Did you know that it’s been over 50 million obese or overweight dogs according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in 2023? By simply tracking your dog’s activity with proper trackers, you can learn so much about your pup and improve his/her health.
You may have already asked yourself this question, “Does my dog need a fitness tracker? Is there any Fitbit for dogs?”. As you know, Fitbit is a popular fitness tracker. This question also crossed my mind and I figured that a fitness tracker may not be listed as a dog’s necessity. But then I asked myself again, “is it worth it to buy a fitness tracker for my dog?” The truth is, knowing about my dog’s activity and nutrition can be a lifesaver. And our list of the best dog activity monitors in 2023 is literally a life-saver for your pal.
We have done extensive research and tested over 15 different dog fitness trackers brands. Our rating is based on factors such as battery life, dog data for tracking, accuracy, app, and product support.
Name
Fi Collar The Most Innovative Dog GPS & Activity Tracker
Fitbark 2 a.k.a. Fitbit For Dogs
Dog Fitness Tracking Features
Tracking steps, physical activity and real-time location
Tracking dog’s calories burned, steps and sleep activity
Tracking dog’s everyday activity, sleep activity, and could be linked to your Fitbit, Apple HealthKit or Google Fit device
Best Choice
Name
Fi Collar The Most Innovative Dog GPS & Activity Tracker
Preview
Dog Fitness Tracking Features
Tracking steps, physical activity and real-time location
Best Budgeted
Preview
Dog Fitness Tracking Features
Tracking dog’s calories burned, steps and sleep activity
Name
Fitbark 2 a.k.a. Fitbit For Dogs
Preview
Dog Fitness Tracking Features
Tracking dog’s everyday activity, sleep activity, and could be linked to your Fitbit, Apple HealthKit or Google Fit device
9 Best Dog Fitness Trackers a.k.a. Fitbits in 2023
1. Fi Dog Activity Tracker Collar
Fi smart collar for tracking your dog’s activity is one of the newest and most innovative products out there. They positioned their product as a “smartest smart collar“. I personally use Fi and I am extremely happy. Indeed, it’s a great fitness dog collar and this is why. Besides the amazing app, that clearly shows my dog’s activity stats there are a few other reasons why it’s #1 on the list.
First, it is not only chew-proof but also water-proof. Fi dog activity collar is even good to use in the oceans water which makes this dog activity tracker very durable and at the same time, you can allow you to dog’s any form of activity. The battery life is huge. Fi fitness collar manufacturers claim it is up to 3 months between charges under usual usage conditions.
Second, on top of dog activity monitoring functionality, Fi is also a great GPS collar. You can create your own safe zone and you will receive a push notification if your dog is escaped. It will show you where is your dog and how many miles & steps apart.
Third, I find the price extremely fair compared to other similar fitness trackers on the list (check the current price here).
Fourth, I love the new sleeping tracking feature! I get notified of any changes in my pup’s sleeping pattern. This is important for us dog owners because certain changes in your dog’s sleeping habits can say a lot about his general wellbeing.
With Fi dog activity collar you can create daily fitness goals for your pooch and follow all the stats: steps, calories lost, heart rate, etc. Also, you are able to compare your score with other dogs in your area. Many people use it as a dog pedometer too.
Finally, Fi is the only fitness dog collar in our list that uses LTE-M Network. You are always getting the best coverage in the United States.
2. Tractive Dog GPS Collar & Activity Tracker (Upgraded to 4th Edition)
One of the popular dog fitness trackers in the market today is the Tractive GPS Dog collar which was recently upgraded to the 4th edition. What I love about this gadget is the Live GPS Tracking. This feature allows you to receive every two to three seconds so you can definitely see what your dog is up to.
The Activity Monitoring feature enables you to set a goal suitable for your dog. You can easily track the progress through the metrics and determine how well your pooch is doing and it even has more dog activity tracking features than Fi collar.
I also like that I can compare my dog’s activity with other similar dogs. This way, I can get an overview of the trends and normal routines of similar breeds. If you are competitive, there is also a feature wherein you can see the ranks amongst the other dogs in your area or even worldwide. You can also challenge your friends to outdo your dog’s performance.
This dog fitness tracker also allows dog owners to build virtual and GPS fences. Once this has been set up, you will get a notification in case your dog has passed through a no-go zone.
Tractive GPS Dog 4 does not only track your dog’s activities but also your dog’s sleeping habits and patterns. This device has a Sleep Tracking feature which enables fur parents to:
- Check how much quality sleep your dog received the night before and when they were awakened. According to SleepingOcean, an average dog should sleep for 8-12 hours a day.
