GPS tracker for an escaping Dachshund

Three Dachshunds and one determined escapee — that's a classic sausage dog situation. GPS trackers are genuinely useful here, especially for a dog slipping out of the garden rather than going on planned off-lead walks, because you need to know where they've gone the moment you realise they're missing. They do need a monthly subscription and rely on mobile network coverage, so they work better in most suburban and rural areas than in very remote spots with no signal. To point you to the right tracker: which of the three keeps escaping, roughly how heavy are they, and are they already microchipped?

9kg is a good size for a standard miniature — right in the sweet spot where most trackers fit comfortably. Given that she's a solo escape artist rather than a dog you're routinely taking off-lead into the wilds, what you need is fast location updates and a lightweight collar attachment. The Tractive GPS DOG 4 is what I'd go for. It attaches to her existing collar, weighs about 35g which is fine on a 9kg dog, and gives you live tracking every few seconds when she's on the move. The app also has a virtual fence feature — you draw a boundary around your garden and get an instant alert the moment she crosses it, which is probably more useful to you than live tracking alone. Battery lasts around 5 days on standard mode. Subscription is around £4–5 a month.

Yes, Tractive lets you manage multiple devices under one account, so when you're ready to add trackers to the other two you just buy the additional units and link them — each device needs its own subscription, but they're all visible in the same app on a single map. For three Dachshunds that's a tidy setup. Start with one for the escapee and you'll get a feel for how it works before committing to all three.

Good point — Dachshunds do have a thicker neck relative to their body, and some owners find a harness attachment more secure than a collar for them, especially since determined diggers can sometimes back out of a collar. The Tractive GPS DOG 4 can clip onto either a collar or a harness D-ring. If she already wears a harness for walks, attaching it there is more reliable. Just make sure the unit sits along her back rather than dangling, so it doesn't snag when she's tunnelling under your fence — which, let's be honest, she will keep attempting.

That's the sensible approach. One thing worth doing before it arrives — check your garden fence line carefully and block any obvious dig spots, because the tracker tells you where she's gone once she's out, but slowing her down at the fence gives you more time to react to that alert. Good luck with her; Dachshunds are relentless but at least they're small enough to carry home.