Rocky Mountain Tracking

By Greg Bartlett

Your two German Shepherds are just like big kids sometimes. They play with your children, chase each other constantly, and fiercely defend their family from intruders. But they have one small vice. They absolutely love to chase squirrels. Sometimes you’re convinced the neighborhood squirrels are planning a strategic attack to lure your dogs away from your home.

Just this last week, for instance, your German Shepherds were playing tug-of-war in your yard when they spotted a squirrel on the fence. Instantly the dogs were alert, and when the squirrel hopped onto the other side of the fence, your dogs took off. They might not be interested in escaping most of the time, but when they have the opportunity to chase a squirrel, no fence will stop them.

So off they go, tearing down the street and barking eagerly as the squirrel escapes up a tree and taunts them. Of course your German Shepherds keep following. Last week you found them three miles from home, still barking at a tree where a squirrel watched them. And sometimes your dogs wander further than that, and occasionally they’ve been missing for days.

But how can you make sure that you’ll be able to get your dogs back? You might not be able to stop their interest in squirrels nor to completely escape-proof your yard, but you can make sure that you know where your dogs are. If you attach a GPS device to your dogs’ collars, you will be able to find out where your dogs are at all times. So if your German Shepherds race off again after a squirrel, you can find out where they are by following the signal from the GPS device and going straight to the dogs’ location rather than searching the neighborhood and hoping they haven’t been stolen.

Furthermore, a GPS device will alert you once your German Shepherds cross over your geo-fence, predetermined boundaries which would probably be just your yard and property. You won’t have to find out two hours after the squirrel teases your dogs that the dogs are gone – you’ll know the moment they escape.

You no longer have to wander around looking for your dogs, trying to find the place where they’re still chasing the squirrel or where they’ve fallen to sleep in exhaustion. With a GPS device on your German Shepherds’ collars, you can know precisely where they are – and ensure their safe return after their squirrel chase is over.

By Greg Bartlett

One new use for GPS technology that has emerged recently is a GPS tracking system designed for dogs. Some owners believe that they need an extra precaution when leashes and fences are not enough. These features vary, but most are collars equipped with a tracking device that sends out a signal with the animal’s location. These systems can be set to send a signal as often as every five minutes or as little as every hour.

Pet Tracking Collar

The devices also range in prices. A simpler GPS tracking system designed for animals may cost around $100, while a more complex version that includes geo-fencing features might be as high as $500. In addition to the price of the system, there is a monthly fee for the tracking, because these kinds of trackers must be real time instead of passive trackers. This requires an additional fee of $15-30 per month.

Many people confuse GPS tracking with chipping. Chips have necessary contact information and are placed under the surface of the dog’s skin. These chips must be read with a scanner in order to find out the information. In this way it is better to get a GPS tracking system for your dog than to have a chip put in. With a chip, you’re hoping that someone will find the dog and have the chip read. On the other hand, with a GPS tracker, you have the power to locate your dog and retrieve him immediately. Provided, of course, that your pet is wearing his collar. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that a GPS tracking system will ever be implanted in an animal, because there is no way to recharge or replace the battery that is necessary to send out a signal.

However, the GPS tracking systems that are designed for dogs are not very advanced, and pet owners have several concerns about them. One thing to consider is the price. After purchasing the GPS tracking system, the tracking alone will cost between $200-400 a year. When added on top of dog food and vet bills, pet owners may find that they cannot afford this extra precaution. However, that is just one of the problems of this kind of a system.

The signal from the tracking device might be blocked if the animal is found and taken indoors, to a dog shelter for instance. The battery life can also be a problem. The more often the transmitter sends a signal, the quicker the battery dies and each system has its own level of battery power.

These are just a few of the several problems that would need to be worked out before GPS tracking systems for dogs will rise in popularity.

By Greg Bartlett

Our family has three dogs, and we’re going to get another one this summer. We live in the country, and sometimes we have to go out and find our dogs when they’re not in the immediate vicinity. Thankfully we’ve never really had a problem with our dogs getting lost, but there are a lot of people who have. Hundreds of thousands of dogs wander away from their homes each year, but only about 16% are returned to their owners.

Lost posters and physically hunting for dogs are some of the ways owners try to track down their beloved but wayward pet. A more effective way is with GPS devices, which allow owners to locate a lost pet almost instantly.

GPS devices can be small enough to fit onto a dog’s collar and be worn comfortably by your pet. The devices are usually waterproof and very durable, which allow dogs the freedom to engage in normal activities and not destroy the GPS tracking device. Many of the pet GPS monitoring systems allow owners to set up geo-fences, or boundaries where the pet is allowed to go. If the pet crosses over the line and exits the area, the owner is alerted by phone, email, or text message – whichever is preferred – and can go retrieve the pet. Furthermore, owners can watch their pet’s activities in real time, following every move as they track down the wandering dog.

