Do you have a pet dog at home? Caring for them can be a full-time responsibility. You must ensure the dog is safe and is getting enough sleep, nutrition, and exercise. But you understandably cannot be around them 24/7.
If you want to know where your dog is when you are at the office or view their recent activity and sleep cycle, a GPS tracker can help. One such device we will review today is the Tractive GPS tracker for dogs.
Tractive is one of the most affordable pet trackers. It is a tiny device that even fits small dogs weighing around 9 lbs. It is an adventure and waterproof device.
With a premium plan, you can track over an unlimited distance. You can create virtual fences and get notified when your furry friend leaves and enters a safe zone.
You can view your dog’s location in default or live mode. You can use the find mode for indoor tracking.
Its battery life is decent. The live tracking feature needs performance improvements. So, should you trust Tractive GPS when it comes to your beloved pet? Let us find out.
| Product Overview | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Tractive |
| Model | Tractive DOG 4 |
| Dimensions | 2.7 x 1.10 x 0.66 inches |
| Weight | 1.2 ounces |
| Color | Blue, Coffee, White |
| Battery | Rechargeable Lasts up to 10 days |
| Fits Collar Width Of | Up to 2.8 cm |
| Connectivity | GPS, LTE/4G, 2G |
| SIM Card | Built-in Works with various networks |
| Tracking Range | Unlimited Available in 175 countries |
| Device Cost | $49.99 |
| Subscription | Starts from $6 to $13/monthDepends on billing cycle |
| Warranty | 2 years from the date of purchase |
| Customer Support | Help Center Email Chat |
| Amazon Rating | 3.9 out of 5 (4,082 ratings) |
Our Rating
About Tractive
Tractive was founded in 2012. The company has its headquarters in Pashing, Austria. It is a trusted name in the GPS tracking, activity, and health monitoring space.
Tractive offers GPS trackers for dogs and cats. In the case of dogs, they have tracker options for small dogs around 9 lbs and medium to large-sized dogs above 40 lbs.
For cats, you can buy a mini tracker that weighs less than an ounce. The device is suitable for cats weighing above 6.6 lbs.
You can also shop for accessories like tracker sleeves, rubber mounts, and harness mounts.
Who is This Tractive GPS Tracker For?
The Tractive GPS tracker is for dog parents wanting to ensure the safety of their furry friends. If you want to know where your dog wanders during the day or if they have any hiding spots on your property, the tracker can help.
If your intelligent and curious pet tends to escape pet barriers, you can track their location in real-time. You can also find your lost dog using features like find mode, audio, and directional cues.
You can additionally track your dog’s health and lifestyle using the wellness monitor. It provides data about your pet’s sleep and activity levels.
You can also contact family and friends to care for your dog. You can provide them with your pet’s location and get access to features like live tracking, activity monitoring, light indicators, and sound.
5 Important Factors we Tested the Tracker on
Tractive claims to follow your pet’s every step, every minute. But how valid is the claim? Are the location updates accurate? Is the tracker easy to set up and use? What features are available?
With help from our furry friend, we tested the tracker on parameters like tech specifications, battery life, features, and performance. Here they are discussed in a detailed manner:
1. Design
The Tractive is a small device with the dimensions 2.7 x 1.10 x 0.66 inches. It weighs 1.2 ounces. The tracker is small and lightweight. Wearing the device should not irritate or make your dog uncomfortable.
The device can be attached to your dog’s existing collar. It can fit on collars with widths of up to 2.8 cm. You can attach the device using the blue rubber clip you will receive in the box.
The tracker is waterproof. It has an IPX7 rating. This means the tracker can work for up to 30 minutes when submerged under 1 meter of water. Your dog can wear the tracker when swimming, but keep the time and depth limitations in mind.
The Tractive GPS tracker has an LED light on its face. Depending on the event, it can light up as green, red, white, purple, or blue. For example, if the tracker blinks green twice, it has established a network and a GPS signal. Two white lights indicate the tracker is in a power-saving zone.
You can buy the tracker in white, blue, and coffee colors. You can also buy different colored and patterned tracker covers.
2. Battery
The device includes a rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery. Tractive claims the battery can last for up to 10 days. This is true, but features like live tracking can quickly drain the battery.
It takes about three hours for the tracker to charge completely. Use the magnetic gold charging points to clip the charger onto the tracker. The device automatically turns on when charging.
The LED light should turn green or disappear completely when the tracker is charged.
The power savings zone feature can help extend battery life. You can connect the tracker to up to five trusted WiFi networks. This could be your home, the daycare centre, the office, or a friend’s place.
The tracker will disable GPS location and periodically check if your dog is still inside the WiFi zone. Live tracking will not be available in the power saving zone, but features like find mode, wellness monitoring, and light and sound will be on.
If the tracker moves outside the power saving zone, it automatically switches to GPS and provides location updates. So you can safely use the feature to improve battery life.
3. Usability
Setting up Tractive is pretty straightforward. You must first charge the tracker for a minimum of 2 hours. Please note that Tractive recommends not to use a fast charger as it can damage the battery.
Pressing and holding the power button for a couple of seconds will let you know if the tracker is turned on and its network status. When turned on, the tracker blinks twice.
The first light indicates the network, and the second indicates the GPS signal. Ideally, both the blinks should be green.
Once charged, you must pair the tracker with the Tractive GPS app. To complete the pairing, enter the 8-character code on the back of the tracker’s back.
You then have to select a subscription plan. Next, enter your dog’s details like weight, height, breed, gender, and date of birth. These details help with wellness monitoring.
