Whistle 3 GPS Reviews: Does it actually work?

I’ve been talking a lot about my experience with different GPS trackers recently. Hopefully these posts are helpful to you if you do decide to get one! I love these trackers as they are so cool to use (trust me, even my husband and I pore over them like teenagers!) and very helpful. Today, I’ll be talking about another brand in this review.

An Introduction to the Whistle Brand

The Whistle brand aims to improve the relationship between pets and their owners by providing smart technology to help better understand the pet’s health. They also make products for vets. They also make an activity monitor to track your dog’s health and activity levels.

They stand out because they offer free shipping and live GPS tracking. They also let you set a custom safe zone for your pet to roam. If you would like, they can email or send you texts to notify you if your dog has left the safe zone. They also have exceptional customer service.

The Whistle Tracker

Whistle bought out the Tagg brand a few years ago and upgraded the Tagg tracker. Although it has all of the same components as the Tagg, it also tracks your dog’s activity and they made the device itself more durable. It easily attaches to your dog’s collar and works through a mobile application on your phone. You do have to pay for the service, you can choose monthly, yearly, or biyearly payments for the service.

Check Latest Price Here

Whistle 3 Main Features

This tracker and the mobile application that you download onto your phone give you live GPS tracking of your dog. It is also a health and activity tracker; you can monitor your dog’s food and medications as well. This device is very durable, waterproof and shock resistant. You set a “safe zone” for your dog to roam freely in; if your dog goes outside of the safe zone, you will receive an alert. There is a rechargeable battery, product comes with base charger, which only takes an hour to charge.

The mobile app lets you see and track your dog’s location and activity levels. You can also set up a profile and share photos of your pets with other Whistle GPS tracker customers. You can keep track of the food your pet eats, the amount of activity they do in a day, any medications they take and also any vet records. Once your dog leaves their safe zone, you can receive a text or email alerting you.

Interactive mobile app
Live GPS tracking
Activity and health monitor
Safe zone
Alerts through text or email
Rechargeable battery

Water and Shockproof

Even if you don’t plan on your pets being around water, they can find a way to get wet. Mud, puddles, and even dog dishes can be a source of fun for pups. To make sure they can have fun and stay safe, the Whistle 3 is both waterproof and shockproof.

Easy to Access

Whistle aims to make it easy for you to access the information you need. This is why the app is free to download in both Apple and Google Play stores, and notifications are provided through text messages, emails, or push notifications. The third version of the Whistle also includes Google Maps to make it more efficient to track your dog and find them if they get lost.

Connectivity

In addition to having Google Maps, the Whistle 3 also has Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth, making it easy to access information anywhere.

Customization

You aren’t just getting a GPS to find your pet if lost. The Whistle 3 provides you with the ability to customize lots of settings, including safe zones and fitness goals. Safe zones are used to show just where your dog can go before they have gone too far. It will send you a notification if your dog leaves the safe zone, and you can set multiple zones up. You can also look at your dog’s activity level over the past 24 hours and even show when they are active or resting.

Dimensions and Specifications

When you look at the details in the design, it is easy to see why this is a popular and trusted option among dog owners.

The one size fits all model is 1.82 inches long by 1.45 inches wide, with a depth of 0.61 inches that means it will work on any collar up to an inch in thickness, and works for dogs and cats over eight pounds. The entire device weighs only 0.92 ounces, with an additional 0.33 ounces for the attachment. That means that in total, the maximum amount of weight added to your pet’s collar is just 1.25 ounces. Your pet is free to do everything they normally would, with no discomfort.

It is even easy to attach and remove from your pet’s collar, but it is nearly impossible for your pet to remove it themselves. Because of the way it lays flush against the collar, there is less shaking and there is a greater hold onto your pet’s collar as they run and play. You can also choose between three colors: blue, gray and green.

How Whistle Works

In a nutshell, it works by using signals off of cell phone towers and satellites. After you activate your tracker online, or on your phone using the mobile app, you can start to track your pet.

The mobile app allows you to make a profile for your pet, share pictures, view other animals in the area and track your dog’s activity levels. You can set up an area that your dog is allowed to roam in. Once your dog goes outside of the zone, you will receive an alert letting you know.

