GPS PRO Dog collar with SMS

We've seen a whole lot of crap that people can hang on their dogs, but rarely do we see a genuinely useful product like the GPS PRO Dog collar from Environmental Studies that helps your pet without humiliating her. Simply strap the collar around your beloved's neck, and as long as the built-in receiver can pull in both GPS and GSM signals, you can call the collar from anywhere in the world and get texted back with its exact location (or view a map on a smartphone). Both collar and harness-mounted versions are available, but you better remember to insert a SIM card and charge the batteries at least every five days, or this becomes the only non-Vuitton, non-Tiffany's, non-functional $1000 dog collar we've ever come across.

[Via Cool Hunter, thanks Dan]

[slyecho @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

It isn't really limited to dogs if you think about it...

[Nelson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Very cool... And useful.

I could see them eventually adding an "Invisible fence" type feature, where you could keep you dog away from the "bad parts of town" -- A beep would warn him (her) to turn back.

[Altheus @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I guess this is all in all a decent idea, shame the battery life is so poor. One of those tactile charger thingamajigs is what you need. And then train your dog to lie there for a couple of hours.

[Altheus @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I guess this is all in all a decent idea, shame the battery life is so poor. One of those tactile charger thingamajigs is what you need. And then train your dog to lie there for a couple of hours.

[Pacey @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

why not just throw one of those kinetic energy charger's so that every time your dog moves, it recharges the battery a little bit.

A good game of fetch or something and the battery is good for another couple of days.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#3 I like your idea. I would spend $1000 easily on this if thats how it worked. My first Dog got lost in the woods by our house and was never seen again. we fear some people took her (she was a pure bread german short-haired pointer, and a good looking one to. On the day she was lost there were alot of surveyers in the area (whom lots are known to be hunters). Well, when out for a run, my dog went and got lost in the woods like she always does. Usualy we go home after looking for an hour and she just shows up at our doorstep in 2-3 hours. (she know her way home). Then one day she never came back, so yeah, we all think one of the hunters took her as she was an expesive dog.

If I had one of these collars we could of located her right away after she took off and we would still have her today.

My second dog at the time did not get lost on the same run and we still have her. She is a member of the family and $1000 to ensure she stays with us is just like shelling out lots of $ for operations when your dog has health problems.

Too bad this battery is so small. I wouldent mind charging it every 1 month, or using #3s idea, but less then every week is not good enough.

[snac @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This is all very good, but I'm sure it could be done for a lot cheaper than $1000, and with greatly extended battery life.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Needs to be smaller. The "lost cat" market is way Way WAY bigger than the lost dog market. Heck, most urban areas require leashes on dogs.
Not much lost dog action there. Yeah, its good for hunters, etc - as long as you can _get_ a signal in the woods. But "lost" cats... I see a "lost cat" sign about every two weeks. Our cat went missing for about 10 days once; turned out he was right next door trapped in a crawlspace. Ever try to keep a cat indoors? Doesnt work.

[Sarah Brabazon-Biggar @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Something like this needs to be made for kids with severe autism who are prone to wandering off.

[1337ownage @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

amen to #8 i wish they sold the leg collars they use for keeping people under house arrest for the public, i could really use some of those for my brats. but i guess this will have to suffice for now unless any one else has another suggestion.

[met @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Don't cats find their way better than dogs?

[idog @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This collar, combined with this:
http://www.petsafe-warehouse.com/dogtrainingcollars/electric_dog_training_collars.htm
Would be great for teenagers....

[Alex K. @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

how about you tie your dog to a rope. wouldn't that be easier?

hey i think they sell those. they are called leashes.

i love gadgets, but only when they are affordable and practical.

[Sarah Brabazon-Biggar @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#9, we're considering getting this system:
www.ion-kids.com

I'd prefer something with gps, but it's too expensive at this point.

[Stefan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This is old stuff, used primarely for hunting though.
I configured a similar product from followithunter.(se?) a loooong while ago for my father.
They work like a charm , but can be a real pain to setup.
For his config, he uses a cellphone with bluetooth and a pda ppc with bt, then it updates the map when sending a sms to the collar with whento resedn location and if on interval. Thumbs up for these!!!
/S

[Elias @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Damn, my group invented something like this in marketing class like 3 years ago.

-- Elias

[EM @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

$1000 to recover a stupid dog? For half this money, you can buy a smarter one that will not get lost!

[Rik Harris @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

OOooh, its like that film the fortress, 'intestinators' niceee...

If i had children id have one fitted to each of the little bas.....'s :)