Hi there! This is such a great detailed video. I’ve been thinking about getting one of these collars for my Aussie. We don’t have a big yard but there’s a big park nearby our house and would love to use the collar there when we would go on walk and would love for him to just run around. Would any of the collars work for that particular area only and not our yard? Thanks! 😊
What a terrific comprehensive and balanced review. Looks like the spot on is the way to go for me (new rescue Aussie cattle dog x). I am always hiking around in the mountains and off grid so being able to have an off grid option is perfect. Thank you very much. Looking forward to seeing new and reviewing older videos of yours. Thx again.
We live in a forested area so, that was a great tip. Also, if you consider that the Halo requires a subscription, they are both going to float around the same price. Very helpful, Thank you.
No problem. The Halo subscription price just went up as well. So, if you don’t want to subscribe to the SpotOn for tracking, eventually, it will offset the extra expense.
I have a long and narrow yard that is approximately 50 feet wide at the start, 100 feet long, and 25 feet wide at the end. I don’t think a circular layout would work for containment. Can I place the boundary markers outside the fence? At what distance from the boundary do the warning signals start for the dog-5 feet or 10 feet? I need this information because my yard is quite narrow. Thank you!
The Halo 4 collar alerts between 7 and 10 feet in ideal conditions, while the SpotOn is advertised as 10 feet within the invisible fence, in ideal conditions. In my experience, it's more like 5 to 6 feet, but you also have to deal with fence drift and a minimal size limitation for the SpotOn, which is 1/2 acre². The Halo 4 Collar's minimal limitation is 30-feet²
That depends on if you’re using the Halo or SpotOn. With the Halo, attach the beacon to your dog’s collar and set it to “Ignore Fence.” Working on uploading a Halo Beacon guide very soon if you’re looking for more info on them. A Training Beacon comes with the Halo. For the SpotOn, simply jump on the app and turn off your virtual fence or press and hold the power button in the collar.
Good review, but would like to have heard how well it works within a tree line, which is around the perimeter of my property. And around a building between woods and building, how it works?
The SpotOn has Forest Mode, which works really well inside the tree line. On the worst day, with heavy cloud cover on top of the trees, it still performs well, though the fence drifts a few feet here or there is a small issue at times. I just did a comparison between the Halo 4 and SpotOn and the two are nearly identical accuracy-wise in the woods. I feel like Halo 4 is the first to come along that is a near-perfect option, other than SpotOn, for accuracy. Stay tuned-my full comparison video is dropping soon, and you won’t want to miss it!
Great video. Thanks for the detailed breakdown. I’d like to use one of these collars for when I’m camping in my RV. We pull up to campground but my dogs have to either stay tied up or in the RV. Do you think this would work at a campground in order to keep them from leaving my campsite?
These collars will work just fine for campground purposes. However, I would strongly advise you to follow through with the training provided by either Halo or SpotOn, through their respective apps. RVing usually entails consistent changes in environment. It’s easy for a dog to learn the meanings of a collar and associate it with boundaries. But, when the boundaries are changing, that’s a little different. I would also advise the SpotOn collar over the Halo. The nature of camping out means occasionally getting into areas where signal is spotty. SpotOn features an Off-Grid mode, so you can set up a virtual fence anywhere on the planet.
how well does Halo do in smaller yards next to neighbors 3/4 sides to the house? we have 80ft width maybe a tad under but then 120 ft or more in other direction with it open to a busy street near a school so although our dog is sweet she is very protective.. worried if she breaks through
Halo recommends a mimimum space of .2 acres squared, while SpotOn won’t work without 1/2 acre squared. Halo recommends at least 15 to 20 feet between the perimeter of the virtual fence and the side of your house. SpotOn recommends nothing more narrow than 80 feet.
The subscription gives you access to tracking, but you don't have to turn tracking on unless you need it. When it is on, there is a significant drain on the battery. Left on constantly, it will drain the battery in about 13-14 hours.
Hi there i have the halo collar and it currently has a horrible battery life 12-18 hours IF that and the static correction is not felt by my great pyrenees. Would you say the static correction is much higher in the Spot on along with the battery life ? I need the closest thing to 24-25 hours i can get due to them being full time working dogs.
