The 7 Best Dog Activity Monitors For 2020

Do you constantly stress out at the prospect of losing or hurting your dog? If yes, then you are not alone. A 2016 article posted on Psychology Today cites that a pet owner’s worst fear is losing a beloved companion. Yes, it is. The question that comes to mind is, how can you mitigate this hardship? The answer, by staying informed about your pet just like you would for another loved one, and this begets the role of a monitoring device for your dog. Monitoring devices keep track of your dog and send alerts upon breach of a pre-set area around your house. However, the market is flooded with so many trackers that finding the best dog activity monitor is like finding needle in a haystack. We help you to review the best trackers out there and you can judge the ones that suit your needs, all by yourself.

Best Pick

With unmatched GPS tracking, long battery life and high durability, Whistle 3 stands out among all trackers to be the best monitor money can buy.

​Budget Pick

Beafup offers many functional features at an economical price, making it the BEST Budget monitor among all trackers.

Quick Comparison Between The Best Dog Activity Monitors

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1. Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker & Activity Monitor 

Highlighted Features

• SIM-based GPS tracking
• Proactive alerts
• Activity and goal tracker
• Durability
• Water resistance
• Good battery life

If you are looking for a monitoring device for your pet that ticks all the right boxes, then the Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker and activity Monitor is the device of popular choice. It stands out with a simple yet beautiful design which looks good on your pet. This product has nationwide GPS tracking, which is great because you are rest assured that no matter where your dog goes, you can find him successfully with the tracker. The 24/7 tracker helps to pinpoint your pet’s location anywhere by using mobile network coverage that requires a SIM card and subscription. You can set safe places using WiFi and receive alerts upon your dog breaching the area. This helps in making sure your pet is kept out of harm’s way. Tracking your pet’s adventures and his location in the past 24 hours is another functional feature of the device, which is great because you can when they went out and with whom. Another good feature is the activity and goal progress tracker, which can help you with planning an exercise regime that stimulates your dog’s senses and keep it fit Good battery life, durability and water resistance of the device will also help to ensure a long life in the event of regular usage. With its long list of superlative feature, the Whistle 3 GPS Tracker and Activity Monitor is my favourite device to plan activities with my pets while keeping them secure.

PROS

• Nationwide GPS tracking
• Great looks and build quality
• Valuable health insights
• Waterproof
• 7 day battery life

CONS

• High subscription charges
• Plain-looking collar strap

2. FitBark 2 Dog Activity Monitor

Highlighted Features

• FitBark Health Index
• FitBark Sleep Score
• Linking compatibility with human health trackers
• Good battery life
• Robust build quality

The FitBark 2 Dog Activity Monitor is an exclusive product to monitor the health and sleep metrics of your dog on a 24/7 basis. This product come with an activity level tracker and sleep quality tracker which is great as you no longer need to worry why your pal is getting restless or dull. The device can also distance travelled and calories burnt as part of your pet’s overall health, throughout day and night. You can link your Fitbit, Apple Watch, Google Kit or Health Kit with this device, which helps infuse healthy habits together with your dog. The in-built FitBark health Index and Sleep Score changes constantly to reflect changes in anxiety, mobility and skin conditions of your pet and its helpful to diagnose problems. Another amazing feature is the tough and waterproof battery lasting up to 6 months, which can help you do away with constant recharges and interruptions to your dog’s monitoring cycle. FitBark 2 Dog Activity Monitor might be a good choice for dog-owners who desire an exhaustive health monitoring device with all bells and whistles.

PROS

• Comprehensive health tracker
• 24/7 tracking of sleep, calories and distance travelled
• Waterproof
• Six month battery life

CONS

• Lack of GPS tracking
• Bland looks and design

3. PitPat 2 Dog Activity Monitor

Highlighted Features

• Easy-to-use app
• Measurement of activity metrics
• Great battery life

Sit back and accurately track your dog’s exercises, rest time and calories using the PitPat 2 Dog Activity Monitor. The device has goal setting and tracking features and recommendations for each breed of dog, which helps you to customize an exercise regime suitable for your pet’s capabilities. Another feature of the monitor is its resistance to water and feather-light weight, which is great because your dog can comfortably play around even in water. A user-replaceable battery with an ultra-long life of 1 year means that you never need to recharge until it fizzes out of charge. The PitPat 2 Dog Activity Monitor could be the best fit to anyone looking for limited features in their activity monitor.

