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By Greg Bartlett

Whether your dog is the family pet or a working dog or hound, loss of the animal is a concern for the dog owner. Valuable pedigreed dogs are lost daily. The common practice is to have a veterinarian insert an identity microchip onto the dog. This microchip can assist in identifying the dog after he is found, but long anxious hours may elapse before the dog is found and identified. GPS for dogs allows the dog owner to know exactly where the dog is when he is out of sight.

If the dog is a family pet and becomes lost, it is a traumatic time for all members of the family. Finding the dog on the side of a busy street after a passing car has struck it can increase this trauma. If the dog is a working dog, the dog may be out of sight while herding goats, sheep or cattle. Knowing where the dog is at all times allows the handler to monitor the dog’s progress in rounding up strays and give the dog commands to more efficiently complete the job at hand. Hunters spend large amounts of money on good hunting dogs. Add the amount of time and expense in training the dog; the dog becomes a valuable asset. Placing a GPS dog collar on the dog can minimize loss of this asset.

There are two basic types of systems of GPS for dogs. Both hunters and working dogs utilize the first. A small GPS transmitter is attached to the collar of the dog. This transmitter can be set to transmit its location at predetermined times, typically 5, 10 or 30 seconds. A handheld GPS receiver is used to monitor the position of the dog and can tell whether the dog is stopped or on the move. Most receivers have the ability to monitor multiple dogs that are hunting or working. Many of these receivers have the ability to track the progress of the dog through the woods showing which trails the dog took in pursuit of their quarry. An additional benefit to these receivers is that they can be utilized as a standard GPS receiver to insure that the hunter does not get lost in getting to and from the hunting camp.

The second type of GPS for dogs is designed with the family pet in mind. These locators can be set up in a variety of ways. The most common use is with a virtual fence. An area is set up around the home and if the dog strays or is taken out of this area, the transmitter dispatches a signal. These signals are monitored in a central station and when a signal is transmitted, the dog owner is notified by telephone or e-mail alert that the dog has strayed outside its boundaries. Many central stations offer personnel who will stay on the phone with the owner and update the location of the dog until the owner recovers the dog.

Man’s best friend is a valuable asset whether the dog is the family pet or a valuable working or hunting dog. Know where the dog is and have the peace of mind that you will not lose that valuable asset and friend with GPS for dogs.