Most pet owners worry about losing their furry friend, but most pet owners are hunters. Garmin International, based in Olathe, Kansas, first used GPS tracker on hunting dogs about eight years ago. Since then, hunters have found the GPS dog collars highly effective for keeping tabs on their dogs while in the field hunting.
The trackers use satellites to identify and record the animal’s position at all times and then transmit the information to the hunter’s handheld device. If conditions are ideal, the GPS collars can transmit their position from up to five miles away.
“The main thing is the peace of mind you get with them. You know where your dogs are all of the time,” says Ted Gartner, Garmin’s communications director. “You’re not hollering all the time and your dog’s not wearing one of those annoying beepers. You just get to enjoy the hunt and the dog work.”
Garmin offers two models: The GPS-only collar which retails for about $600, while a collar with more capabilities will cost a pretty penny at $800.