The Zoombak GPS dog tracking collar is one of the most popular GPS tracking collars for dogs in the marketplace. The Zoombak offers the following:

• Tracks the real- time location of your dog on-demand 24 hours 7 days a week: on-demand locates are unlimited
• You can pinpoint your dog’s real-time location on-demand anywhere within our nationwide coverage area via Zoombak.com or through our live, toll-free customer care 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Allows you to set up customized zones (up to 10) so you can be promptly notified by text message and/or email (your choice) when your dog leaves the zone. Five (5) zones can be active simultaneously at any given time
• Offers continuous tracking and gives you your dog’s location history
• Live 24/7 customer support via our toll-free number can assist with locating your dog or answering questions

Weighing 2.5 ounces, the Zoombak collar is recommended for dogs weighing at least 15 pounds.

Zoombak service plan

Like most real-time GPS tracking devices, the Zoombak relies on a cellular signal to relay location information. The service plan for the Zoombak starts at $14.99 per month, though you can get this down to $12.08 per month with an annual pre-paid plan. Zoombak uses the T-Mobile network, so be sure to check out their coverage map before you buy.

Zoombak GPS dog collar reviews

A number of consumer-authored Zoombak GPS dog collar reviews have been posted at Amazon.

More Zoombak GPS collar resources

• The official Zoombak GPS dog collar website
• A Zoombak GPS FAQ
• Zoombak GPS collar tips
• A PDF version of the Zoombak owners manual

I’m Rusty and I’m a 3 year old Brittany that loves to RUN! Dad likes to know where I’m at because when I find a bird I can be a long way away and I’m not gonna move a muscle until he finds me. Dad bought the Astro and put it on my training collar, pressed the buttons on both units and in about 30 seconds said he knew exactly where I was. Wow that’s fast! Dad turned me loose and could see the pointer showing just where I was at and how far away I was. With a press of the menu button and selecting “show info” he could see how far I’d traveled and how fast I was moving. I ran over a hill and doubled back and dads buddy wondered where I’d gone off to. Dad said he’s coming up behind us ’bout a hundered (sic) yards. How’d he do that! The collar unit is a little heavy and did want to slip to the side but Dad always knew where I was. Then he made me stay back at camp and took the truck down the road over a hill in heavy cover and still had three bars of signal 2 miles away. Dad says that switching between the Dog tracker and the map is a snap because the buttons are right where they should be so he won’t get lost either. It has lots of features but the stuff you need is easy to use right from the start. This unit is made for hunters and is well worth the cost.

The review also has places to compare prices, links to the manual, specs and more.

The first generation of The Hear Now products is slated to be available in the U.S. and Canada in October of 2007, and will be sold through retail pet supply stores. They will have a two-mile range but will not have GPS tracking capabilities. That will come with the second generation, set for release in late 2007 / early 2008. A third generation device will add geofencing capabilities.


Here is a breakdown on the product lines:

Generation 1 collar set THN1-2V (2-mile range) includes one collar and one hand-held unit to be available for delivery in October 2007

• Two-way voice communication between radio unit and collar up to 2 miles* with “call owner” button on collar (*range will vary depending upon terrain and conditions)
• Waterproof
• Collar for dogs and/or cats (cat harness and horse halter available soon)
• Control radio can control up to 14 pets
• LED lights on collar activated by the hand-held unit with visibility up to 2 miles

Generation 2 collar set THN2-GV (12-mile range) includes one collar and hand-held unit expected for December 2007

• Two-way voice communication between radio unit and collar up to 12 miles* with “call owner” button on collar (*range will vary depending upon terrain and conditions)
• Waterproof
• Collar for dogs and/or cats (cat harness and horse halter available soon)
• Control radio can control up to 14 pets
• LED lights on collar activated by the hand-held unit with visibility up to 2 miles
• GPS satellite tracking (GPS service contract not required as data is transmitted via GMRS radio signal)
• Hand-held unit provides GPS coordinates of your pets’ location, the distance between the two points and a compass directional arrow indicating which direction to move in order to close position on your pet
• Vibration training stimulus on collar activated by the hand-held unit

Generation 3 collar set THN3-GMV includes one collar and one hand-held unit expected delivery 2008.

