The Halo Dog Collar is an effective GPS-tracking device that allows you to monitor your dog’s location and activity using a connected app. With the app and Halo Collar, you can set invisible fences to keep your dog on your property and away from dangerous situations.
It’s an affordable and flexible alternative to building a fence around your property. This device goes beyond building fences and tracking your dog, as it can also help you train them and monitor their activity, giving you data on their movements and rest periods.
This article is a comprehensive review of the Halo Dog Collar. Keep reading to learn everything about the Halo Collar before purchasing it.
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Pros
• Easy to use Halo App
• Impeccable GPS location services and accuracy
• Customizable features and feedback
• Guided Halo training process
• Comfortable and flexible design
Cons
• Halo Collar is expensive
• Monthly subscription required
• Only for dogs over 20 pounds
Things to Consider Before Buying a GPS Dog Collar
A GPS dog collar is a brilliant tool for dog owners to let their dogs get exercise and fresh air while staying safe on the property. If you want to fence in your property so your dog can run around safely, a GPS collar, like the Halo Collar, is often an inexpensive and adjustable way to do so compared to in-ground fences.
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Keep the following considerations in mind when browsing GPS dog collars:
• Dog size
• Dog breed
• Dog’s activity habits
• Size of property
• Training needs
• Budget
Features and Benefits of Halo Collars
Without further ado, below are all the features of the Halo Dog Collar explained in detail.
Halo Collar GPS System
The Halo Collar GPS communicates with your dog using well-timed Prevention Feedback to ensure they stay within the right area.
The customizable Feedback will assess how close your dog is to the wireless dog fence boundary and encourage them to return to the appropriate location if they get too close. The feedback will stop when they reenter the designated safe area.
So the collar keeps your dog in the restricted area using sound, not electric shocks or pain. If your dog exits the Halo invisible fence, the collar will play a dog whistle sound that should lead them back to the designated area.
The natural guidance is very effective, especially for dogs who already respond to sounds and whistles. And the customizable feedback settings mean you can adjust the sound, vibration, and static in the Prevention Feedback to suit your dog’s sensitivity level to sound.
You can also change the color of the Halo LED light that signals the collar’s mode changes and enable nighttime visibility.
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Collar Design
The Halo Dog Collar is designed to fit many sized dogs and various breeds! The collar fits any dog over 20 pounds with a neck size between 11 and 30.5 inches around.
The no-slip grip custom strap is easy to adjust to fit your dog’s neck snugly but comfortably. Many tech collars like the Halo Dog Collar are not adjustable, so it’s easy to buy the wrong size and run into a problem. It’s also supremely comfortable for them.
All the tech inside the color is covered in a soft, cushy layer of padding that won’t irritate your dog. Your dog will be comfortable laying around the house or even sleeping in the Halo Collar.
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Plus, the Halo Dog Collar design is sleek and attractive with two color options: black or white. So you can keep your dog safe and stylish at the same time!
The collar is also mostly waterproof, as it can withstand being submerged in up to three feet of water for a prolonged period. So if your dog loves to swim or you have a kiddie pool they splash around in, the Halo Collar GPS will still function perfectly.
The collar has a battery that can last all day or roughly 16 hours. For many, this battery life is plenty, as they charge the collar every night when the dog goes to bed. However, there are similar collars that can last days or weeks at a time with one charge.
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100% Satisfaction Guarantee that Halo will work for you and your dog.
If you are not satisfied, you can return your collar for a full refund, less a $25 shipping and handling fee. - Visit Official Site
The Halo App
One of the best features of this product is the Halo App, which gives you complete control over the collar from wherever you are. Using the app, you can create up to 20 wireless fences to keep your dog safely on your property.
It offers several benefits, from access to training videos to your dog’s status and location to activity tracking and more. The Halo App truly sets this product apart from its competition, as it lets you monitor your dog at every moment and edit the wireless fence as needed.
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If your neighbor starts construction directly beside the wireless fence, you can move it in seconds to keep your dog safe.
No matter what real-world changes happen, you have the power to control the Halo fence and collar at your fingertips. Create, edit, pause, or enable the fence settings and beacons with just a tap!
Activity Tracking
One of the most insightful features of the Halo App is the activity and progress tracking capabilities.
You can see data on how much your dog rests versus runs and walks around. You can also track how well they respond to the feedback over time, making it simple to assess their training progress.
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This feature is brilliant for people who want to help their dogs lose weight or keep them calm and rested.