Pet Tracking Collar

Some GPS devices have additional features, such as an LED light which you can activate through a text message when you get close to your pet. That way if your dog is lost at night, you can use the light to guide you in when you know the general area of your lost pet but not precisely where it is. Other systems allow owners to be notified if a pet’s speed gets too high, such as it would if it is stolen and put into a vehicle.

One family recently located their dog when it escaped out of their yard and got lost in the neighborhood. A look at the GPS tracking device told them right where the dog was, and the pet was safely recovered within an hour.

People who own dogs don’t want their dogs to get lost, but if they do get lost, the owners don’t want to be one of the people whose lost dogs are never returned. But with GPS devices, owners can ensure the safe return of their beloved pet.

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.

By Harriette Halepis

There’s no getting around the fact that most pets are simply part of the family. Pets are there for you when you’re down, they are always ready for some fun, and they provide a lot of comfort for their owners. This is why it’s especially devastating when a pet runs away from home.

Unfortunately, all kinds of pets run away nearly every day. Sometimes an animal just become confused, while other times they have simply wandered too far away from home. No matter what the cause, losing your beloved pet is truly heartbreaking. This is precisely why a GPS pet tracking device is essential.

In many countries throughout Europe, it is mandatory for all pets to have a GPS tracking chip. This microscopic device is often hidden beneath an animal’s fur, and it doesn’t bother an animal in any manner. However, these small tracking chips will only identify the animal and not track it. There are other devices and collars that can be used to track an animal.

Most stray animals that are found wandering the streets end up in some type of animal shelter. Often, these pets are either sold or euthanized if they are not claimed on time. While you can search every local shelter for your lost pet, if your pet has wandered too far away from home…you may never be able to find them.

On the flip side, if your pet is equipped with a GPS tracking device, you will be instantly able to locate your pet wherever it might be. Not only will this save you a lot of time and agony, it will also cut down on the number of lost pets that wind up at animal shelters. While it is not mandatory to equip your pet with a GPS tracking system in North America, it is not a bad idea.

You can locate these special pet tracking devices by doing a bit of quick research. Installing this device will require the skilled hands of a trained veterinarian, though this will be worth both the time and cost involved. Chances are that your pet is a large part of your family — don’t you want to keep your pet safe?

Now, with current GPS tracking technology we can keep all of our pets out of harm’s way. No matter where your curious creature may wander off to, you can be sure that a GPS pet tracker will find them. Whether you have a cat, dog, or guinea pig, your pets can now be found without any kind of hassle.

By Jackie Gately

Is your dog the one that neighbors greet by name when he arrives, tail wagging, at their back door? Or, is he that nuisance night scavenger, ripping through trash bags in search of a tasty treat? Perhaps your dog celebrates temporary freedom with a race through the brush and swamps of the backwoods. Despite best efforts to keep a beloved pet at home, most families experience the occasional escape. Whether often or infrequent, if your dog is loose, his safety is at risk.

There are many threats in an ordinary neighborhood. A dog that ventures off might fall victim to a speeding car. He may ingest poisons, like antifreeze in puddles, or rancid foods and household toxins in trash. Your dog could have a territory dispute with another dog, or worse, brawl with a wild animal. In cold climates, long periods in sub-zero temperatures might result in exposure or hypothermia. Small dogs are particularly vulnerable to frostbite. And finally, the most desirable of dog breeds are susceptible to dognapping, a trend which is steadily on the rise. The Missing Pets Bureau reported that a whopping 38% of missing animals have actually been stolen.

So, as a loving dog-owner, it makes sense to protect and retrieve your pet as quickly as possible. Taking steps toward making your dog a happy homebody is in his best interest. Here are a few tips:

• Walk your dog on-leash often to curb his wanderlust.
• Allow plenty of playtime with the family, which makes him feel like a “pack” member.
• Provide social interaction with other dogs.
• Invest in a physical or invisible fence to establish safe boundaries.
• Train your dog to respond to commands, like “come” and “stay.”
• License your dog with town authorities for easy identification.
• Attach a dog tag with contact information on his collar.
• Consider a surgical chip that identifies him to authorities.
• Have a recent photograph on hand should you need to post flyers.
• Equip him with a GPS pet tracking device that reports his position if lost.

If he does escape, notify neighbors, the dog officer, and local officials, particularly if you suspect theft. If he is not equipped with an electronic tracking device, scan the neighborhood on foot and by car with a treat in hand to lure him home. Contact animal shelters and vets if he goes missing for long. Post flyers around town to report him missing.

If you invested in a GPS tracking device, you will save hours of phone calls and worry. Simply activate the tracking device to locate your dog, and go “Fetch.”

Jackie Gately is a freelance writer and pet-lover. She can be reached at Jackiegately.wordpress.com.