I couldn’t tell you whether or not the shock is stronger with the SpotOn or Halo. They have different level settings but I haven’t exactly stuck them on my arm to see what’s worse lol. I can say the SpotOn Omni (just the latest version of SpotOn)has a longer battery life. It’s up to 25 hours in normal containment mode and you don’t have to pay a subscription for containment. Tracking a lost dog will drain the battery faster and you do have to pay for a subscription if you want to add that on. Hope that helps! If you decide to purchase any of these collars, here are some discounts: Save $75 on the SpotOn GPS Fence by using code 'WAF' at checkout: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/DKYEdq Save an Extra $25 on the Halo Collar: www.pntra.com/t/2-569943-286521-281980
We live in the middle of 160 acres, our nearest neighbor is 3/4 miles away, our lab won’t quit bothering them, in your opinion, is there one that’s better for a larger area fence? Also we have a ton of trees around our house, and was planning on giving the dog a very large boundary
I highly recommend the SpotOn. Yeah, it's on the high-end price-wise but it includes an always-on Forest Mode that improves accuracy under a heavy tree canopy. I have a ton of trees on my property as well and the SpotOn performs better than the Halo, Tractive, Fi, or Invisible Fence. It also has an off-grid mode if you have trouble with the cellular signal where you are at. SpotOn lets you build an invisible containment fence large enough to cover 1,000 acres, with a minimum size of 3/4 acres. That should be more than enough to cover you! It only has a 25-hour battery, however, so you'll have to charge it when your dog is inside or, like I do, overnight. The SpotOn has been the most consistent smart collar system for me throughout all of my reviews and coverage of various smart collars. There are times when fence drift is an issue, but we're talking about a shift of four to six feet and then back again. On a property your size, that should be fine. I also recommend spending some training time with your dog. The collar is designed to go off when the dog approaches the fence but it's also designed to stop when the dog is heading back in the right direction (sort of encouraging him/her). But I still recommend a bit of training just to keep your dog from panicking and not knowing how to respond to the collar. Hope that helps! Also, you don't have to pay for a subscription if you're just trying to contain your dog in a certain area. You only need a subscription with SpotOn if you want to actively track your dog in the event that he/she takes off and is lost. If you decide to purchase the SpotOn collar, don't miss out on a $75 discount with code WAF! Simply use this link: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/WqjZPP
I have a 10 pound Yorkie. He likes to escape and roam. I do not care about active tracking him, but would like a collar or device that would lead me to him if he gets lost and roams away from our area when he gets out of the fence. Will the F3 do that? The others seem too big and bulky for him. Will the F3 let me find him if he gets lost? Good video. Thanks.
I personally don’t recommend the Fi Series 3. I’ve heard from those who’ve had no problems with it but I haven’t received two, and neither met my expectations. The tracking was off far too often. They were adequate for a little while but then kind of fell off. The biggest problem I had was with customer service. It took a while just to talk to someone via chat and they kept sending me in circles redoing the same thing, over and over again, expecting a different result. I did a review on the Fi here: th-cam.com/video/f9-Oi_YbEJA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=N_ApWy_leiXYG2n4 and compared it with the Halo 3 here: th-cam.com/video/zroa36ZyAGY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yYFFOiZqCdtIbuO6
I'm getting a GSD- what age can you start using these collars? I'm also a little worried about the 10ft of space living in a residential development and not having a large amount of yard. What do you recommend doing in that case? Setting the fence post beyond the yard so that the dog is able to have the full yard space to run?
It's hard to say. SpotOn is pretty adamant about needing a yard no smaller than 1/2 an acre, with 80' at its narrowest point. Halo claims it's fine to use in yards no smaller than 30' x 30'. That's not a lot of room, especially when it comes to fence drift, which is more prevalent with the Halo than it is with the SpotOn. It's hard to include your house in the fence build since the Halo detects the sudden drop in GPS signal as an affirmation that the dog is inside. If your yard is smaller than 30' x 30', I wouldn't recommend either the Halo or the SpotOn. You may consider extensive training and a tracking collar only.
Hi! I’ve been watching your videos on the Halo Vs SpotOn. Honestly, I’m still kind of leaning towards the Halo 3 but wanted to get your take on it since you have Dobermans. I have an almost 2 yr old European Male Doberman. We recently moved to a new home on just over 3 acres & I need a fence solution! We have a trail on the back side of our property that is utilized frequently by other people walking their dogs. I need to know that this collar will keep my 90lb Doberman on our property and not allow him to charge towards the dogs or people enjoying the trail (he’s trained & friendly but intimidating and a little crazy 😊). Thoughts? Thanks in advance!
THe Halo 3 and the SpotOn have both been fantastic options for me. However, I have to give the SpotOn the edge in just about every category. That’s not to say the Halo is bad. It’s just a shade behind the SpotOn in a lot of ways. Most importantly, consistent accuracy, especially thanks to SpotOn’s Forest Mode. SpotOn also has a new Off-Grid mode that may be useful, depending on where you’re at. It’s the more expensive option, but it works a little faster and you don’t have to pay a subscription just to keep your dog contained to a specific area. I just finished another breakdown of the SpotOn with 9 reasons I think it’s worth the purchase. I’ll have it up asap if you want to wait and decide.
Yes. You can invite friends. All they need to do is download the app. On your SpotOn app go to Profile > Invite. From here, you can send them an invite via a link in their email. They’ll have to set up their own account though, but they don’t have to pay for anything. You’ll be able to determine if you want to give them full access to the account or limit what they can access and do. For instance, you may not want to allow them to use static correction or make changes in the app you don’t prefer. Hope that helps!
Great Video. Just ordered the SpotOn for my Lab. One question you might be able to answer is how hard is it to teardown the collar to replace the lithium battery in the future? Buying a $900 device and know that the battery will not last more than 5 yrs is a hard pill to choke down. Is there any screws visible, or is it all welded and sealed shut?
I’ve looked it over pretty carefully and don’t see any way into it other than force. I guess they took a page out of Apple’s playbook with that one. Always annoyed me that I couldn’t just upgrade my iPhone battery down the road without having to fully disassemble the iPhone lol.