The Tractive GPS has an intuitive design. You can view your dog’s location on the map or look at their history or activity.
You can also use the Tractive website to track the device, but it currently does not support all the features available on the app.
4. Value-Adding Features
If your dog likes to wander off, a virtual fence can help track its behavior. You can have five such fences.
You can create virtual fences as a circle, rectangle, or custom shape. The circle must have a minimum 50 m radius. The rectangle should be a minimum of 100 x 100 m. And the app will let you know if the custom shape is too small.
You will be notified if the dog leaves or enters a predefined fence. You can switch to live tracking mode to find your pet when you receive an exit alert.
You can view the detailed location history of your dog with the premium subscription plan. You can use the heatmap feature to get a colored illustration of how long your pet stayed in a particular location.
If your dog likes to hide around the house, you can use the radar mode to locate them. Your phone and tracker should be within the Bluetooth range for the feature to work. It will let you know if you are moving closer or away from your dog.
The radar mode does not rely on GPS or a network to work. So you can find your dog in areas with network issues as well.
5. Performance
The Tractive tracker monitors your dog’s location in default mode every 2 to 60 minutes. The update frequency depends on your dog’s activity level.
For example, if your pet is active, the updates will be frequent. If your pet is confined to an area and does not move around much, the updates will be less frequent.
The live tracking mode provides location updates every 2 to 3 seconds. But that is not the case. Getting location updates can take up to 15 seconds or a minute. The information could be inaccurate sometimes, but the data is delayed and not exactly live.
The same goes for virtual fences. In default mode, receiving a notification can take up to 2 minutes. In live tracking, the notifications would be much quicker.
Overall, though, Tractive is a well-performing tracker, especially considering its price point.
What Sets the Tractive GPS Tracker Apart from its Competitors?
The Tractive GPS tracker for dogs does more than just provide location details. It can track your pet’s health and deliver data that you can use to take care of your dog better.
For example, you can see how long your dog walked or ran around under active minutes. The calorie parameter provides an estimate of calories burned.
Under the sleep category, you can find details like night sleep quality, interruptions, and sleep phases.
The app will generate a wellness tab once you use the tracker for seven days. Here, you can view a summary of activity, sleep, and calories. You can use the data to understand your pet’s behaviour, establish a baseline, and notice changes.
You can accordingly plan more activity sessions, enroll your dog in daycare, or invest in accessories like dog beds to improve their sleep quality.
Should You Purchase the Tractive GPS Tracker for Your Dog?
The Tractive GPS is a budget-friendly tracker that offers accurate location details. It is a small waterproof device available in different colors.
It offers default and live tracking modes. You can find lost pets with the find me mode. You can get your dog’s wellness score depending on their activity, sleep, and rest quality.
The location updates can be delayed. And the battery life is decent compared to other pet trackers. But I would say the tracker is still a good investment.
Go through the pros and cons before purchasing.
Pros
- You can attach the lightweight device to your dog’s existing collar.
- It offers location updates every 2 to 60 minutes.
- You have unlimited live tracking regardless of the subscription plan.
- You can track your dog’s activity and sleep.
- You can create virtual fences and get exit and entry alerts.
- You can let other people track your pet with family sharing.
Cons
- Location updates may sometimes be delayed.
- Worldwide coverage is only available on premium subscription plans.
Price
The Tractive GPS tracker for dogs is priced at $49.99. It is one of the most budget-friendly pet tracking devices available in the market.
The tracker uses local cellular networks to send and receive GPS data. This is why you will need a subscription to use the tracker and the app.
The two plans available are Basic and Premium. The monthly cost can vary from $6 to $13. The payment varies depending on the billing cycle.
For example, the Basic plan is available on a monthly, 1-year, and 2-year basis. The Premium plan is available on a 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year basis.
Features like family sharing, worldwide coverage, yearly historical data, and GPS data export are only available with the Premium plan.
You can opt for Tractive Care. You can get a new tracker if yours gets lost, damaged, or stolen. This may be billed with an additional $1 to $3/month on top of your subscription plan.
FAQ’s
The Tractive GPS tracker can track over an unlimited distance. As the tracker works in 175 countries, you can also keep an eye on your dog from the other side of the world.
No. Tractive relies on GPS signals to work. But if your dog is in a known area like your home, you can use a trusted WiFi network to enable the Power Saving Mode and extend its battery life.
Yes. The Tractive GPS can make a buzzing sound when features like Live Tracking or Find Nearby are used. If your pet is sensitive to sounds, you can turn off the feature under the Light and Sound category under the tracker profile.
Final Word
The Tractive GPS tracker for dogs can provide you proper peace of mind with its accurate location updates. Available at $49.99, it is a budget-friendly device. It also has comparatively lower subscription plans.
In default mode, you get location updates every 2 to 60 minutes, depending on your dog’s activity level. In live tracking mode, the update frequency switches to a few seconds.
You can create up to five virtual fences and know when your pet crosses a predefined boundary. The tracker monitors your dog’s activity level and sleep quality.
You can share the tracking details with family members. You can access location history for up to a year. Tractive is a good device with features worth investing in a premium plan.
Carson Harris is a highly qualified author and expert in GPS tracking technology. With a background in electrical engineering and machine learning, he has established himself as a trusted source of information. Carson’s work experience at Garmin and Panasonic has further enhanced his expertise. He possesses creative skills in website design and AI applications. Known for his clear and concise communication, Carson’s articles on Trax Family’s website provide valuable insights on GPS trackers.