Pet owners in rural areas represent a significant portion of the dog-owning population in the United States. Dogs are not only loyal and friendly animals; they are also our family members. To keep this family member safe, many dog parents purchase pet trackers.
However, there are several different types of pet trackers on the market. Which pet tracker can do a real job in rural areas?
To protect dogs and minimize pet owners’ worries, we compared different dog trackers. Among these, two trackers are popular among many pet owners: the Aorkuler and the Fi.
So, which of these two pet trackers can work in rural areas? We will answer after presenting their basic information to dog parents.
Fi Dog Collar
The Fi smart dog collar uses GPS and a cellular network. After gaining GPS location, it transmits the information to the dog parent’s mobile app via the cellular network.
In areas with good cellular signals, the Fi Dog Collar can track the dog’s location in real-time, and the dog parent can find the dog by looking at the mobile app. If there are few cellular base stations near the dog or its owners, Fi collar will not work properly.
Most of the pet trackers on the market that use cellular networks require the dog’s parents to download a cell phone app. The tracker will transmit various data information about the dog to the app.
Because the Fi dog collar requires the cellular network to work, owners must pay a monthly subscription fee to the carrier. If the subscription fee is not paid, the tracker can only use WiFi to transmit the dog’s location to the mobile app.
But comparing WiFi and GPS, GPS tracks the dog’s location more accurately. The tracker will not work after the dog parent and dog leave the WiFi area.
The Fi dog collar has a safety fence function. Dog parents can set the safety fence on the mobile app. The dog parent’s phone will receive an alert notification when the dog leaves the range set by the owner.
This feature can help dog parents find out the movements of their dog in time. However, when we were browsing through articles about Fi smart dog collar tests, we found that some dog parents mentioned that the phone would give false alarms.
This is due to the GPS drift that causes false alarms. Dog parents should try to choose a wide area when setting up a safety fence at home to reduce false alerts.
In addition to this, the Fi dog collar can monitor your dog’s activity data and sleep. Dog parents can also view their dog’s history track on the mobile app.
The Fi dog collar can rank the dog’s activity data. Dog parents can see their dog’s ranking by inputting their dog’s information on the app.
Note: Dog parents cannot use the safety fence and activity data monitoring features without a subscription.
Aorkuler Dog Tracker
Aorkuler dog tracker uses GPS and radio technology. It does not require dog parents to download a mobile app to view their dog’s location. Dog parents can simply hold the controller and see their pet’s location on the screen.
When the dog is in the owner’s vicinity, the tracker connects to the controller via Bluetooth and the controller’s screen displays “nearby”.
When the dog is far away from the owner, the GPS updates the dog’s location and the tracker transmits the dog’s location information to the controller via radio technology. Parents can check their dog’s direction and distance on the controller’s screen.
There is no monthly subscription fee for this pet tracker. It transmits the dog’s location information without using cellular networks. So, dog parents don’t have to pay a monthly subscription fee to a cellular carrier.
Because the Aorkuler dog tracker is independent of the strength of the cellular signal. It can work properly in rural or suburban areas to do real-time dog tracking.
The Aorkuler dog tracker is waterproof to IP67, so when the dog is playing in a puddle, it still transmits real-time information about the dog’s location to the parents.
In addition, Aorkuler also has sound and night flash functions. When the controller shows “nearby”, but the dog does not show up due to injury or hiding, the parents can turn on the sound function. The dog’s tracker will then beep.
In case of poor visibility, pet owners can use the night flash function. The tracker will emit three different colors of light to attract the dog’s parent.
Summary
Since rural areas usually have weak cellular signals, Fi dog collars don’t work properly. But the Aorkuler pet tracker uses radio technology to track your dog’s location in real-time even in places without cellular signal.
Therefore, the Aorkuler pet tracker is more suitable for dog parents who live in rural areas. If the dog’s parents live in places with good cellular signals, they can buy Fi dog collars for their dogs.