Put a GPS tracker on the Spot On so u don't have to purchase a subscription..pet stores sell them or an Apple Air Tag or SmartTag2 (Samsung tag) whichever phone u have. 😊
@@Blazer_BB It works well. The battery life only lasts about 16hrs. I live in a very wooded area so maybe that has something to do with it. I did have a collar failure within my first month where the collar stopped receiving satellite data. Spot On sent out a replacement free of charge and I haven't had any issues since. I like the fact that u can setup different perimeters and the app saves them to your profile to be uploaded to the collar whenever you need. This gave a very easy solution to allow the dog sitter, and my mother in law to use it on their property while they watch him. The on/off button is not very user friendly. If the collar still has a charge and is on when it goes back on the charger, it will remain on for when you pull it off the charger to use. If it was off or dead, you need to remember to turn the collar on before using as it doesn't automatically turn on. Sometimes this is easily overlooked when your in the middle of your daily routine. My lab learned within a day the perimeter, and I don't really think about it much anymore. Overall, it is working well. The price tag is excessive, but so is putting a fence up in my root and rock ridden land.
Have you tried the new Invisible Fence brand GPS collar? I am looking to buy a GPS collar system and I can't find any reviews on this one. The only videos are from Invisible Fence.
We just want to keep our dog away from the road but not fence him in. Is it possible just to have a long straight line away from the road with without making a circle like fence?
There may be a collar option out there that does that but none of the ones I currently have. I have yet to unbox and use a few (Tractive), but if they are like previous iterations of the Tractive, circles is what you get. With the Halo and SpotOn, you can get creative with your designs and draw just about any sided shape you want to come up with, within the posts limitations. However, it does have to be a shape and not a simple line. I see your point though, and it would be nice to have an option like that for specific purposes.
If you’re enjoying it now, you may want to check out my Halo 4 review coming soon! It comes with several nice upgrades including one that puts it on par with the SpotOn’s forest and urban area accuracy!
I almost always recommend the SpotOn because it’s always been the most accurate and has the quickest response time for me, even under a tree canopy. But it is quite expensive. If you have the cash to fling around, I recommend it. However, you will have to engage in some dog training to teach your dog how to respond to the collar.
The SpotOn seems to have some additional benefits over the Halo system. However, I see that SpotOn says you need to have a minimum of 1/2 acre sized yard (lot) to use. Not sure I understand why. Do you know if this is truly the rule? It would rule out SpotOn for me.
@@WorldAnimalFdn I appreciate your confirmation on this. I like the features of SpotOn though I don't need all the features. Nervous about Halo. My goal is really not to track my dogs, but rather to keep them out of certain parts of the yard. Not excited about needing multiple outdoor beacons either. Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to my question it is appreciated.
Will halo work for my 6 lb dog? Her neck is less than the website recommends but the information on the website is not very clear. I use the chat function and they said that I was able to use the small size on my dog even though my dog is less than 20 pounds and has less than an 11 inch neck. Any help? Great channel and videos.
I wouldn’t try it unless you can somehow get your hands on one to test out before you buy it. In one of the videos where I included the Halo (can’t remember off-hand which one), I demonstrated the reason that small necks won’t work. It’s the overall bulk of the collar. You can probably cut it to what would be the right size on a normal collar but the bulky part isn’t flexible enough to curve in and sit right on the dog’s neck. It’s kind of the same with the SpotOn. That extra plastic and tech they pack in there just makes it too much for smaller neck sizes. I’ll look into it though and see if I can’t come up with something. I wouldn’t recommend the Fi or Tractive. They’ll do the trick fit-wise but just don’t stand out where it counts.
The Halo does. The SpotOn does not need cell service because it has an off-grid mode that allows you to build one invisible fence, as large as it needs to be, with zero cell service. You don’t have to pay a subscription fee for the SpotOn fence either, just tracking (which utilizes cell coverage). Both the Halo and the SpotOn have universal cell coverage though. If there’s any cell service in your area from any provider, they will pick up on that. In your case, I’d opt for the off-grid mode and SpotOn. If you decide to purchase the SpotOn collar, here's the link: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/WqjZPP. Your purchase through this link will support our channel and help us create more great content.
Cell serivce is irrelevant as far as the fences are concerned. Both the Halo and SpotOn use GPS for the fences and your dogs within the virtual fence. They also use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if either or both are nearby. If you want to track your dog because it escaped or is lost, then you’ll need cell coverage. Halo is universal, so it will pick the strongest cell carrier signal availabel at any given moment. SpotOn only uses Verizon and AT&T. The carrier coverage comes with the subscription and is not associated with your personal smartphone plan. SpotOn has a uniqe feature called “off-grid” mode, which allows you to create and maintain a single virtual fence within which the collar will function as normal, without any wireless signal coverage. Hope that helps!
Hey Larry, since I mostly recommend the SpotOn 2nd Gen and SpotOn Omni, here is the official training page for it. If you purchase the collar and download the app, everything you find on this link will be on the app as well, including a free, 1-on-1 with a certified dog training expert for half an hour. spotonfence.com/pages/training
You’ll have to pay 2x the price for the collars, one for each dog, of course. But the subscription plan for SpotOn or Halo covers as many collars as you want to add, with no additional price. Keep in mind, there is no subscription for the SpotOn, unless you want to use the tracking feature. If you just want to build virtual fences and keep your dogs contained, you don’t have to pay for a SpotOn subscription.
