We go out often into the wilds of WA state and let our two dogs run loose. One stays very close, then other wanders.
We’re looking for a GPS collar recommendation. She’s never too far away, but the brush is thick and she’s gray and hard to see.
I don’t want her to run into coyotes and me not have a very good idea of where she’s at.
Also, where to buy?
Where to buy will depend more on how much help you want picking out a tracking collar and setting it up, and whether you want to buy from a local, brick & mortar storefront business or mailorder. That's because all of the manufacturer's impose M.A.P. (min. advertised price) restrictions on their retailers. So, the retailers all list the units at the same price, and they all only put them on sale when the manufacturer's 'give their blessing'. Some of the mailorder outfits, like Gun Dog Supply, offer a 30-day trial period with a money back guarantee so that might be something to consider. I would encourage you to look over their websites carefully, read up on the units that interest you, make a list of the questions you have, and then call them. When I've done that I've found the folks answering the calls to be very helpful - they really are 'dog people' that use the products they sell. And they'll tell you stuff over the phone that they won't put down in writing.
Like Trapperrick mentioned, most of these units work fine, and I've used two of the mailorder outfits he mentioned (Gun Dog Supply, Lion County Supply) with great service. I've also used my local Sportsman's Warehouse and
Dogs Unlimited mailorder with good results. I suggest that you first decide whether you want a full featured GPS in your handheld unit or not. I run an older Garmin Astro unit and use a separate e-collar for training purposes. The newer GPS units offer LOTS of features but IMO, they're not real handy to use FAST like you need to be able to do with an e-collar. When I got my GPS tracking unit, I already had a nice Tritonics e-collar unit, and Garmin had not yet come out with their first combo GPS/e-collar unit yet.
If I was starting out now, I might just get a
Garmin PRO 550 Plus GPS/E-collar unit. It offers a good basic tracking system for distance and direction but isn't a full feature GPS. However, based on my experiences using the older Garmin/Tritornics 'tube' e-trainers, it should be an easier unit to get into action FAST when you want an e-collar for training purposes. If I want a full featured GPS, I can buy a smaller GPS-only unit for less money and stuff it in a pocket. In any event, take the manufacturer's claims of distance reached with a big grain of salt. Also, if the handheld unit runs on AA or AAA batteries, know that it will consume batteries at a fast rate, and even more so if you're using regular alkaline batteries -- especially in cold weather!!
Another consideration is whether you carry one of the latest, hi-tech 'smart' phones. Some of the new tracking units are designed to integrate with smart phones. Good luck with your choice!