PROS

• Breed-specific recommendations
• Small yet attractive looks
• Feather-light in weight
• One year battery life

CONS

• Lack of GPS tracking
• Recharging option not available

4. Findster Duo+

Highlighted Features

• SIM-free MAZE technology
• Pet activity monitoring
• Real-time GPS tracking
• Optimized for walks with pet

If you were looking to find ways to get hold of a dog activity monitor without paying hefty subscription fees, we have just found one in the form of Findster Duo+. This device has a proprietary MAZE technology that requires neither SIM nor a cellular coverage to track your pet. Using this device, you can also define a safe area around your dog during walks, which is great because as soon as your pet wanders out of the area, you get an instant notification. Another advantage of using Findster Duo+ is that you can use it in any country of the world, even off-grid locations, which can help you avoid unnecessary stress while travelling with your pet pal. A battery life ranging from 12 hours to 3 days depending on usage, combined with a GPS range of 0.5 to 3 miles will also help you get the most out of Findster Duo+

PROS

• No monthly subscription fees
• Works off-grid across all countries
• Water-proof and shock resistant

CONS

• Limited GPS range from 0.5 to 3 miles
• Low battery capacity

5. Link AKC Smart Dog Collar

Highlighted Features

• GPS and activity tracker
• Adventures recording feature
• Temperature alerts in hot and cold environment
• Safe up to 30 minutes in 3 feet of water
• Light and sound feature

Link AKC Smart Dog Collar is an activity monitoring device that comes across as fully functional while also being high on fashion sense. Its luxe leather collar belt for your pet makes him stand out from the rest. This device has a feature to track your pal using GPS and activity tracking across the United States, which gives you a huge sigh of relief in case you lose your dog. Goals for various activities are also customized according to your pet’s breed, age and size, which is beneficial for daily activity monitoring. The benefits of service plan integrated with the product include free collar size exchange and Amazon Alexa integration, which is great to control all features using your voice. The Link AKC Smart Dog Collar also gets you a round-the-clock access to veterinarians in case of a poison emergency concerning your dog.

PROS

• Nationwide accurate GPS tracking
• Attractive and fashionable leather belt
• Vet record storage in app
• IP67 rating

CONS

• Cellular service plan required for GPS
• Works only in the US

6. Tractive GPS 3G

Highlighted Features

• Tractive Virtual Fence
• Live location tracking with updates every 2-3 seconds
• Subscription plans starting $5 a month
• Quick 2-hour battery recharge time

Avid travellers who like to take along their pets all throughout the globe will find great solace in the features Tractive GPS 3G has to showcase. The GPS tracking device has a feature to track using cell phone towers in the US, which is great to be able to find your dog anywhere in the country. Another feature also ensures that the dog collar attachment works in over 150 countries, which can help frequent travellers. The device has a feature of defining ‘safe zone’ and also tracking the location of your pet on a ‘live’ basis. This makes sure your dog never goes out of sight, saving those jitters of anxiety. The Tractive GPS 3G might be a good choice if you are an enthusiast who likes to travel with pets.

PROS

• World-wide location tracking, over 150 countries
• IPX7 water-proof and shock resistant
• Location history tracking

CONS

• Lack of activity monitoring feature
• Recommended of pets above 9 pounds
• Uninspiring looks
• No mechanism to track goals or wellbeing

7. ​Beafup 

Highlighted Features

• Dual location tracking using GPS and cellular network
• Geo-fence feature with alarm
• Alarm for low power

Beafup is a simple yet powerful device to keep every dog safe and secure, thereby providing a much-needed peace of mind to dog-owners. The device has a GPS and cellular network tracking feature which currently works for 2G networks, thus ensuring availability throughout US and keeping your pet under your watch. Beafup also has a geo-fence and real-time locater, helping to pop-up an alert in case of breach of a pre-designated safe zone by your pet. Another feature offered by the tracker is dust, water and shock resistance, making sure that it last long and is not damaged easily. Dog owners who simply need a low-cost tracking device without other fluffy features might find Beafup a very favourable option.

PROS

• 90 days historical route display in GPS tracking
• IP65 water resistance
• Environment-friendly battery technology

CONS

• GPS tracking limited to 2G GSM network
• No feature to monitor health metrics

Things to Consider Before Buying the Product

How to choose the best dog activity monitor?