How quickly does this react as dog approaches the fence line? Trying to contain a Labrador that, for whatever reason, bolts out into the street when ONE particular dog is being walked by our house with thier owner. Outside of this one dog, my lab stays in my yard and just watches all other people and dogs walk by. 🤷♂️
The SpotOn Omni reacts the quickest. I have a review up for it as well. But no matter what collar you choose, you have to train your dog to understand how to react to the collar. If he/she doesn’t know, it’s liable to bolt in any direction. The SpotOn lessens the tone and vibration (and stops shocking if you’re using that option) if your dog is returning, which helps with the teaching, but you’ll need to do some hands-on as well.
You can transfer ownership but both you and the original owner have to contact SpotOn to make the transfer. There used to be a link to start the process online but after checking it, it no longer works.
I understand! Here are some discounts that might make both options closer to your budget: 🔗Save $75 on the SpotOn GPS Fence by using code 'WAF' at checkout: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/DKYEdq 🔗 Save an Extra $25 on the Halo Collar on top of the $100 promotion currently running: www.pntra.com/t/2-569943-286521-281980
That’s true in a way. I guess it depends on how much fencing and what kind. SpotOn is a one time cost and doesn’t require a subscription to build as many virtual fences as you want and use them for containment. You only have to subscribe if you want location tracking (if you’re worried your dogs will run off). Two of them will cost $2000, without any discounts (there are always discounts, plus I think you get a discount just for buying more than one). A privacy fence, with current lumber costs, that covers the minimum amount for the SpotOn at 1/2-acre squared, will cost much more at $25 to $35 per foot.
There’s a cheaper version of the Halo on Temu? We have a discount code on top of Halo’s discount right now. I just dropped a video on it, so feel free to check it out. You can use this link: geni.us/Halo-Collar-3-discount to get an extra discount! It’s not a huge discount, but every little bit helps!
I know! And the video isn’t even that old. The price is reflected in some of the newer videos. SpotOn is still free for the containment virtual fencing portion with a subscription service for location and tracking.
My halo Collar Teleports my dog outside of the safety zone everytime I let her outside so it'll shock. It's updated and has full high GPS. Im returning the junk
And their customer service is awful! I ordered one a week ago, fedex won’t deliver to my address for some reason and they tell me Halo has to fix it but Halo says FedEx needs to fix and and they won’t issue a refund until the product gets back to them - but fedex wont return it without Halos approval because their is a cost to do so. Halo denies it being their problem at all. Meanwhile I’m out over 600 and speaking to halo management is apparently p of the question. Their support just reads scripts. And the product ships from Taiwan. Don’t waste your money on Halo!
@@lanaflores5337 Dispute the charge with your form of payment. Visa/Mastercard/your bank, pay-pal, however you paid let them know you can't recieve the product and they'll return your money.
The charge battery life on this is garbage. My wired dog fence collar charge lasts at least a month between charges. I love the features of this but they lost me at "has to be charged daily". Some times we forget to charge his collar one time and now my dog cant be let out. Thats a big No-go for me.
I understand where you're coming from. I wish they lasted longer myself. However, the SpotOn and Halo collars are stuffed with a lot of tech the other collars lack. I look at it like my smartphone when it comes to the battery. I have always thought that was a drawback though, especially if you have working dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors. With everything these collars do, however, I imagine it will take a significant leap in battery tech to run them for more than a single day.
Yeah, I've heard the battery thing a lot and its a reasonable argument against them. But, like I told another commenter, there's a lot going on inside the SpotOn and Halo collars and they both have significantly larger lithium batteries than other smart collars on the market. Still, a day is all you're going to get. Mine go on the charger right next to my iPhone because I have to charge them all once a day lol.
It took me a minute, but FINALLY an review that doesnt seem "sponsored" by either brand.
Well he does have a coupon code for the Halo so it must be slightly sponsored?
"an" review🤓
Hi there! This is such a great detailed video. I’ve been thinking about getting one of these collars for my Aussie. We don’t have a big yard but there’s a big park nearby our house and would love to use the collar there when we would go on walk and would love for him to just run around. Would any of the collars work for that particular area only and not our yard? Thanks! 😊
What a terrific comprehensive and balanced review. Looks like the spot on is the way to go for me (new rescue Aussie cattle dog x). I am always hiking around in the mountains and off grid so being able to have an off grid option is perfect. Thank you very much. Looking forward to seeing new and reviewing older videos of yours. Thx again.
We live in a forested area so, that was a great tip. Also, if you consider that the Halo requires a subscription, they are both going to float around the same price. Very helpful, Thank you.
No problem. The Halo subscription price just went up as well. So, if you don’t want to subscribe to the SpotOn for tracking, eventually, it will offset the extra expense.
I have a long and narrow yard that is approximately 50 feet wide at the start, 100 feet long, and 25 feet wide at the end. I don’t think a circular layout would work for containment. Can I place the boundary markers outside the fence? At what distance from the boundary do the warning signals start for the dog-5 feet or 10 feet? I need this information because my yard is quite narrow. Thank you!
The Halo 4 collar alerts between 7 and 10 feet in ideal conditions, while the SpotOn is advertised as 10 feet within the invisible fence, in ideal conditions. In my experience, it's more like 5 to 6 feet, but you also have to deal with fence drift and a minimal size limitation for the SpotOn, which is 1/2 acre². The Halo 4 Collar's minimal limitation is 30-feet²
How does it work when you go on an off leash hike? Can you set a distance from you that they will get the tone stimulus?
