Home CasaVerdeSmart ,,,,, Anyone who has one or more dogs that roam freely in the garden all day lives with the constant fear of being able to lose them at any moment. If it is true that there are dogs that are more faithful to their owners, there are breeds, such as the Beagle, who would stay away from home even for days in order to follow a “track”, with the risk of never finding their way back. .
Technology today has made great strides also in this respect and the Tractive GPS 2 that we have had the opportunity to try recently is proof of this: it is a GPS module to be fixed to the dog's collar and which allows you to monitor it in real time. position and movements directly on a map on the smartphone, thus being able to know the details with a rather high precision.
As did
The device is quite small, specifically measuring 4.7 x 3.3 x 1.7 centimeters and weighing 30 grams. Where perhaps it would be rather bulky is on the collar of a small dog, while little is already noticeable on the collar of a medium-sized dog (such as the aforementioned Beagle, which among other things we have relied on for our field tests) , especially if black, thus blending in with the tracker body.
The whole device is made of high quality polycarbonate, apparently very resistant to the touch. At the edges it is very stiff while at the center it flexes only slightly when you try to squeeze it firmly between your fingers. Our tests have shown us that it is a valid product: for all the weeks we have left it hooked to the dog's collar, with all that goes with it when dealing with a young and very lively animal. Consider, therefore, that he took several hits during the various rolls on the ground and the games with the other dogs in the park which he usually goes to several times a day, and even today the tracker is all in one piece. It only bears the signs of aging, represented only by a few superficial scratches on the body.
How does it work
The tracker attaches to the dog's collar by means of a clip that harpoons securely to the three holes of the device. Initially we feared for the resistance of the clip, consisting of a simple plastic hook, but after the tests we had to change our mind. In the package there are two clips of different sizes, in order to be able to easily attach to more or less thick collars, and in any case both the coupling and the release (necessary for recharging the battery, which we will talk about in a while ) need a good dose of strength. The important thing is to make sure that the pins are perfectly inserted inside the holes: sure of this, there is no risk that they could come off even if the tracker should receive a violent blow.
For activation, nothing could be simpler: just hold down the only button on the tracker for more than 5 seconds. The device will emit a combination of beeps with an ascending melody and the LED will turn green. The same goes for switching off: 5 seconds and an ascending melody, accompanied by the red LED lit, will confirm that the tracker has been deactivated.
For the first pairing you need to download the Tractive GPS app, available for free on the iOS, Android and Microsoft stores and follow the instructions on the screen. At some point you will be asked to pair the tracker by scanning the QRcode affixed to the back through the smartphone camera. The procedure does not take more than a few minutes to be completed.
How is it going
Let's say first of all that buying just the tracker is not enough. To be able to use it, it is necessary to purchase a subscription. On the other hand, it is like having a small phone, which therefore needs a cellular connection in order to function. However, we are talking about 3.75 euros per month which ensure not only real-time position monitoring but also a series of functions related to GPS tracking offered by the software.
The device works very well, as long as there is good reception of the cellular network. It works just like a telephone: if there is a field, the position can be monitored, vice versa you will have to wait for the first useful signal in order to know the position of your dog on the map.
The app monitors the position 24 hours a day: when you open the application you can know where it is at that precise moment and if you activate the Live Tracking option you can also follow all movements with high accuracy . You can also designate “safe” areas, such as the perimeter of a garden or park for dogs. When you leave the protected area, you will instantly receive a notification on your smartphone that signals the event. In the same way, when the dog returns to one of the protected areas, it will once again be a notification on the phone to notify us.
It is possible to share the information of the GPS tracker with one or more contacts (for example with family members), and build a complete profile of the dog to which a particular tracker is associated in case more than one are purchased, complete with a name, type, breed, date of birth, height, weight, chip number and many other useful information especially if you also install the Tractive Motion application (for iOS and Android), a sort of personal trainer for your pet.
In fact, it transforms the tracker into a kind of fitness band to monitor the dog's physical activity during the day by comparing the period of movement with that of inactivity and assigning it a score and a label based on it, passing from lazy to walker and to the athlete. According to the statistics, medals are also received, thus also transforming it into an entertainment device to entice the owner to keep his dog active and healthy.
As for battery life, on a full charge the tracker will run for about 2–3 days. Much depends on the use made of it. With live tracking active, it can last only half a day: it is a very expensive function in terms of consumption and should therefore be used sparingly, only when the need arises.
Conclusions
Tractive GPS 2 is an essential accessory for those who usually accompany the dog on long walks outdoors, perhaps in the mountains, without keeping it on a leash. Should the shot from a rifle frighten him or for any reason he should move away, it will be possible to trace his position and follow his movements in real time, having the almost absolute certainty of being able to find him in time.
Even those who own a house with a large plot of land and decide to let it wander around can count on a valid system that will allow you to trace its position at any time. The recharging times of the tracker are also quite short: a few hours to have at least a full day of autonomy.
Price to the public
Tractive GPS 2 costs € 99.99 but is currently on a special offer on the official website for € 49.99. The Italian distribution is by Accessory Line. It is also on sale on Amazon and in the main Italian Apple Premium Resellers.
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