If you’ve been following along with my Halo Collar Reviews you know my track record with testing the fences hasn’t been the smoothest ride.
But with the new Halo 3 in town and a GPS update to the Halo 2+, I figure it’s high time to brave the great outdoors again. As part of my series of Halo 3 collar reviews, this time I put both the fence boundaries and that indoor beacon that comes with it to the test.
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Halo system promises accurate GPS dog fence—naturally, I tested this. My first stop was the local park, where I walked around to draw on the Halo app what I’d like to call an artistically precise fence boundary. The game has definitely changed thanks to the new PrecisionGPS and Active GPS antenna—my fence drawing experience with the Halo 3 is far and above what I saw before.
That said, I’m still waiting for the Halo to auto-drop those fence posts for us. Doing it manually is just not as good, and we’re still capped at 20 posts per GPS or invisible fence. But hey, nobody said life was flawless.
Boundary Testing Halo 3
The good news? When I took the Halo 3 dog collar for a boundary test, I can pretty consistently get at least one alert before the emergency feedback kicks in. I’ll usually even get both the warning and the boundary feedback before the emergency stage, but it’s not a guarantee.
Sometimes after the warning is issued I’ll stop in my tracks, and it’ll still jump straight to boundary feedback. I’m really looking forward to the day when the Halo GPS dog collar nails down a clear progression when it comes to detecting your dog’s location: warning zone first, then boundary, and finally, emergency feedback.
Halo Beacon Test
Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of beacons as a “keep-away” tool. But I got a beacon with the Halo 3 dog collar, and given how much they’ve upped their game with the GPS tech, I thought the beacon deserved another try.
The indoor beacon is used to create “Keep-Away” zones inside your home (or any indoor space)—not just to keep your dog safe but also certain things and areas in house. There are also outdoor and USB beacons for similar purposes. Simply place the beacon in or next to a space or object you do not want your dog to access, then set a radius. So I tested this and placed the beacon next to a plate of food, added the new beacon to the app, and did a boundary test using the collar. I did get a somewhat distinct warning and boundary feedback. But even on a range setting of 5, I could get right up to the beacon before getting any response. Maybe they’re better off as training tools? Not sure. This is pretty much what I’ve seen in the past, and it still doesn’t seem to offer emergency feedback. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to, though. If you compare Halo collar 3 vs 2, the beacons are the same.
For an even deeper dive into the Halo 3, check out my other reviews:
- Halo 3 Dog Collar Review (Unboxing)
- Halo 3 Dog Collar Reviews #2 (Is It The Best GPS Dog Fence Yet?)
- Halo 3 Collar Reviews #3: PrecisionGPS & Debunking 250 sq ft
- Halo 3 Collar Reviews #4: How To Set Up Fences (Avoid This!)
- Halo 3 Collar Reviews #5: Should You Upgrade From The 2+?
- Halo 3 Dog Collar Durability Test & Perfect Fit
My verdict
Alright, so what’s the final word on the new Halo collar?
The new PrecisionGPS and Active GPS antenna really stepped up their game. Drawing Halo fences is more accurate than ever with the improved GPS tracking accuracy. But, the system still has room for improvement. The fence post situation is still a bit tedious with manual fence posts. And the alert progression from warning to boundary to emergency isn’t always as smooth as I’d like. But it’s definitely moving in the right direction.
For the Beacon, I’d hoped to see better performance. It’s not really the reliable “keep-away” solution I was dreaming of. They might have a future as training tools but I don’t expect them to work miracles for a dog owner.
Overall, Halo 3 is a major step forward from the 2+. Is it perfect? No, but it is improving.
Is it worth a shot? I’d say so, with the caveat that you’ll need to keep your expectations in check. If you’re gonna buy it for your furry friend, make sure to use the link below for the best price.
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