In the world of SpotOn and Halo, does PetSafe Guardian fill a much-needed gap in the GPS dog fence market? Is it the right fit for you and your dog? Find out in this detailed PetSafe Guardian review as I dive deep into its features, reliability, and pricing.
If you do decide that the PetSafe Guardian is the GPS fence for your pup, make sure to grab a special discount through my link below:
CLICK HERE: Get my EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for the PetSafe Guardian (applied at checkout) →PetSafe Guardian GPS Dog Fence Review—Unboxing
Inside the box, you have the collar, a GPS base, a rechargeable, removable battery, wall charger that can handle two batteries simultaneously, extra static correction prongs, power adapter for the base, and the hardware for mounting it.
The collar is long and adjustable. It doesn’t win a beauty contest against SpotOn or Halo, though. It doesn’t seem like a cozy fit either—below are the results of my design and durability test.
See my deep-dive PetSafe Guardian unboxing and first impressions review.
Initial Setup
Setting the Guardian by PetSafe up was fairly easy. I was done in 15 minutes flat. If you’re thinking of going pro and mounting the base to your wall, which you should, that could be a different ballgame. It might take you an hour or more, especially if you’re not Bob the Builder.
All you need to do is scan the QR code, download the app, and boom—just follow what your screen tells you. Smooth sailing, no hitches.
PetSafe GPS Fence Review: Features and Field Tests
You know how every brand has their own snazzy name for GPS tech? Like Halo brags about PrecisionGPS and SpotOn has True Location? PetSafe’s throwing their hat in the ring with “Accuguard.”
They claim it’s the most reliable GPS fence technology out there. Bold words. We’ll be the judge of that.
So what is it exactly? It mixes GPS data with real-time pooch tracking for fewer false alarms. This wireless pet fence buzz your dog if he’s zooming too fast toward the edge or hanging out near the boundary too long. Pretty by-the-book, honestly. We’ll see how well these features actually perform further down in this review.
The PetSafe Guardian App
When it comes to the app, it’s user-friendly but kinda basic. Quick peeks at collar battery and correction settings? Check. But if you’re looking for in-app training guides, tough luck. You’ll have to hit the PetSafe website and hunt down the manual. Trust me, just stick with the old-school paper guide that comes in the box.
Drawing Virtual Fences With The PetSafe Guardian
For a complete PetSafe Guardian GPS dog collar review, I did step-by-step trials to create a fence and assess its functionality. Sketching out a fence took me mere seconds. The interface is neat but isn’t intuitive enough to guide you to editing the fence—you’ll find that in the settings.
What about zooming in when placing digital fence posts with pinpoint accuracy? Yeah, it can do that, but so can its competitors.
Editing the fence becomes a breeze once you stumble upon that customization screen. And heads up: looks like the base station doesn’t have to be inside your fence. I gave it a test just to be sure.
Fence Boundary Testing
Here’s the thing—the PetSafe GPS collar doesn’t actually map or follow your dog’s every step. And just like SpotOn, you don’t need to shake the collar for better GPS reception. As for the boundary alerts for this wireless dog fence, I noticed that the static and warning tone peace out 15 seconds after you cross the boundary and stay outside the fence—for your pup’s safety.
Collar Fit and Comfort
Points for gentle static, but let’s get real—the collar isn’t winning any comfort awards. There’s plenty of length with fastener holes all down the line. Feel free to chop off the extra if you’re into that.
PetSafe Guardian wears like any old collar, no bespoke fittings needed. The weight is noticeably hefty. I was skeptical about its comfort, so naturally, I tied myself to a tree to also test its durability.
Durability Test
I nearly choked myself testing the strength of the PetSafe Guardian collar. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fully perform the pull test as the collar was incredible uncomfortable. It did, however, survive a shower. After soaking the collar under the shower to test its claims to being waterproof, I went through another boundary test, and found no sign of water damage which was good.
Battery Life
Fully charged and 1.5 hours of tests later, my PetSafe Guardian was still going strong—three bars and all. But don’t expect a percentage on your dog’s collar battery life; it’s a bar-only kinda show. And even 4 full days later, we still had a bar of battery life. Of course, heavy usage will probably drain it more.
Pricing
Alright, let’s talk numbers. It’s just about $600 as of now, and you’re good to go—no subscriptions. By contrast, if we look at the Halo 3, that’s about $700 right now, plus a membership plan that’ll run you between about $6 to $30. No subscription, no service.
On the premium end, SpotOn takes the cake at about $1,300 as I’m writing. It’ll function without a subscription, but if you want tracking and alerts, you gotta subscribe.
PetSafe Guardian Review: Final Verdict
So, the final word on PetSafe Guardian? It’s no show-pony, that’s for sure. Bulky collar, no tracking, no escape alerts, and just a single fence to work with.
But hold on. No subscription? Check. Steady boundary line? Check. Does it alert before giving correction? Yup. Could it do better in some spots? Absolutely. But it’s a vibe we also get with Halo and much less so with SpotOn. Either way, there’s a nice discount waiting for you in the link below:
CLICK HERE: Get my EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for the PetSafe Guardian (applied at checkout) →Bottom line—my PetSafe GPS collar review proves that this brand and model plugs a hole in the market. It’s cost-effective and gets the basics right sans any monthly fees. It’s almost like the jeans-and-t-shirt version of a GPS dog fence.
Did you know there is a new Guardian by PetSafe? Check out my PetSafe Guardian GPS + Tracking Review.