That depends on if you’re using the Halo or SpotOn. With the Halo, attach the beacon to your dog’s collar and set it to “Ignore Fence.” Working on uploading a Halo Beacon guide very soon if you’re looking for more info on them. A Training Beacon comes with the Halo.
For the SpotOn, simply jump on the app and turn off your virtual fence or press and hold the power button in the collar.
Have you happened to try the Dogtra Pathfinder? I'm interested in how it compares to these two
I haven’t’t heard of the Dogtra Pathfinder but I will definitely add it to the list!
Good review, but would like to have heard how well it works within a tree line, which is around the perimeter of my property. And around a building between woods and building, how it works?
The SpotOn has Forest Mode, which works really well inside the tree line. On the worst day, with heavy cloud cover on top of the trees, it still performs well, though the fence drifts a few feet here or there is a small issue at times. I just did a comparison between the Halo 4 and SpotOn and the two are nearly identical accuracy-wise in the woods. I feel like Halo 4 is the first to come along that is a near-perfect option, other than SpotOn, for accuracy. Stay tuned-my full comparison video is dropping soon, and you won’t want to miss it!
Great video. Thanks for the detailed breakdown. I’d like to use one of these collars for when I’m camping in my RV. We pull up to campground but my dogs have to either stay tied up or in the RV. Do you think this would work at a campground in order to keep them from leaving my campsite?
These collars will work just fine for campground purposes. However, I would strongly advise you to follow through with the training provided by either Halo or SpotOn, through their respective apps. RVing usually entails consistent changes in environment. It’s easy for a dog to learn the meanings of a collar and associate it with boundaries. But, when the boundaries are changing, that’s a little different. I would also advise the SpotOn collar over the Halo. The nature of camping out means occasionally getting into areas where signal is spotty. SpotOn features an Off-Grid mode, so you can set up a virtual fence anywhere on the planet.
how well does Halo do in smaller yards next to neighbors 3/4 sides to the house? we have 80ft width maybe a tad under but then 120 ft or more in other direction with it open to a busy street near a school so although our dog is sweet she is very protective.. worried if she breaks through
Halo recommends a mimimum space of .2 acres squared, while SpotOn won’t work without 1/2 acre squared. Halo recommends at least 15 to 20 feet between the perimeter of the virtual fence and the side of your house. SpotOn recommends nothing more narrow than 80 feet.
For the SpotOn, does it use more battery when you have a subscription on?
The subscription gives you access to tracking, but you don't have to turn tracking on unless you need it. When it is on, there is a significant drain on the battery. Left on constantly, it will drain the battery in about 13-14 hours.
Hi there i have the halo collar and it currently has a horrible battery life 12-18 hours IF that and the static correction is not felt by my great pyrenees. Would you say the static correction is much higher in the Spot on along with the battery life ? I need the closest thing to 24-25 hours i can get due to them being full time working dogs.
I couldn’t tell you whether or not the shock is stronger with the SpotOn or Halo. They have different level settings but I haven’t exactly stuck them on my arm to see what’s worse lol. I can say the SpotOn Omni (just the latest version of SpotOn)has a longer battery life. It’s up to 25 hours in normal containment mode and you don’t have to pay a subscription for containment. Tracking a lost dog will drain the battery faster and you do have to pay for a subscription if you want to add that on. Hope that helps! If you decide to purchase any of these collars, here are some discounts:
Save $75 on the SpotOn GPS Fence by using code 'WAF' at checkout:
spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/DKYEdq
Save an Extra $25 on the Halo Collar: www.pntra.com/t/2-569943-286521-281980
We live in the middle of 160 acres, our nearest neighbor is 3/4 miles away, our lab won’t quit bothering them, in your opinion, is there one that’s better for a larger area fence? Also we have a ton of trees around our house, and was planning on giving the dog a very large boundary
I highly recommend the SpotOn. Yeah, it's on the high-end price-wise but it includes an always-on Forest Mode that improves accuracy under a heavy tree canopy. I have a ton of trees on my property as well and the SpotOn performs better than the Halo, Tractive, Fi, or Invisible Fence. It also has an off-grid mode if you have trouble with the cellular signal where you are at. SpotOn lets you build an invisible containment fence large enough to cover 1,000 acres, with a minimum size of 3/4 acres. That should be more than enough to cover you! It only has a 25-hour battery, however, so you'll have to charge it when your dog is inside or, like I do, overnight. The SpotOn has been the most consistent smart collar system for me throughout all of my reviews and coverage of various smart collars.
There are times when fence drift is an issue, but we're talking about a shift of four to six feet and then back again. On a property your size, that should be fine. I also recommend spending some training time with your dog. The collar is designed to go off when the dog approaches the fence but it's also designed to stop when the dog is heading back in the right direction (sort of encouraging him/her). But I still recommend a bit of training just to keep your dog from panicking and not knowing how to respond to the collar. Hope that helps! Also, you don't have to pay for a subscription if you're just trying to contain your dog in a certain area. You only need a subscription with SpotOn if you want to actively track your dog in the event that he/she takes off and is lost.