• All capabilities of generation 2
• Multi-point geo-fencing capabilities
• Hand-held radio unit will also have full real-time world mapping capability so tracking of the pet can be done through the unit directly without having to have access to a computer
• GPS mapping can be done through a computer with internet access or through hand-held devices such as the Black-berry also with internet access

Related post:

• Zoombak GPS dog collar

UPDATE: Reviews are starting to appear online and I’ve posted links in a new and thorough post looking at the the Zoombak GPS dog collar.

A new entry in the GPS pet tracking market turned up this week — the Zoombak, and while its not on store shelves yet, it is winding its way through the FCC clearance process. You can check out a PDF version of the owners manual here. No word yet on street date, cost of the device or service fees. It appears that the collar device will report locations back via cell carrier.

Via Engadget.

GPS pet tracking via cell phone carrier

The first two devices transmit location data via cell phone transmission. One advantage of this is that you can track your pet via the Internet, cell phone, etc. These devices will not work in areas without cell coverage. There is typically an ongoing service charge with these devices.

UPDATE: I’ve also posted detailed information on the Zoombak GPS dog collar.

Stealth PetTracker

The Stealth PetTracker is relatively small (3″ x 2″ x 1″) and has a water-resistant case. The site claims that the Li-ion battery can last up to several days on a single charge; a low-battery alert option is available. Tracking can be done by email, internet, pager, cell phone, or web site. The collar’s weight is not listed. $599.

GlobalPetFinder

Global Pet Finder alerts can be sent to a cell phone, PDA, computer ,etc. The device provides automatic alerts to your cell phone or other wireless device when batteries begin to run low. Dimensions are 3.5″ x 1″ x 1″; weight is one pound. It runs on 3 AAA batteries, which may not be calculated in the listed weight. The Amazon link above has 12 user reviews associated with this device. The Global Pet Finder requires a one-time activation fee of $34.99 and a monthly service plan (here is a coverage map and a link to the official GlobalPetFinder website). The list price of $349.99 is heavily discounted at Amazon (link above).

GPS pet tracking via radio waves

The next two devices transmit signals via radio waves. Generally, there is no ongoing service charge, but the transmission range is limited. Data is transmitted to a handheld receiver.

Garmin Astro 220

UPDATE: Read my Garmin Astro GPS review at GPSTracklog.com.

Slated to become available in June of 2007, the Garmin Astro 220 is aimed at hunters. The unit looks pretty bulky; the weight and other specifications aren’t listed on the Garmin Astro 220 web page yet. Garmin claims a transmission range of 5 miles under ideal (read: flat) conditions. The list price is $535.70, but you also get a nice GPS unit for that price. The receiver is very similar to the popular Garmin 60CSx.

RoamEO

The RoamEO comes with a separate handheld unit, allowing you to monitor a dog wearing the tracking collar at a distance of up to one-mile (under ideal conditions). Both the collar and the handheld utilize rechargeable batteries. The collar is designed to be submersed in water for up to 30 minutes. The collar weight is listed as 3.7 ounces. $499.

GPS pet tracking recommendations

When buying a pet tracking device, take into account battery life, weight, the coverage area or transmission range, any ongoing service fees, and whether or not the unit is waterproof, not just water resistant.

Unfortunately, these units are too bulky for a cat, so their use is limited to dogs at this time. Remember too, anytime you attach something to a collar, you increase the risk of your pet getting hung up on something.

Finally, if you can wait, you may find dramatically improved (and smaller) units available by the end of 2007. The technology is getting better all the time, and someone is going to tap into market demand with a superior device.