Keeping your dog safe in the yard is a priority that all dog-owners share, and if you don’t have a traditional fence, a wireless dog fence is the next best thing. One popular option is the Halo Collar Wireless Dog Fence. However, we see a lot of dog fences at Pet News Daily and they’re not all as effective as you might think. We took a closer look to see if the Halo Collar Wireless Dog Fence can keep your pooch safe, or if you should consider an alternative instead.
Can the Halo Collar Wireless Dog Fence Keep My Dog Safe?
The Halo Collar Wireless Dog Fence scores highly in customer reviews, and it’s not hard to see why. For starters, unlike many of its competitors, this collar allows you to create a fence anywhere; it’s not limited to your home. Simply use your phone to indicate a GPS wireless fence, and your dog won’t want to cross the lines. A long battery life, enhanced GPS, and the ability to use the collar without wi-fi are some of the benefits consumers like.
Our Score for the Halo Dog Fence
Editorial Rating
What we like:
Can be used even without wi-fi
In This Article
About the Halo Dog Fence
The Halo Dog Fence is perfect for dog owners who want to keep their furry BFFs safe – not only in their own backyards but also while traveling, camping, or just spending the day at a friend’s house. It uses today’s technology to allow you to use your phone to create a fence anywhere, even if there’s no cell service or wi-fi available.
The original product worked well and had good reviews, but now it’s even better, thanks to two new features. The first is a longer battery life. It will now last 20 or more hours between charges, making it even more convenient to use for longer periods of time. The second is that the GPS performance has been enhanced and offers more coverage than ever before, so if you plan on being somewhere a bit more remote, this can be a lifesaving feature. Additional features are better location accuracy and a sturdier collar.
The price point is around $1,000 when it’s not on sale, but the company does offer discounts periodically. When you go to the website, you’ll be able to see if there’s a current promotion. If not, consider checking online or check again later to see if one was added to the main site. The cost includes one month of the Gold subscription plan. Note that you’ll need to maintain the subscription and there are several different tiers; these range from just a few dollars per month and go up to approximately $30 per month.
Using this collar is fairly simple. Walk the boundary of the fence, indicating on the app’s map where you want the boundaries to be as you go. Then, put on the dog’s collar. Your pooch will receive feedback in the forms of sounds, static, or vibrations as they approach the fence. Even if he wanders past the boundaries you’ve set, you’ll have the peace of mind of continued GPS tracking. There’s also a feature that provides positive feedback as he approaches the fence from outside the boundaries, encouraging him to go back to where you want him to be.
You’ll also like the activity tracker, which keeps track of how much time your dog spends walking, how much time he’s resting, how many walks he takes, and so on. This can help you feel more connected if you’ve left him with a dog-sitter, or if you simply aren’t able to supervise your dog yourself for some period of time.
Important Features
The Halo Dog Fence has some important features that will help you compare it to similar products:
- Long battery life: The newest version has a battery that will last over 20 hours.
- Good location accuracy.
- Sturdy collar: This is another feature that has been updated. The collar will withstand rough use and chewing.
- Can be used without a cellular connection or wi-fi.
- Easy to use.
- Syncs with phone easily.
- Can be used anywhere: It’s not limited to your backyard.
- Includes an activity tracker.
What We Like
The Halo Dog Fence has a lot of features we like, including
- Ease of use. The collar is simple to use and sets up quickly and uses no wires. You can either walk the boundary yourself or indicate where you’d like the fence to be active using the map in the app. The app then syncs this information with your dog’s collar. You can also set up how your dog will be warned if he’s approaching (or if he has left) the boundary points.
- Uses a variety of technologies. Since you might not be within a cellular or wi-fi connection at all times, the fence uses a combination of GPS, Bluetooth, and LTE to maintain continuous coverage. The location tracking continues to work even if your dog leaves the designated area, and it’s designed to encourage him to return.
- Water-resistant collar. If your dog is out in the rain or manages to slobber on the collar, it’s no problem. While we wouldn’t recommend sending your dog for a swim in the lake while wearing the collar, getting it wet in the normal course of being a dog should not be an issue.
- Live customer service. You can call or reach someone via Zoom for quick help.
- Activity tracker. Keep an eye on how your pup is spending his time thanks to the tracking capabilities.