If you decide to purchase the SpotOn collar, don't miss out on a $75 discount with code WAF! Simply use this link: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/WqjZPP
I have a 10 pound Yorkie. He likes to escape and roam. I do not care about active tracking him, but would like a collar or device that would lead me to him if he gets lost and roams away from our area when he gets out of the fence. Will the F3 do that? The others seem too big and bulky for him. Will the F3 let me find him if he gets lost? Good video. Thanks.
I personally don’t recommend the Fi Series 3. I’ve heard from those who’ve had no problems with it but I haven’t received two, and neither met my expectations. The tracking was off far too often. They were adequate for a little while but then kind of fell off. The biggest problem I had was with customer service. It took a while just to talk to someone via chat and they kept sending me in circles redoing the same thing, over and over again, expecting a different result. I did a review on the Fi here: th-cam.com/video/f9-Oi_YbEJA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=N_ApWy_leiXYG2n4 and compared it with the Halo 3 here: th-cam.com/video/zroa36ZyAGY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yYFFOiZqCdtIbuO6
I'm getting a GSD- what age can you start using these collars? I'm also a little worried about the 10ft of space living in a residential development and not having a large amount of yard. What do you recommend doing in that case? Setting the fence post beyond the yard so that the dog is able to have the full yard space to run?
It's hard to say. SpotOn is pretty adamant about needing a yard no smaller than 1/2 an acre, with 80' at its narrowest point. Halo claims it's fine to use in yards no smaller than 30' x 30'. That's not a lot of room, especially when it comes to fence drift, which is more prevalent with the Halo than it is with the SpotOn. It's hard to include your house in the fence build since the Halo detects the sudden drop in GPS signal as an affirmation that the dog is inside. If your yard is smaller than 30' x 30', I wouldn't recommend either the Halo or the SpotOn. You may consider extensive training and a tracking collar only.
Hi! I’ve been watching your videos on the Halo Vs SpotOn. Honestly, I’m still kind of leaning towards the Halo 3 but wanted to get your take on it since you have Dobermans. I have an almost 2 yr old European Male Doberman. We recently moved to a new home on just over 3 acres & I need a fence solution! We have a trail on the back side of our property that is utilized frequently by other people walking their dogs. I need to know that this collar will keep my 90lb Doberman on our property and not allow him to charge towards the dogs or people enjoying the trail (he’s trained & friendly but intimidating and a little crazy 😊). Thoughts? Thanks in advance!
THe Halo 3 and the SpotOn have both been fantastic options for me. However, I have to give the SpotOn the edge in just about every category. That’s not to say the Halo is bad. It’s just a shade behind the SpotOn in a lot of ways. Most importantly, consistent accuracy, especially thanks to SpotOn’s Forest Mode. SpotOn also has a new Off-Grid mode that may be useful, depending on where you’re at. It’s the more expensive option, but it works a little faster and you don’t have to pay a subscription just to keep your dog contained to a specific area. I just finished another breakdown of the SpotOn with 9 reasons I think it’s worth the purchase. I’ll have it up asap if you want to wait and decide.
With SpotOn are we able to “share” with our dog walker so she can track our pup if she ever runs off?
Yes. You can invite friends. All they need to do is download the app. On your SpotOn app go to Profile > Invite. From here, you can send them an invite via a link in their email. They’ll have to set up their own account though, but they don’t have to pay for anything. You’ll be able to determine if you want to give them full access to the account or limit what they can access and do. For instance, you may not want to allow them to use static correction or make changes in the app you don’t prefer. Hope that helps!
also can you put the software on more than one phone with the halo?
Both the SpotOn and the Halo will work fine on more than one device. I have both SpotOn and Halo on my iPhone and iPad.
Great Video. Just ordered the SpotOn for my Lab. One question you might be able to answer is how hard is it to teardown the collar to replace the lithium battery in the future? Buying a $900 device and know that the battery will not last more than 5 yrs is a hard pill to choke down. Is there any screws visible, or is it all welded and sealed shut?
I’ve looked it over pretty carefully and don’t see any way into it other than force. I guess they took a page out of Apple’s playbook with that one. Always annoyed me that I couldn’t just upgrade my iPhone battery down the road without having to fully disassemble the iPhone lol.
Put a GPS tracker on the Spot On so u don't have to purchase a subscription..pet stores sell them or an Apple Air Tag or SmartTag2 (Samsung tag) whichever phone u have. 😊
Great review, nothing happens without at least a Doberman cameo.
How has this system been working for your lab so far?
@@Blazer_BB It works well. The battery life only lasts about 16hrs. I live in a very wooded area so maybe that has something to do with it. I did have a collar failure within my first month where the collar stopped receiving satellite data. Spot On sent out a replacement free of charge and I haven't had any issues since. I like the fact that u can setup different perimeters and the app saves them to your profile to be uploaded to the collar whenever you need. This gave a very easy solution to allow the dog sitter, and my mother in law to use it on their property while they watch him. The on/off button is not very user friendly. If the collar still has a charge and is on when it goes back on the charger, it will remain on for when you pull it off the charger to use. If it was off or dead, you need to remember to turn the collar on before using as it doesn't automatically turn on. Sometimes this is easily overlooked when your in the middle of your daily routine. My lab learned within a day the perimeter, and I don't really think about it much anymore. Overall, it is working well. The price tag is excessive, but so is putting a fence up in my root and rock ridden land.
