Petgent Tracker Frequently Asked Questions

Our trackers use device to device radio transmission (kind of like a walkie talkie) to send the GPS location between the two devices. The tracker device stays with your dog and the receiver device connects to your phone by Bluetooth to update the GPS information on your phone. This is why our devices do not need to connect to any cellphone or internet network while in use, meaning there are no monthly fees!

Since the tracking system needs a minimum of 2 devices to serve as a receiver and a tracker, the devices are only sold as a pair.

Any device (both white and black) can be used interchangeably as a receiver or a tracker device. This means that if you have four devices you can have one receiver and three trackers or two receivers and two trackers.

The app requires internet connection to login and pair the devices. After that there is no internet required for tracking.

No there is not a single recurring subscription fee to use this device. The Petgent app is also free to download for Android and Apple devices.

Our trackers use device to device radio transmission (kind of like a walkie talkie) to send the GPS location. This means that our devices do not need to connect to any cellphone or internet network while in use, which is why there are no monthly fees. There are some companies that use a similar radio protocol as us but charge a monthly subscription to use the app. We do not charge any subscription fee to use our mobile application, no matter how long you use the devices for.

The best way to imagine the tracking range is like a walkie talkie device. Depending on the amount of interference between the devices the range may shrink substantially. For example in a downtown area the concrete, treated glass windows, and interference from other wireless devices might reduce the range to around 500 meters. In a flat rural area it is likely that you would get closer to the “line of sight” range of 6 miles.

The best way to imagine how the devices work is like a walkie talkie signal that passes the GPS location from the tracker to the receiver. Depending on the amount of interference, the radio signal will travel further or shorter distances. This means that in urban areas where there is a lot of resistance from things like concrete, treated glass windows, and interference from other wireless devices the radio signal will not travel far. In rural areas where there is less interference for the radio signals the reception can go further from device to device.

Unfortunately, the Android operating system does not allow for applications to run as many background processes as on Apple devices. This means that if the Android app is running in the background on your phone, you will not receive a geofence notification even if your pet leaves the geofence boundary. The Android app supports geofence notifications while the app is running constantly in the foreground. Certain Android devices may be able to receive geofence notifications while the app is running in the background, but this will be dependent on the device and version of Android installed and may not always work reliably.

Yes, if you have a use case where the mobile device connected to your Petgent devices will be able to keep the app in the foreground at all times, then the geofence feature will function normally on Android devices. One example use case is for dog hotels that want to track their guests during outdoor play time. A tablet can be configured to keep the Petgent app on in the foreground at all times, meaning that up to 30 dogs could be tracked with full geofence alerts simultaneously on Android.

One receiver device can be used to track up to 30 other tracker devices.

The Petgent Pet Tracker mobile application is not always able to send geofence notifications while running in the background on Android devices because of limitations put in place by the operating system. These limitations may differ between Android device manufacturers, and versions of Android. Currently, we do not consider this to be a reliable enough feature on Android to advertise as a device capability.

A tracker and receiver device can only be paired to one account on one cell phone. This means that the tracker can only report the location to one cell phone unless using email sharing.

The first two devices you purchase will need to act as one receiver and one tracker. This means you will need to purchase a second set of Petgent devices to track multiple dogs. The receiver pairs to your phone by Bluetooth and allows you to receive the tracker’s GPS location using radio signal instead of LTE, Wi-Fi, or Satellite subscription.

The range between the tracker and receiver device can be extended by positioning a third device in relay mode in between. If this device receives a message from the tracker or receiver device, it will send out an identical message in all directions, extending the reach of the original message from the first sender. Please note that this will require the purchase of multiple sets of devices since the first two will operate as one tracker and one receiver device.

Our devices come with a one year limited warranty. The limitation is that we require the non-functioning device be returned to us for inspection with the outer casing still intact. This means that we do not offer a replacement for lost devices, or devices that have been broken physically.

Since the mobile application connects to your smartphone by Bluetooth, the application must be running to maintain the Bluetooth connection to the receiver device. A similar example would be playing music over a Bluetooth speaker or headset. If the app is closed, then the Bluetooth connection will be cut off, and the music will stop playing. If the Petgent Tracker App is shut off, then the receiver device will no longer be able to connect to your phone and no tracking information will be saved.

The most energy intensive processes done by the devices are sending/receiving radio signal, and maintaining Bluetooth connection to the phone. While maintaining a Bluetooth connection to the phone is necessary during tracking, we recommend using a longer tracking interval to reduce the total number of radio transmissions that must be sent. Even moving from a 10 second tracking interval to a 30 second tracking interval can reduce battery consumption on the tracker device by three times. For the receiver device, we recommend using a portable charger to keep the device fully charged at all times.

Live tracking mode enables tracking with shorter tracking intervals, but uses the most battery life. This feature was made for times when you are out on an excursion with your furry friend. We recommend that the devices in this working mode be turned off after use, otherwise they will continue to send location information even if there is no smartphone connected to receive the data.

Power Saving Mode enables tracking with longer tracking intervals to save battery life. This feature was made for times when you are staying in one enclosed place for an extended period of time with your dog. We recommend that the devices in this working mode be turned off after use, otherwise they will continue to send location information even if there is no smartphone connected to receive the data.

Relay Mode was made for users that require a little extra tracking range. To use relay mode, you will require at least 3 Petgent GPS devices. Place the relay device in between your trackers and receiver to extend the maximum range that the devices can communicate. The relay device has only one task, which is to re—send any message that is received by a tracker, or receiver device.

Motion Detection Alarm Mode will send a notification to the mobile application when a specified level of movement is detected on the device. This feature can be used as an anti-theft device for stationary objects like a kennel, car, or a bike.

The receiver device is able to receive tracking signals from up to 30 tracking devices at once. When tracking multiple dogs, we highly recommend having the receiver device plugged in and charging either to a wall outlet or a portable battery bank.

The devices will pair to one Petgent Tracker user account. This means that any mobile device that is logged into the associated Petgent Tracker user account will be able to pair with the Petgent tracker and receiver devices. Because the Petgent devices can only manage one Bluetooth connection at a time, only one mobile device can be logged into a Petgent Tracker account at a time. We limited the number of accounts that can pair to the Petgent devices for safety so that strangers cannot pair to your dog’s tracker and see their location.