A smart dog collar is your everyday canine fashion and safety accessory—with a serious upgrade. With features like geofencing, GPS, health monitoring, and activity tracking, smart dog collars can help dogs and owners stay safe, healthy, and happy. You may be uneasy about utilizing smart technology or even WiFi with Fido, but with all the modern technology we humans use to make our lives easier, why wouldn't you consider taking humans' best friend along for the ride? We've made it simple and rounded up the best smart dog collars so you can weigh all the options before adding one to your cart.
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So, just what is a smart dog collar? A smart dog collar can help keep your dog safe by informing you about your dog's activity and health. Smart dog collars have a wide range of features depending on your needs. Some include GPS tracking, activity tracking, and geofencing, which sets virtual parameters and alerts you when your dog has crossed them. Some even can inform you about your dog's behavior, while others track and monitor your dog's health, activity, and wellness. Smart dog collars can help correct behavioral issues (humanely, of course); for example, escaping, excessive barking, or going to areas of your home that may be unsafe for your pet.
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There are many different types of smart dog collars that can address the various needs of a dog owner. For example, you may want a smart dog collar for your pet if you are looking for a worry-free and high-tech way to track your dog's behavior, activity, health, or location. Consider taking advantage of all the technology this world has to offer and purchasing a smart dog collar!
What to consider when purchasing a smart dog collar
Look, we get it, a new collar with new technology is a big investment of time, money, and energy. So before purchasing a smart dog collar, you may want to take a few of these points under consideration:
Purpose: Take into consideration your need for a smart dog collar in the first place. Does your dog have health issues? Do you want to address behavioral problems in your pet? All of this will impact the type of collar you purchase and determine what features you may or may not wish to have in a smart dog collar.
Features: Not every smart dog collar has the same function and this will all depend on the collar's features. Some features of a smart dog collar can include GPS, geofencing, health monitoring, activity tracking, behavioral monitoring or correcting, and more. Depending on your needs, you will want to determine which features are important to you, your dog, and your lifestyle.
Waterproof: If your dog likes to swim, is playing outdoors, or out in the elements, you will want to make sure your smart dog collar is waterproof to keep your pet happy and healthy and ensure the longevity of your purchase.
Subscription: A lot of smart collars come with subscription add-ons, meaning different features are available for an additional monthly (or yearly) cost. You will want to factor in whether or not your purchase includes subscription-based services or add-ons and if this fits into your budget.
The best overall smart dog collar
The Fi Smart collar is chew-proof, waterproof, and has a pull resistance of 300 pounds. It can provide 24/7 location tracking and behavioral insights, plus it comes in four sizes for dogs with necks between 11.5 inches and 34.5 inches. There is also an add-on light feature to keep your dog safe on night walks and adventures. The collar has a one-year warranty and comes in all sorts of customizable colors and styles.
At a Glance:
- Battery Life: 3+ months, charging accessories included
- Waterproof: Yes
- Subscription: Add-on options
The best smart dog collar for excessive barking
If you have a dog who barks excessively, bothers the neighbor's cat, or has an appetite for growling at and chasing squirrels, you may want to consider a humane, no-shock smart collar to address any behavioral problems and keep your furry friend out of danger. This bark collar from Pet Pawsabilities has a no-shock mechanism that incorporates both sound and vibration to keep your pet's "quirks" under control and seems to be extremely effective with its humane technology. In fact, according to Pet Pawsabilities, 95% of dogs stop barking at the first sound the collar produces!
The collar is waterproof, light-reflective, and has two different modes of bark deterrent, including sound, and sound and vibration. Plus, it's fully rechargeable (it lasts 15+ hours on a full charge). Be sure to consult with your vet to ensure this is the best solution for you and your pet before purchasing and using!
At a Glance:
- Battery Life: Rechargeable in 2.5 hours, lasts 15 hours on full charge
- Waterproof: Yes
The best smart dog collar for fitness and health monitoring
This activity monitor from FitBark can sync with your Fitbit or Apple Watch so you can compare health stats with your pup, side by side! With this smart collar, you can monitor all sorts of health activity within your pet, including sleep quality, distance, calorie balance, and overall health, and also catch early signs of disease through monitoring mobility, anxiety, and sleep. You can even share this data with your vet! Another amazing feature of this smart collar is the battery life lasts six months. Worry less about charging, and more about spending time with your canine.
At a Glance:
- Battery Life: Lasts up to 6 months
- Waterproof: Yes
- Weight: 0.4 oz.
The best smart dog collar for GPS tracking
If you want to know where your dog is at all times, this smart dog collar from Tractive has worldwide real-time tracking and location history: You can literally see where your dog is as they putt, scoot, and prance! You can also set fitness goals and track how many calories your dog has burned, as well as set virtual fences, mark safe spaces, and get a notification when your dog has left any barriers. It's important to note that a subscription plan is needed to use the smart collar from Tractive, but many plans are available to fit your needs.
At a Glance:
- Battery Life: 1 year
- Waterproof: Yes
- Subscription: Required
The best smart pet tag
If you just want to dip your toe into the pool of smart dog collars, but still indulge in some of the features of a smart dog collar, you may want to consider a smart dog collar tag. Smart collar tags can be more affordable and less of a commitment than a smart dog collar. This smarter pet tag from PAWSCOUT does not provide the exact location of your pet, but does have a Bluetooth bandwidth of 300 feet, and will notify you when your pet is out of your "zone." You can create a digital profile with your smart tag, create boundaries within your neighborhood, and even connect with neighbors and local pet parents!
At a Glance:
- Battery Life: 6+ months
- Waterproof: Water-resistant
- Subscription: No monthly fees