Have you tried the new Invisible Fence brand GPS collar? I am looking to buy a GPS collar system and I can't find any reviews on this one. The only videos are from Invisible Fence.
Great review... thanks for sharing your experience with us.
We just want to keep our dog away from the road but not fence him in. Is it possible just to have a long straight line away from the road with without making a circle like fence?
There may be a collar option out there that does that but none of the ones I currently have. I have yet to unbox and use a few (Tractive), but if they are like previous iterations of the Tractive, circles is what you get. With the Halo and SpotOn, you can get creative with your designs and draw just about any sided shape you want to come up with, within the posts limitations. However, it does have to be a shape and not a simple line. I see your point though, and it would be nice to have an option like that for specific purposes.
I'm loving the halo collar features right now!
If you’re enjoying it now, you may want to check out my Halo 4 review coming soon! It comes with several nice upgrades including one that puts it on par with the SpotOn’s forest and urban area accuracy!
how about keeping my dog from leaving the yard in putsuit of rannits?
I almost always recommend the SpotOn because it’s always been the most accurate and has the quickest response time for me, even under a tree canopy. But it is quite expensive. If you have the cash to fling around, I recommend it. However, you will have to engage in some dog training to teach your dog how to respond to the collar.
The SpotOn seems to have some additional benefits over the Halo system. However, I see that SpotOn says you need to have a minimum of 1/2 acre sized yard (lot) to use. Not sure I understand why. Do you know if this is truly the rule? It would rule out SpotOn for me.
Yes, the area of your yard has to be larger than 1/2 acre squared. It simply won’t let you create an invisible fence with a smaller dimension.
@@WorldAnimalFdn I appreciate your confirmation on this. I like the features of SpotOn though I don't need all the features. Nervous about Halo. My goal is really not to track my dogs, but rather to keep them out of certain parts of the yard. Not excited about needing multiple outdoor beacons either. Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to my question it is appreciated.
Will halo work for my 6 lb dog? Her neck is less than the website recommends but the information on the website is not very clear. I use the chat function and they said that I was able to use the small size on my dog even though my dog is less than 20 pounds and has less than an 11 inch neck. Any help? Great channel and videos.
I wouldn’t try it unless you can somehow get your hands on one to test out before you buy it. In one of the videos where I included the Halo (can’t remember off-hand which one), I demonstrated the reason that small necks won’t work.
It’s the overall bulk of the collar. You can probably cut it to what would be the right size on a normal collar but the bulky part isn’t flexible enough to curve in and sit right on the dog’s neck. It’s kind of the same with the SpotOn. That extra plastic and tech they pack in there just makes it too much for smaller neck sizes.
I’ll look into it though and see if I can’t come up with something. I wouldn’t recommend the Fi or Tractive. They’ll do the trick fit-wise but just don’t stand out where it counts.
Do these collars need cell service? We don’t have any at our house, but we have wifi
The Halo does. The SpotOn does not need cell service because it has an off-grid mode that allows you to build one invisible fence, as large as it needs to be, with zero cell service. You don’t have to pay a subscription fee for the SpotOn fence either, just tracking (which utilizes cell coverage). Both the Halo and the SpotOn have universal cell coverage though. If there’s any cell service in your area from any provider, they will pick up on that. In your case, I’d opt for the off-grid mode and SpotOn. If you decide to purchase the SpotOn collar, here's the link: spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/WqjZPP. Your purchase through this link will support our channel and help us create more great content.
Very informative! Thanks so much! I'm still not sure which to choose however I'm more informed consumed thanks to your video!
SpotOn is the way to go! If you decide on it, here's is the link : spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/PyXK4X
We live on 10 acres but the cellular service is very choppy at times, would this affect how the perimeter connects to the collar?
Cell serivce is irrelevant as far as the fences are concerned. Both the Halo and SpotOn use GPS for the fences and your dogs within the virtual fence. They also use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if either or both are nearby. If you want to track your dog because it escaped or is lost, then you’ll need cell coverage. Halo is universal, so it will pick the strongest cell carrier signal availabel at any given moment. SpotOn only uses Verizon and AT&T. The carrier coverage comes with the subscription and is not associated with your personal smartphone plan. SpotOn has a uniqe feature called “off-grid” mode, which allows you to create and maintain a single virtual fence within which the collar will function as normal, without any wireless signal coverage. Hope that helps!
IS THERE A RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO ALLOW US TO LOOK AT THE TRAINING REQUIRED FOR THE GPS SYSTMS?
Hey Larry, since I mostly recommend the SpotOn 2nd Gen and SpotOn Omni, here is the official training page for it. If you purchase the collar and download the app, everything you find on this link will be on the app as well, including a free, 1-on-1 with a certified dog training expert for half an hour. spotonfence.com/pages/training
This was a thorough review I really learned a lot. Thanks.
I literally clicked on a previous video and the guy unboxed the product.🤦
Hahaha. I try to cram a little more information into these videos, even if I’m boring everyone to death. I appreciate it!
Basically if you have 2 dogs it's 2 x the price correct?
You’ll have to pay 2x the price for the collars, one for each dog, of course. But the subscription plan for SpotOn or Halo covers as many collars as you want to add, with no additional price. Keep in mind, there is no subscription for the SpotOn, unless you want to use the tracking feature. If you just want to build virtual fences and keep your dogs contained, you don’t have to pay for a SpotOn subscription.