- How many naps are there? How much downtime did your pup have? Get a good view of your dog’s daily rest record.
- Identify problems. Sleep changes that you can’t explain might be an indication of illness.
When it comes to design, the tracker is made to be adventure-proof and 100% waterproof. The tracker also has a dog-safe power button to prevent accidental turning on/off of the device. It is available in multiple colors and can be also used worldwide.
3. Whistle FIT Dog Fitness Tracker
You might have been heard of Whistle 3 or Whistle Go dog GPS trackers, but compare to Whistle 3 and Whistle Go Explorer, this Whistle FIT model was designed for dog fitness tracking purposes only (read our full review and comparison of different Whistle devices here). This dog activity monitor is subscription-based with access to health and fitness monitoring, including proactive notifications, alerts, health reports, and more. Just like with a fitness app in a phone device for humans, this fitness tracker for dogs could monitor activity levels, calories burned during active status.
Whistle FIT was able to cover for the duration of his run. Fitness-wise, the subscription also covers a 30-day report that you could send to your veterinarian to monitor the health status of your dog. This is like a phone for your dog as you could also assess not just the food intake of your dog for his nutrition, but also the progress of your dog’s fitness goal depending on the set target to be indicated in the device and based on your dog’s activity, size, age and other factors affecting your dog’s nutrition. An enjoyable feature of this app is that you would know the active times and what your dog does during those times. It would notify you if your dog is playing, walking, running, or taking his power nap for another run. With this, notifications are set if you have to push your dog for a fun run and exercise to keep your best friend healthy all the time. This would surely let you monitor your dog’s fitness status and prevent possible health issues in the future. It also tracks your dog steps and could be used as a pedometer.
4. FitBark 2 Dog Activity Fitness Tracker & Monitor
Here is the easiest dog activity tracker to use: the FitBark. It is a high-end activity monitor that has high-quality use and design. The Fitbark dog fitness tracker is ideal for dog owners who are looking for the best fitness tracker and have enough budget for it. They have also released FitBark 2! I would say it’s very similar to FitBit but designed specifically for dogs. You can tell it by its name!
The first thing my dog and I loved about Fitbark is its high-grade design. The bone design of the on-collar unit is very cute and it comes with the variety of colours. You can choose between blue, pink, green, grey, red, violet, and black! My dog and I had trouble choosing which colour is our favorite!
At first, I was suspicious about its size because it looks a bit bulky and heavy. Fortunately, I was wrong! The Fitbark is tiny and only weighs 8 grams to fit dogs of any size. The device is also waterproof and has a 14 days battery life!
The FitBark works by tracking your dog’s daily activity levels. You will be able to see improvements in your dog’s comfort and agility. You can also keep an eye to his/her energy levels and quality of sleep so you can notice early signs of disease or discomfort. Moreover, you can monitor your dog’s anxiety levels when you’re away.
Additionally, your dog’s data can be shared with your vet, trainer, or caretaker so you can work together to monitor your dog’s health. The most exciting part is that you can find and challenge your pup’s friends on the “TopDog Board” to keep everyone motivated!
What I love the most about FitBark is you can access your doggy data on its app or dashboard from the FitBark website. Similar units can only be accessed through their app. The FitBark website is very helpful, especially when you’re at work.
5. SureFlap Animo Activity Tracker and Behavior Monitor for Dogs
SureFlap brand got into dog’s marketing manufacturing smart doors and other devices. Last year, they introduced the activity tracker for dogs that is called Animo.
They really got into dog fitness trackers market. It is similar to Fitbit but even more. The most unique thing about SureFlap Animo is medical insights feature that allows you to see how your dog react to a new treatment or nutrition. It is also tracking the medical conditions of your dog, e.g. diabetes, post-surgical recovery, weight loss and more.
The battery is long-lasting and may work for 6 months in a raw. When the battery needs replacement, you will receive the notification via Sure Petcare App.
No paid subscription needed. The app is free and available for both iOS and Android.
On top of that, SureFlap Animo behaviour monitor for dogs is made of durable and waterproofed materials and will last you for a long period of time. I did not have a chance to try it yet, but I am planning to buy it and provide a big review soon. However, it seems to be the best dog fitness tracker in terms of price and quality. It could be used as a dog pedometer as well.
