Tractive Dog 6 GPS Tracker

A small clip-on cellular tracker that works with your dog’s own collar, with live tracking, safe zone alerts and location history in the Tractive app.

Who it suits

Everyday wear for dogs over about 9 pounds, in town and on trails where there is at least some cell signal.

Key facts

• For dogs above about 9 pounds (8.8 lbs); 2.8 x 1.1 x 0.7 inches and 1.4 ounces; fits collars up to 1.1 inches wide (Tractive)
• Battery up to 14 days with Power Saving Zones, or up to 6 days without (Tractive)
• 100% waterproof, rated IP68 (Tractive)
• Uses GPS plus LTE (Cat-M1) or 2G cell coverage from partner networks including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile (Tractive)
• A subscription is required; it pays for the built-in SIM card’s mobile data (Tractive)
• Larger Dog 6 XL models are sold for dogs above about 44 pounds, with longer battery life (Tractive)

What reviewers say

Treeline Review: Jae Thomas, a certified professional dog trainer, tested it on their own dogs, Miso and Dashi, on walks, hikes and drives in the Mountain West for Treeline Review’s GPS collar test (seven trackers, updated August 2026) and named it best overall. Location stayed accurate even with weak phone signal, live tracking started within seconds, and the battery lasted far longer than the rated 14 days in their use. The catches: walks are only tracked if you start them in the app, drives and walks look the same on the history map, and it is a bit bulky for very small dogs. Treeline Review does not say whether the unit was a maker sample.

We did not test it ourselves.

Pros

• Best overall in Treeline Review’s hands-on test
• Uses several US cell networks
• Clips onto your dog’s own collar

Cons

• Subscription required
• Walks must be started manually in the app, per Treeline Review
• A bit bulky for very small dogs, per Treeline Review

Good to know

• Needs cell coverage to report location; it is not a replacement for an ID tag or a registered microchip.
• Keep an ID tag on the collar and your microchip details up to date, as the ASPCA advises (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/finding-lost-pet).
• Check the fit and the skin under the collar now and then; ask your vet about any rubbing or sores.