FYI, since making this video 4 weeks ago, Halo appears to have increased the price of their subscription packages.
Thank you for this video!
Glad it was helpful!
Great Information! Thank you!
How quickly does this react as dog approaches the fence line? Trying to contain a Labrador that, for whatever reason, bolts out into the street when ONE particular dog is being walked by our house with thier owner. Outside of this one dog, my lab stays in my yard and just watches all other people and dogs walk by. 🤷♂️
The SpotOn Omni reacts the quickest. I have a review up for it as well. But no matter what collar you choose, you have to train your dog to understand how to react to the collar. If he/she doesn’t know, it’s liable to bolt in any direction. The SpotOn lessens the tone and vibration (and stops shocking if you’re using that option) if your dog is returning, which helps with the teaching, but you’ll need to do some hands-on as well.
Hi !
If I get a spot on gps tracker from second hand , can I call and connect the tracker on my name ?
Thank you for the videos
You can transfer ownership but both you and the original owner have to contact SpotOn to make the transfer. There used to be a link to start the process online but after checking it, it no longer works.
Ok thank you very much!
I will do that!
Thank you for this review!!! It was so helpful. I never like, subscribe & comment but this was so helpful to me I wanted to help you too! ❤
Glad it was helpful! Which one have you decided on? I might be able to get you some exclusive discount codes.
I think the spot on looks like the more accurate one but I think the Halo is closer to the budget. So that doesn’t answer your question does it? 😂
I understand! Here are some discounts that might make both options closer to your budget:
🔗Save $75 on the SpotOn GPS Fence by using code 'WAF' at checkout:
spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/DKYEdq
🔗 Save an Extra $25 on the Halo Collar on top of the $100 promotion currently running: www.pntra.com/t/2-569943-286521-281980
VERY DETAILED! Thank you
With multiple dogs it's cheaper to put up fencing. Hopefully prices will come down in the future.
That’s true in a way. I guess it depends on how much fencing and what kind. SpotOn is a one time cost and doesn’t require a subscription to build as many virtual fences as you want and use them for containment. You only have to subscribe if you want location tracking (if you’re worried your dogs will run off). Two of them will cost $2000, without any discounts (there are always discounts, plus I think you get a discount just for buying more than one). A privacy fence, with current lumber costs, that covers the minimum amount for the SpotOn at 1/2-acre squared, will cost much more at $25 to $35 per foot.
Excellent Thank you
No problem! I have several of these reviews up now so feel free to subscribe! I have a bunch more I plan on adding in the days and weeks to come!
I guess I can try the cheaper version on Temu… halo too expensive 😢
There’s a cheaper version of the Halo on Temu? We have a discount code on top of Halo’s discount right now. I just dropped a video on it, so feel free to check it out. You can use this link: geni.us/Halo-Collar-3-discount to get an extra discount! It’s not a huge discount, but every little bit helps!
The Halo app costs have went up significantly since this video. That $5.99 plan is now $9.99.
I know! And the video isn’t even that old. The price is reflected in some of the newer videos. SpotOn is still free for the containment virtual fencing portion with a subscription service for location and tracking.
Sounds like Galo is a GREEDY company! $600 for a collar and then a monthly subscription?!? That's absurd! Spot On seems the way to go!
You can get Halo with the Bronze subscription for 6.5 years before the total cost is as much as the up front price of the Spot On.
@@Dhunt-pn8cv 11 yrs if you have two dogs
Spot on charges monthly also buddy
My halo Collar Teleports my dog outside of the safety zone everytime I let her outside so it'll shock. It's updated and has full high GPS. Im returning the junk
And their customer service is awful! I ordered one a week ago, fedex won’t deliver to my address for some reason and they tell me Halo has to fix it but Halo says FedEx needs to fix and and they won’t issue a refund until the product gets back to them - but fedex wont return it without Halos approval because their is a cost to do so. Halo denies it being their problem at all. Meanwhile I’m out over 600 and speaking to halo management is apparently p of the question. Their support just reads scripts. And the product ships from Taiwan. Don’t waste your money on Halo!
@@lanaflores5337 Dispute the charge with your form of payment. Visa/Mastercard/your bank, pay-pal, however you paid let them know you can't recieve the product and they'll return your money.
The charge battery life on this is garbage. My wired dog fence collar charge lasts at least a month between charges. I love the features of this but they lost me at "has to be charged daily". Some times we forget to charge his collar one time and now my dog cant be let out. Thats a big No-go for me.
I understand where you're coming from. I wish they lasted longer myself. However, the SpotOn and Halo collars are stuffed with a lot of tech the other collars lack. I look at it like my smartphone when it comes to the battery. I have always thought that was a drawback though, especially if you have working dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors. With everything these collars do, however, I imagine it will take a significant leap in battery tech to run them for more than a single day.
Yikes that’s terrible about battery life.
Yeah, I've heard the battery thing a lot and its a reasonable argument against them. But, like I told another commenter, there's a lot going on inside the SpotOn and Halo collars and they both have significantly larger lithium batteries than other smart collars on the market. Still, a day is all you're going to get. Mine go on the charger right next to my iPhone because I have to charge them all once a day lol.