The activity tracking information can also help you at veterinarian appointments. If your vet has questions about your dog’s activity levels and behavior, the data from the app is extremely useful.
You and your vet can assess the activity tracking information to gain insight into your dog’s behavior and possibly explain any issues they’re having, like weight gain or sore limbs.
Guided Training
As mentioned, you can access training videos and resources on the Halo App. These training resources go beyond what you may find with a simple Google search, offering genuine advice and guidance for specific training scenarios.
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In the app, you can customize your dog’s training regimen with feedback settings and access a free 21-day training program. The training program comes from the one and only dog whisperer, Cesar Milan.
The world-renowned dog behaviorist designed Halo’s holistic approach to training with a focus on boundary commands and obedience. The video-based lessons feature Cesar Milan and top-notch dog trainer Heather Mickelson.
The two experts will walk you through every step of the process so you and your dog can be successful. The program is designed to be accessible and digestible for every person and every dog.
The program teaches you and your dog to work together as a team to accomplish your goals. You can access the training lessons on any device and complete the process at your own pace, so there’s no rush.
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And if you want help honing your training, you can visit the virtual Halo Dog Park and chat with other pet parents.
Unfortunately, not all of the training programs are free, only the basic boundary training one. If you want to access the premium lessons, you have to pay additional fees.
Real-Time Notifications
If your dog leaves the fenced area, you get immediate and alarming notifications so you can get your dog before they get too far away.
A major problem with other dog fences and collars is that they do not alert you to breaks in the fence or other lapses in the system. If your dog escapes the fence, but you don’t realize it until 20 minutes later, it could be miles away.
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But the Halo Collar ensures you know what’s going on with the fence and your dog at all times. Plus, if they do escape, the collar has impeccable GPS location services, so you can follow their location and pick them up safely.
Unfortunately, many GPS collars have spotty tracking and unreliable location indications. The Halo Collar uses premium GPS tracking, so you know precisely where your pup is down to the foot or even inches.
The collar’s GPS location services use over 50 satellites to pinpoint your dog’s location, so the collar doesn't give you a general area, it gives you a precise spot.
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Easy Invisible Fences
Most Halo Collar alternatives to the Halo Collar require you to set up in-ground fences or put devices in the ground to create the fence perimeter. But you don’t have to do any of that with the Halo Collar.
The fences are entirely invisible and function based on the GPS coordinates you set up. So you don’t have to worry about the outdoor equipment malfunctioning or breaking. The Halo Collar app is all you need to set boundaries and keep your dog safe.
As mentioned, the invisible fences are not harmful to your dog, so they won’t be shocked when they go too close.
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These invisible fences are substantially easier to set up than in-ground fences. Instead of setting up your fence in hours, you can do it in seconds, and your dog can start running around right away.
A few other dog collars function with invisible fences, but they’re not nearly as effective as the Halo Collar. Plus, the Halo Collar lets you set up to 20 invisible fences, while other collars only allow you to set about five.
Halo Beacons
If you’re still teaching your pup where they can go and where they can’t, you can use the Halo Beacons to train them. The Halo Beacons are not required to use the invisible fences, but they’re helpful tools to help your pet understand where the no-go zones are and where they’re allowed to frolic.
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The beacons are small Bluetooth devices you can set up around your yard and even inside your home if there are other places you want to deter your dog from going.
The beacons have other functions, such as ignoring certain parts of the fence or keeping your dog away from areas, and you can change the settings at any time in the Halo app.
Every beacon has a customizable feedback range, giving you the power to decide when you want the beacon to send you notifications.
You can temporarily mute the notifications at any time. The beacons do not require a WiFi, cellular, or internet connection to work, and neither do the fences, so even if the power goes out, your dog will still be safe on your property.
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The Subscription Plans
If you want to use the Halo Collar, you need to sign up for a Halo subscription plan, which gives you access to the app, basic training, feedback control, and fence arrangement.
There are three Halo subscription plan options: basic, silver, and gold. The sections below will explain the different subscription options below.
The basic plan is the default option, costing less than $5 a month. With the basic plan, you get the default training program, cellular service for the collar, 20 invisible fences, real-time GPS tracking, and activity tracking.
The silver plan is $10 per month and gives you a few extra features. It offers everything the basic plan has, but also gives you custom beacon ranges, better activity monitoring insight, and instant feedback so you can communicate with your dog in real time.
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The last and most expensive option is the gold plan. With this option, you get more features, but it costs $30 per month. All the premium training lessons and live sessions are available to users with the gold plan where you can learn with Halo experts on behavior and training.
