Apple Air Tags are a fantastic way of keeping track of many things that you can lose, such as your keys or an umbrella. People have also been using Apple Air Tags to keep track of some things in motion, such as their children by placing the Air Tags on their backpacks or bicycles. If it’s successful tracking a moving child or teen, would it work for a dog?

While it isn’t impossible to track your dog using an Apple Air Tag, it isn’t recommended for several reasons. You can attach the Air Tag to your dog’s collar, but there’s no guarantee that your dog will allow it to stay on. Apple has other options to track people or your pets with your Find My app or the Family Setup.

While Apple Air Tag can be used to track many things, there are privacy settings built into the Air Tag to prevent people from being stalked. There are many other ways to track your dog without the Apple Air Tag, and even though it isn’t approved or suggested, you can still use it to track your dog.

Tracking a Dog With an Apple Air Tag

Even if it isn’t recommended by Apple, many dog owners are using the Apple Air Tag to track their dog’s location while out, like at the beach. They are doing this for several reasons including tracking dogs who tend to escape a lot.

The most common way that dog owners are using the Apple Air Tag to track their dogs is that they are attaching it to the dog’s collar with an accessory, such as the Air Tag Loop. 

Once it is on their collar, it’s easy to know where the dog is when you use your Find My app. Depending on your iPhone, you can also track your dog with precision to know if you’re getting closer or further from your dog if they are out. You also have to consider that your dog stays within range of the Find My network for this to work properly.

Apple has made several statements as to why you shouldn’t use an Apple Air Tag to track a dog. A major one being that a dog might get out of range of the Find My network, making it impossible to track them. 

Apple states you should use something with a GPS signal to track your dog because Find My only uses Bluetooth, which has an extremely small range compared to a GPS signal. This would make you have to rely on other people within the Find My network to find your lost dog, which can be impossible if you lose your dog while hiking or if you’re in a remote area.

Even with these reasons, there are some other possible reasons that Apple doesn’t want dog owners to use the Apple Air Tag to track dogs. Most of these possible reasons for not claiming liability include:

  • If something happens to a dog who escapes, such as being hit by a car.
  • If the dog or someone removes the Apple Air Tag.
  • Slow notification time– because the Find My app doesn’t notify you if something goes out of range.

Other Ways to Track Your Dog

While Apple has given the substitute of using an Apple Watch to track children, they haven’t given an option for dog owners to track their dogs, yet. Using the Apple Watch has a greater range to track someone who is moving using GPS versus the Find My network, but using an Apple Watch isn’t practical for tracking a dog.

One of the most common things ways that people sort of track their dogs are microchipping them. While this doesn’t track your dog, it does increase the chances of them being returned to you in case they escape. Someone will have to find your dog and bring them to a vet or shelter to check for a microchip to be able to contact you.

Another way people track their dogs is Whistle Go Explore. It is a great option because it will notify you as fast as your dog gets out of the house. The major downside to using Whistle Go Explore is that it is significantly more expensive than an Apple Air Tag, and you are required to pay a subscription to keep the service active. If your dog frequently escapes, this is worth it.

Another option to help track your dog via GPS is the Tractive tracker for dogs. It tells you when your dog goes out of range and additionally, it is closer in price to the Apple Air Tag than other GPS trackers. They also have affordable subscription plans to keep the service active.

Conclusion

Even though it’s not technically wrong to track your dog using an Apple Air Tag, it isn’t recommended. If you want to track your dog with an Apple Air Tag, consider the risks to your dog and the Air Tag itself before committing to it. Keep in mind, there are better ways to track your dog.