When you let your dog off its leash, do you get a little twinge of concern that he might run off or amble away and get lost? If unleashed pet worries are part of your world, the Findster Duo GPS pet tracker bears checking out. The first GPS tracker with no monthly fees, according to the company, the Findster Duo is currently running a Kickstarter campaign, with estimated delivery in December.
Dog collars with GPS and cellular connectivity, such as the Link AKC Smart Collar, typically have monthly service fees. For example, the Link collar connectivity fees range from $7 to $10 a month depending on whether you sign up for a monthly, annual, or two-year subscription. The Findster Duo has no GPS or cellular fees because it uses a proprietary local wireless technology called Maze. Once you buy the unit, that’s it, there are no ongoing access, cellular, or GPS fees.
The Findster system includes a pet module with a Velcro collar attachment, a guardian module you can carry or keep in your pocket, and a USB charger for both modules. The Findster Duo modules communicate wirelessly for a range of up to 2 miles. So as long as you and your dog are within 2 miles of each other, the pet module’s GPS location displays on an iOS or Android smartphone Findster app.
To prevent your dog from going outside the Findster Duo’s range, you can set up a customized virtual “fence” around your dog’s position. If you set up a virtual fence of 100 yards and your pet goes “outside the fence,” you’ll be alerted immediately and can maintain contact by heading in your dog’s direction.
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There’s also a virtual leash feature you can use by setting your own position as the center point. If your dog wanders (or runs like crazy) outside that range, you’ll be alerted so you can call (or run after) your wayward pet.
If your dog likes to hide or go deep into the bushes, a radar mode in the Findster app will lead you right to his position.
Other Findster Duo features include an activity tracker that rewards you with discounts on dog food. The leaderboard feature logs your pet’s mileage and speed and ranks them against other pets. A shared access option feature lets friends and family use the Findster app to monitor your pet’s location. If you have more than one dog you can pair a single guardian module to track up to five pet modules.