6. Garmin Delta Smart Dog Training System & Activity Monitor
Among the most innovative dog fitness trackers of 2023, Garmin Delta Smart Dog Training System is one of those that stood out. They made an innovative design that combined Garmin’s proven on-collar technology with a user-friendly application that is compatible with most smartphones. It’s basically popular analogue of Fitbit, only for dogs and designed by Garmin.
All you need is a smartphone to bring out the best in your dog. This dog activity monitor gives you connectivity and correction tools to ensure your dog is safe, trained, and healthy. You can customize the training features which gives you the freedom to select the type of signal that works for your pet.
With its Integrative dog Activity Monitoring, you can determine how active your dog is from day-to-day, when is your dog most active during the day, and how active he/she is for the whole month. This allows you to adjust training or activity based on his performance.
Garmin Delta dog fitness tracker also has a built-in bark limiting technology that can detect a bark through vibrations from the dog’s throat.
Garmin offers a Keep Away Tag as an add-on or separate purchase that provides an added safety feature. Even when you are away and unable to interact with your dog, the Keep Away Tag offers geofenced alert zones (from 1 to 3-foot range). This keeps your dog away from areas that they are not supposed to be like trashcans, flowerbeds, or other off-limit zones. You might want to check our ultimate guide on the best Garmin dog collars.
7. PETFON Dog GPS Tracker With Dog Activity Monitor
This non-subscription dog GPS tracker and activity monitor device has an extensive battery life that lasts from 8 to 16 hours which is ideal for your dogs that are on the active run for that so much time. Same with Whistle FIT, this could track your dog’s coverage for up to 3.5 miles and record your best friend’s progress through the device’s fitness diary. Do you say you want to have a night run with your furry pal? This is also useful at night because of activated night light that could promote fitness on your dog even when the sun goes down. PETFON being small and light, there will definitely be no restrictions on your dog’s exercise even if he would roughly play foosball with kids, or have a long-day run or trekking in uneven grounds.
Speaking of promoting health, even in varieties of weather conditions, this device is not just a tracker but a wetproof dog activity monitor that would allow your dogs to have its active fun even in rainy days. Since fitness is not just being healthy but also being safe, this dog fitbit has a safety fence feature that could allow you to monitor your dogs if they are already out of the coverage area. Defining a safe area for your dogs allow them to take their exercises without worrying about preys that might harm them. Check the current price here.
8. PETBLE Dog & Cat Smart Tag Fitness Activity Tracker
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If you’re only looking for a dog fitness tracker, then you can start here. The PETBLE Dog Fitness Activity Tracker is a more affordable option for dog owners who are on a tight budget. At only $49.99, you can monitor your pooch activity daily, with no subscription plans required. It works similar to Fitbit but only for dogs.
The PETBLE SmartTag is similar to smart wristbands for humans, where it records information daily. In order to work, the SmartTag only uses Bluetooth technology to connect to the app. Now, you can start to help your dog stay fit and be informed about his/her health at the same time.
What I really love about PETBLE dog activity monitor is its lightweight and smart design. Weighing only 10g, my dog never showed any signs of discomfort when wearing it. Also, you can choose the colours between yellow and purple. I still hope that it’s available in many colors so our furry friends have a lot to choose from.
The PETBLE app works by collating and presenting the data gathered as stats. Furthermore, PETBLE offers daily reminders on how to keep your pet fit and healthy. To ensure your pet’s safety, the SmartTag immediately informs you if there is an unusual change in your pet’s behavior. This way, you have adequate time to react or to seek professional help. Well, that’s why PETBLE dog pedometer is very helpful in the first place!
You wouldn’t have to worry about missing information when you’re away from your dog. Even if your phone is out of range, the SmartTag will store your dog’s activity and sleep information all day. As soon as your phone is at range, all the stored information will be downloaded and synced.
The SmartTag is also waterproof, not only for rain but also for swimming! Swims can be counted as exercise too that can be saved by SmartTag! Overall, the PETBLE SmartTag Activity Tracker is the best affordable option. You may also want to check this list of the best smart toys for dogs.
9. LINK AKC Dog Fitness Activity Monitor
LINK AKC is a bit different from the two dog fitness trackers above. Unlike Whistle Go and Findster Duo+, the LINK AKC Smart Dog Collar provides you both a collar and a tracking unit. It is also a combination of a GPS tracker & activity monitor.
One major difference of LINK AKC is that you can choose between two fitbit collar designs: the “Classic Leather Collar” and the “Sport Collar.” However, the collar can be a bit bulky and big, despite of the smooth feel.