If your dog is close to the base unit, it will go into a low power mode, ensuring a longer battery life. The battery is rechargeable and only takes about an hour to charge. The map updates every three minutes or so, giving you an accurate location of your dog.

Pros:

Waterproof and shock-resistant
Durable
Good price
Battery life up to ten days
Rechargeable battery
Interactive app

Cons:

Not useful if there are no cell phone towers
Service fees
Each pet needs its own tracker

Setting Up

For a new device, you will need to first charge it by attaching the Whistle to its base station.
You will need to find and download the Whistle 3 app on your smart device. The app is available in the Apple store and Google Play store, so you can use it on any of your devices. You can also have it on more than one device if you would like.
When the app is finished downloading, you will need to open it and create an account. There will be a button right on the home page to get you started. The account will require you to enter your specific tracker’s ID, as well as fill out information about your dog.
The Whistle 3 allows you to set safe zones from 35 to 500 yards, making it easy to show just where your dog should be. If they get past these areas, there is an alert sent.
The lest step in setting up your Whistle is choosing your service plan. There are several available, with the lowest one starting at $6.95 per month.

Best Suited For:

Great for a dog owner who wants to keep track of where their pet goes while also tracking their activity levels.

General Customer Reviews

Overall, many customers love their Whistle. Although some have had some difficulties, such as the tracker waiting a few minutes to alert them that their dog has left the safe zone, Whistle has been working on fixing these issues. Because this tracker uses cell phone towers, some customers might live in areas that the service isn’t as optimal as someone else’s.

Sherrie bought hers for her dog just incase her dog ever got out. She is very pleased with the Whistle; she can’t say enough positive things about it. She tested it’s locating accuracy on a walk with her dog and was happy that it was very accurate. She also praises their customer service in being very helpful and prompt in answering any questions that she had.

Jerry loves the way it is made and how durable it is. He believes even with the low monthly cost, that this tracker is worth the money. It is a very affordable tracker.

Jeanene lives on a seventy five acre sheep farm with poor fencing. She loves the fact that it alerts her when her dog gets out, letting her know where to fix her fence. Fixing her fence will prevent any more escape attempts. Jeanene is beyond pleased with her Whistle GPS tracker.

Improvements

Basic Technology: The Wi-Fi networks and the technology used are all very basic. That means you are missing out on a lot of the newer features and upgrades in order to save on price.

Longevity: While the battery life is pretty standard, the longevity of it is drastically shortened when you need to use it to locate your pet’s current location. That means you can end up with a dead battery before you find your pet. The information stored on the device is also short, with only 24 hours being saved at a time.

Paid Subscription: Like many other GPS trackers for pets, this device will cost you a monthly fee to use the service.

Alternatives to Whistle 3

If the Whistle is not the right fit for you or your pet, there are some other options to consider. The Paw Tracker is very similar to the Whistle, but with a shorter battery life and a higher upfront cost. There are also smart dog collars that have the information directly in the collar, making it harder to lose the device.

If you are concerned about devices coming off, you could also choose the surgical option of getting a microchip implanted in your pet. But this will only help find your dog if someone takes it to a vet, and will not show you any locations.

Why Pet Trackers are Important

All pet parents want to do their absolute best to keep their pets happy and healthy. But even the most prepared person can’t be prepared for everything. Natural disasters, break-ins, damaged fencing, or even straight-up pet thieves all are possibilities that can lead to your pet getting lost.

Having a GPS tracker allows you to see exactly where your pet is and you can head over to get them straight away. This means you get your pet back sooner; you save time where they could be scared or hurt, and you don’t have to cross your fingers and hope that someone calls the number on the tag.

Final Verdict

The Whistle GPS tracker is a great choice for any owner that has a dog at least fifteen pounds and wants to track their activity levels as well. The interactive mobile application allows you to see where your dog is. Even though there is a service fee to continue to use the tracker, it is still one of the cheaper trackers on the market. If you’d like a more accurate real time GPS tracker, you would have to spend a lot more money.