Pros
- Collar is outfitted with a GPS/GLONASS receiver for highly accurate location information – no more relying on spotty cell service to locate your pup.
- Durable and water-resistant for up to ten meters.
- LED beacon lights make it easy to find Fido, even in the dark.
- Can pinpoint your dog’s location up to nine miles away.
- Fantastic battery life – at the fastest update rate, the collar’s lithium battery will hold a charge for up to 40 hours, but if you let the automatic battery life saver kick in, it can last over 50.
Cons
- Can lose its ability to charge quickly over time. One reviewer lamented that while this Garmin product can serve you for years, it can also take markedly longer to charge as it ages.
- Fairly expensive – The Garmin TT 15 dog tracker collar is one of the more expensive dogs tracker collars, but that’s part and parcel of its full-featured design and the trustworthiness of the Garmin label.
Some dogs aren’t satisfied with daily walks and trips to the dog park. These dogs yearn for adventure, and the primal thrill of being on the hunt. My dog is exactly like this, and if you can say the same for your dog, you’ve probably pulled your hair out looking for them on more than one occasion. I remember having had to ask for help from several neighbors to drive around and track down my dog that had gone on a lengthy hunt for a band of squirrels that had passed by our home.
I was lucky to have such great neighbors, but what if I didn’t have anyone on hand to help? That’s what devices like the Garmin TT15 were made for.
The Garmin TT 15 Dog Device’s Top Features
A step above the average GPS collar, the Garmin TT 15 serves multiple purposes competently. Along with other collar models like the lighter weight TT15 mini, it’s meant to be used with handhelds like the Garmin Alpha 100 and the Garmin Alpha 10, and they’re usually sold as a set. Primarily, the Garmin TT15 and TT15 mini are meant for tracking, but they can also function as a training collar and a wireless fence, as it’s geared towards sporting dogs after all. It’s for this reason that it costs so much, but if you fancy yourself an outdoorsman and love to bring your dog with you, you’ll find that it’s well worth the price. Here are the top features that make that so.
Top-mounted high sensitivity GPS/GLONASS receiver
What I like most about the GPS monitor on this device is that it’s top-mounted. This generally means better reception, and when fitted correctly, there’s much less chance of it catching on something that could lead to damage and break the GPS tracking. I also like that the device uses GPS to determine location. If you ask me, if you want pinpoint tracking accuracy from miles away, there really is no alternative to GPS collars. Other tracker collars that depend upon unreliable methods like cell tower triangulation may not provide up-to-date information on Fido’s location.
The Garmin TT 15 tracking collar lets you pinpoint your dog’s location up to nine miles away. Even if you don’t hunt with your dog, this is still a great feature to have for pet parents who have curious dogs that simply enjoy wandering a large property.
Highly compatible with numerous devices
The Garmin TT 15 dog tracking device is compatible with several other Garmin products aside from the Garmin Alpha 100, chiefly the Garmin Astro 430 and the Garmin Astro 320. All of these devices can handle multiple dogs, with some of the higher-end models such as the Alpha 100 able to provide real-time detailed position data and other information for up to 20 individual dogs. The Garmin TT15 and the TT15 mini can be paired with a smartphone as well.
Depending on the handheld dog device it’s paired with, the TT 15 is able to signal their distance and direction, and can alert the user when the dog wearing it is on point, and deliver manual corrections when their owner observes any unwanted behavior on the handheld’s map screen.
Durable; water-resistant for up to ten meters of water
If you are an avid sportsman, you understand that dogs on a trail will go through all types of brush, wooded areas, and even bodies of water to stay on the track of prey. The Garmin TT 15 dog tracker collar continues to work when submerged, up to ten meters of water. This is in addition to the fact that the Garmin will not become disabled even if Fido goes through thick, wooded areas.
LED beacon lights
Again, if you’ve spent any amount of time with sporting dogs, you’d know that nightfall means nothing to a hound on the scent. The LED beacon lights on the Garmin TT 15 tracker collar can be activated by using the remote which comes with the tracker collar; this makes spotting your wayward dog much easier, even after dark.
Rescue mode
When engaged, rescue mode reduces the collar’s update rate to every 2 minutes to conserve battery life. Rescue Mode remains active until manually deactivated. It is also designed to activate automatically when the collar’s battery level reaches 25%, providing an extended window of time to locate a lost dog.
Rich training collar features
As I’ve mentioned, aside from being a tracking collar, the Garmin Alpha TT 15 serves as an excellent training collar too – all the better to break in an inexperienced sporting dog. Both the Alpha TT 15 and the TT 10 work as training collars, but the TT 15 serves as the direct upgrade with GLONASS, a vibration mode, bark detection, compatibility with more Garmin devices including the Garmin Virb Action Camera, and longer range.
The collar makes full use of its tonal, vibration, and static corrections by functioning as a bark collar, as well as a serviceable GPS fence that can help to restrict the range of sporting dogs out on a hunt.The collar’s shock correction comes with 18 linear stimulation levels, and can be set to engage continuous and momentary stimulation modes.
All of these features can be activated and customized using the handheld unit, or the companion app.
Is This The Right Choice For You?
There are many good reasons to choose the Garmin TT 15. I personally consider it one of the best dog GPS trackers. Throughout this review, I’ve mentioned a few times that the TT15, like the TT10 and TT15 mini, are mostly geared towards sporting dogs, or just outdoorsy dogs that love to chase down whatever they catch scent of. Such dogs can travel a great length on the hunt. The Garmin TT 15’s robust GPS tracking system relieves you of the worry that your dog might not be able to find his way back home if he ranges too far.
Garmin’s products have a reputation for being long-lasting and durable, so aside from sport dog owners, it can also be a good choice for average dog owners who plan to live in an area where their dogs can explore and range for miles, especially if the dog tends to get in situations that could destroy cheaper tracking dog collars.
Some pet parents lament that the device takes longer to charge the older it gets, but that’s true of the vast majority of electronics with an internal battery. Replacement battery packs are readily available online, although they can be a little pricey as well.
Overall, the Garmin TT 15 is a fantastic, full-featured dog collar, with its main caveat being that it’s fairly expensive. Given its range, its tracking features, and even an included car charger, it really is a sport dog tracking collar first and foremost. But if any of these features seem like they’re a good fit with your lifestyle, then the TT15 may still be a solid investment.
