Reviewed by
Jarrett Dottin
Licensed Occupational Therapist dedicated to helping others live their best lives. Certified lymphedema therapist and amazon affiliate who has tested over 1,000 different products. About JD →
The Dog GPS Tracker is worth buying if you want a gps tracker for dogs that doesn’t nickel and dime you every month. It comes with 36 months of service included, tracks live location plus activity and sleep, and is IP67 waterproof. Skip it if you only want location and don’t care about wellness data.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
| Service Included | 36 months, no monthly subscription |
|---|---|
| Waterproofing | IP67 rated, handles rain, mud, swimming |
| Charging | USB-C, cord included, covered port flap |
| Colors | Blue, orange, black |
| Compatibility | iOS and Android, multi-pet account |
| Best Fit | Medium to large dogs, 30 lbs and up |
Apollo Slipped the Leash, and That’s When This Clicked
JD and Apollo here, and that’s literally how I opened the video, because this is Apollo’s gps tracker for dogs now. A couple weeks before I got this, he got off the leash, and there was nothing I could do but walk around calling his name. That’s the exact situation this Dog GPS Tracker is built for, and it’s the reason I actually paid attention to how it worked instead of just clipping it on and moving along.
The device hooks onto the collar with a silicone backing that sits right against the dog’s skin, and the tracker itself just hooks onto that. It comes in blue, orange, and black, so you’re not stuck with one look. Charging is USB-C, with a cord included or you can use your own, and the port is covered by a little flap so mud and water can’t get in. I checked, and it’s actually IP67 waterproof, which matters if your dog is the type who swims or plays in the rain. Apollo’s out in the yard a lot, and this isn’t the kind of tracker I had to worry about taking off before he got dirty.
Charging and Upkeep Cost You Nothing Extra for 36 Months
Zero ongoing fees for three straight years, that’s the actual number that sets this apart. The 36 month subscription is included right out of the gate, no activation fee, no monthly bill to remember. Day-to-day maintenance is just charging it through the USB-C port and wiping it down after a muddy walk since it’s mud proof and water resistant. There’s no filter to replace, no app tier to upgrade into. I did notice MVP’s pricing data shows this is sitting near the cheapest it’s been tracked at, and it’s held at about its usual price for the last three months, so there’s no obvious reason to wait around for a better deal.
Where It Sits Against Other GPS Collars
Most gps tracker for dogs options on the market charge you monthly for the cell data connection, and that’s the real difference here. A lot of trackers I’ve seen friends use run a subscription on top of the device cost, which adds up fast over a couple years. This one folds 36 months into the purchase itself. A rank of #89,254 in Pet Supplies means the review count is thin, you’re not getting the social proof you’d have with a Tractive or Fi. That’s the trade-off: fewer strangers vouching for it, but also no $10, $15 monthly fee quietly inflating the total cost past what you paid for the device.
People Think It’s Just a Location Finder. It’s Not.
This isn’t just a location finder, it’s a wellness tracker too as well. That’s the misconception I’d flag for anyone comparing this against a basic gps tracker for phone pairing. The AI function tracks steps, calories burned, and rest patterns, and flags deviations from your dog’s baseline, so you can catch a dip in activity before it turns into a vet visit. You can see how long your dog slept on a given day, how active he was, and get a sense of whether something’s changed before it becomes a bigger problem. I didn’t expect to care about the wellness side when I unboxed it, but checking Apollo’s sleep and activity numbers became something I actually look at now. You can even add a photo of your pet in the app, which makes it feel like it’s actually tracking your dog and not just a device number.
My Actual Verdict After Clipping It On Apollo
Three weeks in, Apollo has worn this through rain, a muddy sprint across the yard, and one genuine escape attempt, and it’s done exactly what it promised. The battery life is great, the app is simple enough that pulling up the location takes a couple taps, and the virtual fence alerts mean I’d know the second Apollo wandered past the yard line instead of finding out twenty minutes later like last time. If you’ve got an active dog who loves exploring and you’re tired of either worrying about him getting lost or paying a monthly fee for the privilege of knowing where he is, you get live location alerts plus wellness tracking with zero monthly cost for three years. The one thing I’d flag is that the wellness features need the app open regularly to actually mean something, if you just check location once a month you’re leaving half the value on the table.
Pros
- 36 months of service included with no monthly subscription or activation fee
- IP67 waterproof, mud proof, handled wet and outdoor environments without issue
- Wellness tracking (steps, calories, sleep) in addition to live location
- Silicone backing and collar hook felt secure against Apollo’s collar
- App lets you customize with your pet’s photo and manage multiple pets
Cons
- Wellness insights only mean much if you’re checking the app regularly
- Built for medium to large dogs 30 lbs and up, not ideal for small breeds
- Sits lower in Amazon’s Pet Supplies ranking, so fewer reviews to compare against
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a gps tracker for dogs with no subscription at all?
Yes, this one includes 36 months of service with the purchase, so there’s no monthly bill during that window. After the 36 months runs out you’d need to renew service to keep live tracking active. It’s about as close to a gps tracker without subscription hassle as you’ll find in this category.
Does this gps tracker work for Android phones?
Yes, it’s compatible with both iOS and Android. You manage everything through one app whether you’re on an iPhone or an Android device, and you can run multiple pets off a single account.
Can I set a virtual fence for my yard?
Yes, you can customize a safe zone in the app and get a push notification the moment your dog steps outside it. There’s no shock or physical correction involved, it’s purely a location alert.
What happens after the included service period ends?
You’d need to purchase additional service to keep the live tracking and alerts running. For three years though, that’s not something you need to think about, which is the whole appeal versus a monthly-fee tracker.
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About the reviewer
Jarrett Dottin
Licensed Occupational Therapist dedicated to helping others live their best lives. Certified lymphedema therapist and amazon affiliate who has tested over 1,000 different products.
