After a year without a dog, we've got a new beagle puppy. We live on a farm well off the road in a very rural area, so she will be loose most of the time. She is supposed to be more of a pet than a hunter, but beagles are beagles... Over the years we've spent many nights sitting up waiting for our little hounds to finally tire out and come home, because sometimes they just do that.
We've talked about a tracking collar, and my wife found the Fi collars, which have a very small device on the collar and use cell and GPS service to track the dog. I've run bear hounds years ago and am familiar with the old radio collars and the newer GPS collars for the big hunting dogs, but I don't think I need something like that for our new pup.
Has anyone had any experience with the Fi collars, especially in rural areas with spotty cell service? Or is there something better you would recommend for a smaller pet dog? I know there are all sorts of dog owners here, so I thought this may be the best place to ask.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may offer!