Dog activity monitors available today have various features that differentiate them from each other. These monitors can also come in a range of prices from $60 to $199 or higher. Needless to say, the GPS-enabled locators also need you to shell out a service fee ranging from $5 - $15 per month. These devices can be chosen on the basis of features you need in your budget. These features include:

• GPS location tracking
• Activity tracker
• Sleep quality tracker
• Heart and respiratory rate tracking
• Notification alerts
• Health insights
• Long battery life
• Durability
• Water-resistant
• Link to human health tracker
• Replaceable battery
• Breed-specific recommendations
• Geo-fencing
• Historical route tracking

What are the advantages of a Dog Activity Monitor?

Location

These devices can be used to pinpoint a pet’s location using GPS tracking, thereby making sure it doesn’t get lost.  

Geo-Fence

Geo-fencing is the creation of a virtual boundary geographically using a GPS device. Tracking devices can be used to set location alerts if the pet leaves home.  

Access to Health Info

Another advantage of a Dog Activity Monitor is the ability to keep a record of a pet’s daily activates using embedded sensors. This helps keep track of heart rate, activity and inactivity periods, which can then be used to compare against the pet’s breed, age and weight.  

Sleep tracker

Modern Dog activity monitors also help to keep track of the sleep quality of a pet. Sensors detect if the dog sleeps continuously for a long duration or gets restless in the middle of sleep.  

Lose Weight

Activity trackers also help the pet to lose weight in a healthy manner. The apps accompanying a tracker allows measuring the dog’s activity, which can be increased or kept constant over time to keep the pet in shape.  

Attributes that differentiate Dog Activity Monitors

Choice of GPS technology

While many monitors have a GPS tracking system using SIM card and cellular network coverage, a few do not need a SIM or network. This affects the range of the device significantly. While SIM-based devices offer coverage to practically every area, the non-SIM ones work in the radius of a few miles.  

Subscription Charges

Trackers with SIM-based GPS also need an additional subscription charge, other than the upfront cost of the device. However, most subscriptions allow you a nationwide coverage to track your pet in case of an emergency.

Battery Life

Most dog activity monitors come with a user-rechargeable battery that runs for a few days and then needs to be recharged. However, some trackers come with a user-replaceable battery which needs no charging but has a shelf life of up to a year. A new battery needs to be bought after every cycle.  

Water Resistance

A feature which is highly recommended and is also available across most devices, is resistance to water. Some monitors are certified with an IP65 rating, while others can withstand being underwater for a few minutes. A certain kind of tracker is simply splash resistant and not submersible in water.

App Features

All trackers have different kind of features loaded in them and display using varied metrics in their associated app. While some could have a complete health profile on the basis of exercise levels, calories burnt and sleep monitor; other devices might not have any of these features. A link with human health trackers like Fitbit is also available in a few monitors.  

Dimension

Most devices have a standard dimension range of 1 to 2 inches each side in a square-shaped setting. These also come with a belt attachment for the pet and is generally wrapped around the collar  

Budget

Budget is a big consideration while looking for the best product to suit individual needs. Devices with bigger batter and more app-based features are priced on the higher side compared to no-frills devices that simply come with tracker. The cost of a recurring network coverage plan must also be factored-in while contemplating a purchase.  

Essential Tips to use a Dog Activity Monitor

The best way to use a Dog Activity Monitor is to find out your expectation from the product. If you simply want to track your dog and its whereabouts during the day, a simple yet long-range device will suit your needs. However, if you want a complete app-based tracker to monitor health, sleep and activities of your pet, then a full-featured device will do the job. Devices with total activity tracking and without GPS services are also available in the market. If a long range of GPS tracking in your must-have list, a SIM-based network coverage device will fit the bill. Similarly, if you prefer to charge the battery rather than buy a new one regularly, a user-chargeable battery will be the best choice. In effect, as soon as you figure out your and the pet’s needs, any feature can be added to make an informed choice while buying the device.

Conclusion

To summarize, there are many dog activity monitors and trackers available to suit every budget. The new generation of such trackers work in a variety of ranges, employ geo fencing, promise a huge battery life, resist splashes of water, track your dog’s health and regularly innovate to add newer features. We are sure that a dog activity monitor will keep your dog out of harm’s way while promoting health and adventure without stressing you out. It personally gives me great satisfaction to be able to buy something that can protect my dog just like a best friend. Now you can decide if you want to get your dog a best friend. Rather, a second best friend after you, of course.