With over 18,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, it'd be a shame to overlook the Tractive GPS dog collar. It's a nice entry-level option at a price that won't break the bank, and we like that it's suitable for dogs as small as 8.5 pounds.

In testing, we observed that the device easily attaches to the dog's collar with little effort and location tracking was pretty accurate. Our pros also love the live-tracking feature, which allows you to track your dog's movement in real-time to show you exactly where they are each second, unlike other GPS trackers that can take up to a few minutes to update.

Though it lacks some extra features you'll find on other trackers, you can still monitor your pet's location, sleep patterns and daily activity. Plus, this tracker is waterproof so you don't have to worry about your pup running in the rain or splashing in large puddles. One worry, however, is that the silicone collar attachment could be pulled off if your pet is running vigorously through trees or brush. Another downside is that the battery life could be longer.

A popular luggage tracker and key finder, the Tile Pro is not actually a GPS tracker and wasn't designed specifically for pets. Instead, it's a Bluetooth tracker, but that doesn't mean it can't track pets. Simply slip the small tracker onto your pet's collar and forget about it — you don't even have to worry about charging it as the built-in battery should last up to a year.

Unlike GPS trackers, Bluetooth trackers have one major limitation: distance. The Tile Pro can track items up to 400 feet away from you, so once your pet leaves that radius, you won't be able to track them without the help of the "Tile Network." This network taps into other devices within the Tile Network or those running the app to help you access your pup's location even when your phone isn't in range of your Tile. Should your pet be really lost, you can opt into Tile's "lost and found" feature, which means that anyone who finds your pup (and Tile) can scan the Tile's QR code to access your contact info.

It's certainly not a foolproof method and we advise those seeking accurate location tracking to invest in a GPS dog tracker, but Tile can come in handy when you want to keep track of your pup in a large backyard or property.

RELATED: Tile vs. AirTag: Which Bluetooth Tracker Is Best?

The Fi collar tracks your pet's location and measures the number of steps they take, the distance they walk and even the length of their nap time. In the morning, you can check on your pet's sleep stats and see how many times they woke up during the night. The Fi tracker also comes on a sturdy collar available in various colors and sizes so you don't have to worry about finding a way to connect it to your pet's existing collar.

When testing the collar, our pet experts loved how easy the app was to use and how you're able to check your dog's entire tracking history to find out where they walked and how long they were out. However, if you have a speedster that's prone to breaking out, the Fi takes a few minutes to update your pet's location so you may not be notified that they've left home until they're already down the block.

Some online reviewers mentioned issues with connecting the Fi to the base or receiving incorrect location alerts that said their pet had escaped or was in a significantly different location. However, we didn't experience any of these issues while testing and noticed accurate location updates, if a bit delayed.

The Jiobit tracker is the smallest GPS tracker that we've come across so it's a great fit for tiny dogs and even cats. Although we tested the Jiobit specifically as a pet tracker, it can also be used to monitor the location of children, elderly family members and adults, making it incredibly versatile. Not only is it easy to charge and set up in just a few minutes, but it can be attached via one of four different clips — just choose the clip that fits best for your dog's collar, a kid's backpack, a key ring or even clothing.

What sets this dog GPS collar apart from other picks is that there are no buttons so you don't have to worry about accidentally forgetting to turn it on. You can easily monitor the tracker's battery life in the app, which should last up to 30 days, according to the brand. Once your pet is in a trusted place — like within the radius you've set up around your home, work or wherever you are — the tracker automatically goes into a power-saving mode so it can stay active for longer.

In our tests we did notice, however, that once the tracker was removed after a walk, there were endless push alerts sent warning that the GPS was disconnected. To solve this, you need to manually switch off notifications within the app.

The FitBark dog tracker may be tiny, but it packs a punch and measures everything from your dog's behavioral changes (like reduced activity or increased sleep patterns that can indicate illness) to their location. It has a relatively long battery life — up to 20 days on a single charge — which means you can clip it to your dog's collar and not worry about messing with it too often. Like a few of the other options on this list, the FitBark is a 24/7 tracker that works best if your dog wears it at all times since it monitors their sleep and health.

The FitBark measures things like calories burned, sleep quality and more. It's lightweight (fitting pets 5 pounds and up) and has a waterproof rating of IP67 so your dog can wear it in heavy rain. Though the FitBark has many great extra features, its main downside is the location lag. It will keep you up to date on all of your pet's health concerns, but it takes a few minutes to catch up to their accurate location so if you own an escape artist they may be far away by the time you get the alert.