Printable View
My dog is microchipped. She wears 3 different ID tags on her collar - including her rabies tag. In her pack she will carry her medical records in a waterproof bag. All that will help if she were to ever be off leash and wander off trail, or just if something happened and we got separated. But I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience with GPS tracking collars for their dogs, how well they work, if they are worth the money, any stories of recovery using one of these? Thanks!
I'd be curious to know too. I'm in the same boat, my boy's got all the tags, micro chip and luggage tags. The only other thing that we've done that you might consider is a tag from PETHUB. It seems like everyone's got a smart phone now a days, and all you have to do is scan the tag with a smart phone to give location updates... Not perfect, but we're giving it a trial run.
I was just talking to a guy this weekend saying he had a GPS (and shock) collar on his hunting dog that he could view with a handheld device.
Keep the dog on a leash (as good trail etiquette requires), and you won't have to worry.
I agree with "Burger" - PLEASE keep your dog on a leash best you can (as good trail etiquette requires). You shouldn't have any worries. IN ADDITION - I have helped rescue several hunting dogs off the trail in my day - the GPS collars work and you can see them on a handheld device. They are costly and the range is limited (and as with radios) VERY limited in the mountains.
Kudos for being responsible by tagging your dog well and microchipping as well.
I just adopted a dog a few weeks ago that was obviously someones loved one - but alas - no chip. If he had one - I (like most of the great folks on the AT) would have gotten him home!
Happy Trails !
Good grief! Here we go!!! Why does every thread have to turn into a leash debate???
In an attempt to help answer the OP's question I would suggest checking the battery life of the device. I investigated the Garmin model some time ago and, as far as I can remember, it was only good for about a 12 hour day or so. Obviously no good for a longer, multi-day hike. I therefore rejected the idea.
Also consider that even if you can track the dog's location, that doesn't necessarily mean you can catch him or keep him from wandering into a road, or other dangers. That's why I feel reliable training is paramount, even more than a leash.
Good luck!
Call Pat Nolan 301-748-8398, Panderosa Kennels. Pat trains dog and is well versed in new products that may work. You might even want Pat to train your dog to stay close to you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paisley1985
Let ur dog off leash when u can thy don't want to b leashed for 2100 miles most folks will b fine w it and move on if they r not. If I c u will most definitely want to say a scratchy hello to ur pup
Just ignore people telling you to keep your dog leashed in the woods.
I lost my dog when she was a 6 month old puppy for 3 days on the chatooga river. She was wearing a shock collar but that does no good when you turn your back on the dog long enough for it to get out of range. One of the tracking collars would be nice because they have a bit more range than any shock collar I have ever seen, but they are expensive and still the range is limited -- you still need to keep an eye on your dog.
Training is probably the best investment, and one that I should really make because even though my dog has gotten much better as she has grown up, I'd like to be able to trust her to stay close by while I'm out in the river fishing and not paying attention to her for a while
I never did it but I had the idea of buying another garmin rino 530hcx GPS like my friend and I have for turkey hunting and just putting it in or clipping it to my dog's pack. That would basically do the same thing as a tracking collar but would be a little more expensive, but since I already have one getting one more would be less expensive than a tracking collar setup I think. But if you have use for 2 handhelds like the rino it might be worth looking into.
And you're seriously telling the OP to let their dog go unleashed? You know, there really are a lot of bad dog owners out there.Quote:
Originally Posted by rockerZ71
Shes my first dog, I had to learn the hard way how important it is to keep an eye on my dog.
Valuable lesson learned, so I keep an eye on her at all times now.
Thankfully plenty of us "bad dog owners" don't give a damn about what you consider "proper etiquette." I am very polite and mindful of others on the trail and so I leash her when passing others, although 9 times out of ten people tell me to not worry about it and stop to pet her.
Two things: 1) even a well-trained dog can run off if there's something sufficiently interesting. 2) Your dog might be great on the trail, but I've run into MANY situations where I come around a corner and there are one, two, or more large dogs barking at me like they're ready to kill. The owners eventually catch up and always say that the dog is harmless, but it still gets my adrenaline going and can turn a lovely hike into a crappy, stressful event. And I'm not even afraid of dogs by nature, but I've hiked with several folks who are afraid of dogs, period, and for those people, being barked at by large dogs can bring on a panic attack. This is not what we come to the woods for.Quote:
Originally Posted by rockerZ71
Since there's no way to know who's dog is good or bad and which hiker a dog might go after (I've run into several dogs who are freaked out by trekking poles, apparently), the only fair solution is for all dogs to be leashed. All the time.
And since some people are terrified of getting sick, I should wear a mask everywhere I go so they can rest easy that I am keeping my germs to myself? Sorry, I can't accommodate everyone so I just try to do the best I can while still having the best time possible with my dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by burger
Meh. If you don't care about other people's feelings, then I'm not going to convince you otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by rockerZ71
I just won't let them dictate what I can and can't do. I take into consideration their "feelings" and what my dog and I want and come to whatever compromise I think is best. This thread is sidetracked enough at this point so I'm done with this discussion (in this thread, anyway).Quote:
Originally Posted by burger
Wow another spiral dog thread thank's Burger.Quote:
Originally Posted by burger
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir-Packs-Alot
I want to know too...Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirty Nails
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockerZ71
Awesome answer. Folks a micro dog wistle and 1 month of calling and blow with a liver treat... beyond your expectations.... NO LEASH REQUIRED..
And you posers - you are preaching to the choir.
I suppose this is not the time to bring up weather balloons.
wow Jak bringing up hot air or sucking helium? which way do you want the tread to swerve?
I Choose Heliumhttp://www.meh.ro/original/2009_12/meh.ro3079.jpg