What We Don’t Like
Just like any other products used for dogs, there are always features that can be improved upon. Here are a few of the features that made our do-not-like list.
- High price. The Halo Dog Fence has a higher cost than some similar products. Not only is the initial cost high, but the monthly fees can add up, especially if you choose the Gold plan, which is their top tier. With that being said, there are often promotions that can lower the price.
- Potential connectivity issues. Some consumers reported connectivity problems that made the coverage inconsistent. This is something that might need to be worked through with customer service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Customer Reviews
As with any purchase you make, it’s important to look at customer reviews. We’ve compiled reviews from both positive and negative perspectives.
Positive Reviews
In general, customers were happy with the range, the tracking, and the durability of the collar. Several users said they felt their dogs were safer after investing in the Halo Dog Fence.
“We recently upgraded to the two-plus version of this collar and MAN what a difference it makes. The Halo 1 was decent, though the battery life was a little lackluster for my pup and me. The 2+ changed all of that, better range, better tracking, more durable and the pro-case is super helpful because she likes to play in the mud.” Frizzle, Chewy, 7/11/2022
“Halo Collar Review – we have had our Halo Collar for nearly a year now. And it is working great. Our dog loves it – and knows that he’ll get outside “free and clear” when we put the collar on him. Their customer service has improved so much over time as well. Definitely recommend the Halo Collar.” BrianCho, Chewy, 7/8/2022
Negative Reviews
Some customers, of course, did not like the Halo Dog Fence. Negative reviews focused on technical difficulties and inconsistency. Note that most of them were written before 2022, when the newest version of the collar was released.
“We have a fairly wooded lot and the GPS signal was very inconsistent – going off when I was in the middle of the road, then not stopping even when I was back within the ‘safe’ zone. I never put on my dog as I feel it would have confused her. The training guide is also very tedious with single sentence instructions on long sequences of screens to swipe through. I spent about an hour getting through 30% of it. There are some brittle parts on the collar as well. I returned it within a week but if I had kept it, I would worry about the longevity of the clasps and hinges. This concept is great in theory and Halo has done well with the app but it did not perform to my expectations.” Phil, Chewy, 8/2/2021
“I got this for my dog and she is a chocolate lab mix. She was able to wear it for about 5-7 days and then it started to act weird. We went on the app to check her progress and then left the app, about three days later it would not work. The app said Bluetooth was not on when it was, the product would not turn off, and it would not charge above 89%. We have since return it.” Louu, Chewy, 5/19/2021
Conclusion
Altogether, the Halo Dog Fence seems to be a great choice for those wanting a wireless dog fence option. It’s convenient in that it can be used anywhere, and it’s reassuring to know that even if your dog leaves the boundaries, the GPS will continue to track them and encourage them to return. The price is a bit high, but it is our opinion that you do get a lot of features that aren’t included with other dog fences.
Here’s what we liked the most:
- Can be set up almost anywhere
- Easy to set up and use
- Water resistant collar
- Live customer service
- Activity tracker
If you’d like more information on whether it’s a good idea to leave your dog outside, check out our article titled, “Is It Cruel to Keep a Dog Outside?” And if you’re considering other types of containment options for your pooch, you’ll want to look at our article on “The Best Outdoor Dog Kennels.”
Looking for more information about dog fences? We have a library of in-depth information about various aspects of dog fences. Including tips and ideas for keeping your dog from jumping and building your own dog fence:
- 90+ creative and inexpensive dog fence ideas
- DIY dog fence ideas to build your own dog fence
- How to keep a dog from jumping a fence (or climbing a fence)
- How to keep a dog from digging under a fence
- How tall should a dog fence be?
As well as in-depth reviews of each category of dog fence (with recommendations generated by licensed veterinarians):
- The best dog fences (overall)
- The best in ground dog fences
- The best portable dog fences
- The best GPS dog fences
- The best invisible dog fences
- The best wireless dog fences
- The Best Outdoor Dog Fences
And in-depth product reviews of some of the leading dog fence brands:
- Extreme dog fence review
- Justpet dog fence containment system review(check out our review of Dog Fence Containment System)
- Halo Collar Wireless Dog Fence Review
- Fi Smart Collar Review
Pet News Daily writers are experts in pet care, health and behavior. We are members of Society for Professional Journalists and practice ethical journalism.
