Have you ever wondered if your dog was getting enough exercise throughout the day? Are they sleeping way too much? Eating too many calories? An activity tracker for your dog may provide you with the answers you are searching for.
What Is An Activity Tracker?
An activity tracker is a device that attaches to your dog’s collar. Depending on the device you get, it can measure your dog’s sleep patterns, the number of steps they take, how many miles they have walked, and amount of calories burned.
How Does An Activity Tracker Work?
An activity tracker works by monitoring your dog’s movement throughout the day. Using Wi-Fi, cellular data, Bluetooth or a combination of these, the information is synced to an app on your phone where the data is stored and able to be viewed.
Who Is An Activity Tracker Good For?
Activity trackers are good for:
- Keeping track of steps and calories burned for dogs who need to lose weight.
- Checking the amount of exercise (or sleeping) your dog does while you are at work.
- Making sure your dog gets the right amount of exercise for their breed.
- Monitoring how much walking your hired dog walker or pet sitter is providing for your dog.
What Are The Pros And Cons To Using An Activity Tracker?
There are several pros and cons to using a tracker for your dog.
Pros:
- Knowing your dog is getting the right amount of activity for their size and breed.
- Being able to keep track of their weight, especially if they need to lose some.
- Tracking your dog’s sleep habits.
Cons:
- Activity trackers alone do not provide you with your dog’s location should they wander off.
- Most trackers require you to be near the device in order to sync the data, so you are not able to see your dog’s activity when you are away from them, i.e. while you are at work.
- Accuracy may be off for some people, depending on their location and if cellular data is used (There may be a lack of cell towers in the area).
- Some trackers only use certain cell phone providers. Make sure to check if the product is compatible with your phone.
Top 3 Activity Trackers For Your Dog
Here are some of the higher rated trackers available. Each has their own pros and cons. They are each easy to use and have an app you need to download in order to see your dog’s information. The first two trackers were chosen due to the fact you do not need a subscription in order to use them.
FitBark2 Dog Activity Monitor
Features:
- Monitors activity and calories burned.
- Monitors sleep.
- Battery lasts up to 6 months.
- Fits collars up to 1.5 inches wide.
- Waterproof.
- Monitors anxiety and skin conditions.
- Can monitor multiple dogs in the app.
- Compatible with human trackers: Fitbit, Apple Watch, Apple HealthKit, Google Fit.
Pros:
- Good battery life.
- Easy to use.
- Works well in the water.
- Good customer service.
Cons:
- Zip ties are used to secure it to your dog’s collar.
- Information can only be accessed through Bluetooth, so you can’t see information in the app unless you are close to the device.
- App takes some getting used to.
PitPat Dog Activity And Fitness Tracker
Features:
- Measures exercise, rest, distance, calories, and weight.
- Fits any collar.
- Waterproof.
- Velcro strap to secure it to your dog’s collar.
- Non-rechargeable replaceable battery lasts approx. 1 year.
- App works with multiple dogs.
- Customer service is in the UK.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Does well in water.
- Stays on the dog’s collar.
- Good customer service.
Cons:
- Can take time to sync.
- Need to push a button on the device every time you want to sync.
- Does not count steps, just shows mileage walked.
- Accuracy is off for some.
Link My Pet Wearable Pet GPS Tracker
I have added this activity tracker as well. The difference between this tracker and the ones listed above is that GPS is also included with this device. This means you are able to keep track of your dog’s location in addition to their activity throughout the day. Since it uses GPS, a subscription is required in order to use it.
Features:
- Monitors steps, distance, and time.
- Temperature monitoring.
- Impact resistant.
- Water resistant/ waterproof.
- GPS tracking.
- Tone and vibration settings can be used to use to train your dog.
- 14 day battery life.
- PetPass and health record storage.
- LED flashlight.
- Comes with a clip and elastic attachment to put on your dog’s collar.
- Allows setup of a virtual fence.
- Uses Verizon LTE network.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Real time accurate GPS tracking.
- Light is bright enough to find your dog in the dark.
Cons:
- Requires a subscription for the GPS monitoring.
- Only works in the USA.
Activity trackers are a fun way to keep an eye on your dog’s habits throughout the day. They can help you make sure your dog is getting enough exercise, as well as keep track of their sleeping patterns.
Make sure to check that the product you decide to buy is compatible with your phone. If you decide to get a device that uses GPS, confirm the subscription price upfront and double check if you can pay per month or if you need to pay the entire yearly amount up front.
A good tracker that meets all of your needs may be hard to find, but I hope these give you a place to start.
Please check out our other posts on Health, Indoor, Outdoor, and Travel accessories for your dog, as well as Reviews of various products and travel destinations.