I know that the most common problem in buying dog collars is choosing the perfect size for your pooch. The LINK AKC understands your problem because it comes with a size guarantee! When it comes to health & activities tracking of your pooch, you got to make sure they have the right size. The company will exchange your collar for free!
Furthermore, if your pal would still prefer to wear his/her favorite collar, the tracking unit can be removed from the LINK AKC collar. It can be slid onto any collar with widths between 0.5” to 1.5”. This way, your dog can still have a choice what collar he/she will use!
For me, the size guarantee and versatility is a smart move for LINK AKC. The manufacturer provides solutions to the possible problems that a client might encounter to avoid further difficulties. 5/5 for customer care!
The feature of the LINK AKC dog pedometer does not end there. For the activity tracker, your dog’s activity goals are customized by LINK AKC to your dog’s breed, age, and size. It’s my favorite feature because it gives a more accurate daily activity monitoring. You can aid with training because it has a sound feature. It can track your dog’s activity even when your pooch is running on a treadmill.
The product’s feature does not end there because it has a remote turn on LED light, temperature alerts, adventure sharing, and vet record storage! These are unique features that you couldn’t find with other similar products!
Unfortunately, the LINK AKC also requires a subscription plan to work. Since cellular coverage is needed, it is only available in the U.S. Still, the unique features of LINK AKC makes it completely worth it!
Read our huge personal review with pros and cons on Link AKC Dog Collar.
Will a Fitbit Work On A Dog?
Since Fitbit is designed for humans, these will not work on dogs the way it will work for humans.
So, what are the options?
While Fitbit tracking devices would not work for our dogs and with different gadgets that could help solve every problem that we have right now in the world, there are actually options out in the market that would work for them. These are what we call in the market dog fitness trackers or dog activity monitors.
Usually, these are tracking devices with displays that will record your dog’s activities for a certain duration with fitness goal tracks that are set manually to be achieved, depending on the set target to be indicated in the device and based on your dog’s activity, size, age and other factors affecting your dog’s nutrition. With mostly up to long ranges of miles to track the running of your dogs, this device has usually an extensive battery life that lasts from 8 to 16 hours which is ideal for your dogs that are on the active run for that so much time.
Some fitness trackers could even track as much as 20 dogs and monitor each and every dog’s record if you are such a dog lover. For this type of fitness trackers, usually, there are different indicators designated for your various dogs to differentiate which is from which. The location of each dog is monitored through a compass on the fitness tracker’s screen. Some also provide barometric altimeter and dog GPS tracking to determine the terrains and slopes your dogs went through, whether it be uphill or downhill and accurately measures the activity level of your dogs. While others may offer a subscription for bird’s eye view, it is worthy to keep track of your dog’s whereabouts and fret not on the lagged recording. Other fitness trackers even provide dog training activities to help you create your dog’s daily exercises. The daily logs of your dog’s activity are of great help to monitor your dog’s exercise and if needed, to keep them more in shape.
Not only the physical strength of your dog is recorded. Usually, these fitness trackers could also record what is happening internally to your dogs such as the heart rate or their moods. Some could even alert you whenever you are not around via a phone app suited for the fitness tracker, similar to dog strava, whenever your dog would be idle more than his usual resting period. With the same app in notifying you of your dog’s activity or idle period real time, this would surely let you monitor his fitness status and prevent possible health issues in the future. Same with Fitbits, activity trackers for dogs could also monitor the calorie intake through the food that they eat as well as the calories burned by them during their activities. Records are usually saved some on a daily basis while other fitness trackers could do so for a span of 30 days, and could be sent to veterinarians for them to keep a record of your dog’s health.
Do you still think those “Fitbits for dogs” are a little over the top? You need to consider that dogs also have the same health-related problems with people. Trying the same approach to give your furry friend an active lifestyle is not impossible. With the wide range of available dog fitness trackers in the market, you can find a perfect dog fitness tracker for your dog! Let’s make their life longer!
With all of the available dog fitness trackers, finding the right one can be a little difficult. Ease your worries because for this article, I gathered all the BEST dog fitness trackers in 2023! Now, you don’t have to worry about finding updated and innovative ones.
Conclusion
A dog fitness tracker is a very helpful tool and fun addition to our canine companions’ needs. Activity monitors provide solutions and prevents complications for a healthy and happy dog. We hope you found your perfect Fitbit for your pooch! Check more best dog gadget reviews on our website.
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