Take advantage of the personalized training experience that features helpful answers to common training questions. The gold plan is ideal for dog owners who need extra help training their dogs.
Social Proof
Overall, the Halo Dog Collar has positive ratings and reviews, with ratings between 3.5 and 3.5 stars. While people appreciate the collar, there are some common complaints worth noting if you're considering buying the product.
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On Trustpilot, it has an average rating of 3.6. On the Halo Dog Collar site itself, the product has an average rating of 4.7, but these may be skewed ratings.
After combing through dozens of websites and Halo Collar reviews, the average rating for the collar seems to be 4.1 stars, which is respectable.
Out of these Halo Collar reviews, the most common complaint was the large size of the collar. While it’s recommended for dogs over 20 pounds, some owners with 25-30 pounds dogs found it too loose.
The second most common complaint is the battery life and performance. As mentioned, the battery life is only suitable for single-day use, but there are other problems. Some users report having to replace the battery after only six months of use.
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However, almost all comments report that the invisible boundaries and Prevention Feedback are functional and useful. Very few users opt for the silver or gold plan, so the basic plan is the most common choice.
Halo is featured across the web as the best wireless fence collar on the market. Here are just a few reviews:
Alternatives
If you want a smart collar with geo-fencing capabilities, but aren't sold on the Halo Collar, we have a few more options for you to consider. Below are the top three alternatives to the Halo Collar we recommend out of the many smart collars on the market.
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SpotOn Collar vs Halo Collar
The SpotOn Collar functions similarly to the Halo Collar, with real-time GPS tracking using dozens of satellites and advanced technology. It allows you to set over 1,000 invisible boundaries, which makes the 20 Hallo Collar gives you measly.
The SpotOn collar can use a cellular connection if you opt for a specific subscription. The plans can be monthly, one-year, or two-year, saving you money if you choose a longer subscription. The GPS tracking is impeccable and accurate, so you always know exactly where your dog is, and the app will send you alerts if the fences malfunction or your dog escapes.
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The app is decent, but not nearly as robust or insightful as the Halo App. But this is the perfect option for dogs who live on massive properties, like farms or ranches. If you want more than 20 fences so your dog can roam a huge area, this is the best collar for you.
How It Compares to the Halo Collar
• More than double the price
• Better for massive spaces
• Fewer app features (no activity tracking, training, etc.)
• More invisible fences are available
Fi Smart Collar
The best alternative to the Halo Collar is likely the Fi Smart Collar, as the features are similar and the performance is excellent. It uses a real-time GPS connected to more GPS satellites on an LTE-M network.
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The Fi App tracks dog activity and exercises just like the Halo App! A unique feature of this collar is its ability to connect to other Fi collars in the area, so it’s useful for dog owners with multiple dogs who like to roam around.
The GPS accuracy of this collar is superb, and the activity tracking provides insightful statistics on your dog’s behavior. It's a super durable design that is chew-proof and waterproof, so it’s suitable for even the most rugged dogs.
This collar is ideal for people who own multiple dogs, so if you have a pack of pups, consider using this collar.
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How It Compares to the Halo Collar
• Fraction of the price
• Slightly longer battery life
• Similar app features
• Can connect to other collars
Whistle Switch Smart Collar
The Whistle Switch Smart Collar is the ideal alternative for people with tiny dogs. It can fit dogs as small as eight pounds and is super waterproof, so it’s the best option for pups who love to swim or play in the rain.
It features a built-in nightlight and the battery life can last as long as 20 days on a full charge, putting the Halo Collar’s battery to shame. Like the Halo Collar, it comes with an app that gives you real-time GPS tracking and notifications, activity monitoring, and even a food calculator. You can also create tele-vet appointments through the app to keep your pet healthy!
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This collar is flexible and suitable for most breeds and sizes, and it comes at a fraction of the price compared to the Halo Collar. This collar is ideal for smaller dogs or people who want a long-lasting battery. You can buy it at a fraction of the price today!
How It Compares to the Halo Collar
• Better for very small dogs
• Superior battery life
• Similar app features
• A fifth of the price
Conclusion
The Halo Dog Collar helps owners who want to keep their dogs safe on their property.
You can save money, keep your property fence-free, and protect your dog by opting for the Halo Dog Collar. It can help with training and give you peace of mind that you can always find your dog if they run away. Hopefully, this Halo Dog Collar review has given you plenty of insight to make an informed decision.
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Check out the Halo Dog Collar website if you’re interested in using this product to train and protect your pup!