Earlier this month, Rocky Mountain Tracking was recognized for its innovative use of video on its website in an online article. If you have been to www.RMTracking.com, you have likely noticed the video host on the bottom right hand corner of the screen who greets you with “Welcome to Rocky Mountain Tracking,” explains why RMT is a leading reseller of GPS tracking systems, and leads website users on a virtual tour, leading them to the compare products page of the website.

“As any company, we experienced the typical website customer spending just 2, 5 or 10 seconds here before they got bored and moved onto another site,” said RMTracking.com President, Brad Borst, from the company’s Fort Collins, Colo., headquarters. “Video gives them something else to look at. It’s a must for any ecommerce business looking to maintain their attention long enough until they’ve had a chance to look more into the site and your products.”

RMT knows that the way to get customers to stay with you is to implement something that grabs their attention. But in contrast to its website-enhancing techniques, it sells GPS tracking devices that do just the opposite. You do not want a GPS tracking device that grabs everyone’s attention. You want a tracking device that gets the job done with as little fanfare as possible.

GPS tracking devices from Rocky Mountain Tracking are not bulky or obtrusive. They do not stand out, demand attention or get in the way. A GPs tracking device like the PT-200, which is the world’s smallest GPS device, gives you real time tracking and location history with full address, date and time stamp. This tiny GPS device packs a lot of tracking power. When it comes to asset tracking, the PT-200 is easy to hide.

You can also use the PT-200 for track even the smallest pets when you pair it with the PT-200 Pet Collar. That is a testament to just how great this device is. People often associate GPS tracking devices with cars, but as you know, even the largest pets are not nearly the same size as a car. The PT-200 fits into a collar that will not disturb or weigh down your pet.

So RMT lets you track assets and pets with no fuss and saves the high visibility for its website.

Cats seem to be popping up everywhere these days. Not that cats ever really go out of style, but with websites dedicated to pictures of cats and top-selling books based on these websites, it just seems like we are seeing more cats these days.

And some people are very interested in finding out just what cats are seeking. One architect in Britain decided to use a GPS tracking device to find out just where his cat goes every day. This enterprising architect has even compiled the data he gets from using a GPS tracking system to trace his cat’s movements to show that the animal tends to follow certain patterns over time.

Those of you who allow your cats to roam and do not keep them in house, probably find that your pets do not go very far. Still, some pets do veer somewhat off the beaten path from time to time and you have to go out in search of them. By using a GPS tracking device, you can make sure that you do not have to spend too much of your time out searching for your pet.

Statistics show there are approximately 273 million pets in this country, with 10 million of them ending up lost or in shelters each year. With the weather getting increasingly colder, you will not want your pet to get lost and you will not want to have to spend a lot of time outside trying to find your pet. The PT-200 uses RMTracking’s high-powered, full-featured NavIQ software to reliably report your pet’s whereabouts at all times, so there’s no need to worry if your dog or cat gets out of your backyard. NavIQ reports a pet’s location in real time, proving far more effective at recovering lost animals than putting up posters or canvassing the area to bring a beloved pet home again.

Visit Rocky Mountain Tracking on the web and check out the PT-200 for Pet Tracking. This device is most commonly used for dogs, but it works for cats and other small pets too. The PT-200 is small enough that a pet may not even notice it is there, tracking his/her every move. The PT-200’s rechargeable battery will last up to 21 days without being recharged. The accuracy of the device is within about 3 to 16 feet.

Thumbing through a magazine the other day, I saw an interview with a pet therapist. Some of you reading this may think that this is a very necessary profession and some of you may not. Either way, you surely have noticed that people are putting a lot more efforts to take care of their pets these days. Animals are not just left in the backyard, chained to a fence anymore.

If yours is a family that allows your pet to roam the neighborhood a bit or if you take your pet with you on hikes and family vacations, then you have to have some concern over your pet’s potential to get lost. Sometimes just yelling a pet’s name is enough for them to come running. This may work as long as your pet has not wandered too far out of eyesight and earshot. But what do you do when a pet simply cannot be found?

When an animal goes missing, it can be very difficult to find. Animals are often disoriented and frightened and can’t find their way home.

This is where GPS tracker technology can be very helpful. You can track your pet’s movements using a GPS tracking devices that is transported in a pouch that was specially designed to be attached to an animal collar, so it goes wherever your pet goes. Rocky Mountain Tracking has one such tracking devices in its product lineup–the PT-200 for Pet Tracking.

Some people have opted to put have microchips implanted into some part of their pet’s body, but as RMT’s president Brad Borst points out, that may not be very helpful when it comes to finding your pet.

“Our goal with the PT-200 is to provide pet owners with peace of mind to ensure the safety of all animals. Microchips are being implanted in animals, but the microchips are only used to identify the animal. Microchips are not GPS locating devices, said Borst.” The PT-200 is most common for dog tracking, but it can be used to track small and large animals of all sizes.

Multiple PT-200 GPS tracking devices can be managed from one tracking account. So if you already have a PT-200 GPS tracking device, you can just add a device for your pet to the service that you already have.