post-image

What is a beeper?

Beeper collars use a motion sensor to determine what the dog is doing and “beep” based on the user’s settings so the owner knows from far away what their dog is up to. ⁠This is mainly used by hunters and search dog handlers who work their dogs off-leash from a distance.

It is not a tracker in the traditional sense: it doesn’t record the dog’s track; it doesn’t have a GPS; it simply beeps to help you know where your dog is and how they are moving.

Why is it useful?

We used the Beeper during search training, but it is also popular among hunters.

For us, it is helpful because I can hear the dog from much farther away than when using a bear/cowbell that most wilderness search dogs wear. It also tells me when the dog stops moving. Latter can mean that the dog found something that they are investigating or that they are stuck/injured and cannot move. In this case, I want to find them as soon as possible, and a beeper can be much handier in finding the dog’s exact location faster and more accurately than their GPS collar that only gives you an approximate location.⁠

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

How does the SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper work?

The Beeper is a simple module on a collar. It can be used independently (as we did); paired with some of SportDOG Brand’s six compatible e-collars, or as part of the SD-1875 training system. When used with a compatible handheld unit, you can change the collar’s tone remotely from up to 1 mile.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

If you use it as a standalone Beeper, you can manually turn it on and off by pressing the button and change the sounds by keeping the button pushed. There is a small light on it for feedback on the beeper status, but that’s not there to provide visibility in the dark. The module is straightforward to use once you set the tone and mode.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

The Beeper has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It charges in 2hours and lasts 60-80 hours per charge, which is impressive.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

It has nine tones and three modes.⁠ The modes let you set to make one beep every 5 or 10 seconds while the dog is moving and then changing to a beep every second when the dog stops. You can also choose to only beep when the dog stops. ⁠ The tones are: ⁠

  • 1.High Volume Beep⁠

  • 2.High Volume Hawk⁠

  • 3.Double High Beep⁠

  • 4.Bob White Quail Call⁠

  • 5.High Falling to Low Beep⁠

  • 6.Triple Beep⁠

  • 7.Double High Falling to Low Beep⁠

  • 8.Low Volume Beep⁠

  • 9.Low Volume Hawk⁠

⁠ Here is a video by SportDOG showing how each sound option sounds.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review

The “Beeper training” took much longer than expected with Mia. Since I know she is on the sensitive end of the spectrum, I started with having the beeper beep on the ground with the quietest tone and playing, working with Mia around it. Once she was okay with that, I had it on me for walks and hikes, so she got used to hearing it around her, then I finally put it on her after weeks of slow desensitization.

When she was finally comfortable hearing the beeps, we had a false fire alarm in our building, and we needed to evacuate from the 5th floor, taking the stairs while fire alarms beep unreasonably loudly above us. This resulted in Mia stressing out again when I turned the Beeper on around her, so we stepped back.

After almost two months of this process, we could finally search with the Beeper. It was very helpful and informative for me; Mia’s position was always audible, making it easier to keep track of her while navigating in dense areas.

In the beginning, there were still some situations when hearing an unexpected beep threw her off task, but she got used to it eventually. This process is usually not this problematic; most dogs handle Beepers well. I just wanted to mention Mia’s struggle in case others want to try it with a sensitive dog.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

I didn’t mind using the UplandHunter Beeper without a remote control since I just need to turn it on when we start and off when we are done.

Setting up the mode and tone required a few tries, but the Beeper was very easy to use once we had that in place. I have no reason to doubt that the beeps should be audible up to 500 yards (~450 meters). This collar is louder than expected!

The module is designed to be the loudest when you face it, and it is significantly quieter if you turn it. This makes it quieter for the dog while provides maximum audibility towards the environment.

I only disliked that I could not attach it to their TEK 2.0 GPS’s collar band, so we need to have two separate collars on Mia when working. I believe it can be used on the same collar with most of their training modules and with TEK 1.5, but TEK 2.0’s collar strap is too broad to fit it.

Altogether this Beeper is an excellent addition for anyone whose dog works away from them. If one is not ready to invest in a serious GPS system, but still wants to have a better feeling where they are, this Beeper is doing a pretty good job in letting you know the dog’s approximate location and if they are moving or standing. In addition, it is pretty durable and waterproof (submersible up to 25 feet), so you don’t need to worry about it in any weather.

SportDOG Brand UplandHunter Beeper Review | Dog Gear Review

Where to buy

You can buy the different TEK tracking and training systems or the Beeper as a standalone product on SportDOG Brand’s website.

Suggested Reviews

portfolio-image

What is the PitPat Activity Monitor? The Pitpat tracker is the dog version of the smart wristbands that more and more people wear every day. It is a small, lightweight module that only logs in the activity - meaning this is NOT a location tracker. It’s a super simple system that lets you easily track your dog’s movements, weight, burnt calories, etc. How does it work? The most remarkable thing about PitPat is that it doesn’t need a cell network, so there is no monthly fee.

portfolio-image

About Tractive Tractive is an Austria-based company specialized in pet wearables. They used to offer different activity trackers and separate GPS trackers for dogs and large animals (like horses), but today they only sell the product called “Tractive GPS.” This can be confusing when reading reviews and descriptions of their products because most people just refer to all of them as “Tractive tracker,” and you only realize later that it had to be an old version because the comments don’t apply to this one anymore.

portfolio-image

Invoxia’s Smart Dog Collar, acclaimed with seven international awards, including the CES Innovation Award from 2022, stands out as an advanced canine technology. This innovative device is not only alocatiopn tracker but it also integrates cutting-edge sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms to revolutionize canine preventive healthcare with the goal of enhancing the well-being of our dogs. Using a tracker to keep the dog safe? We can’t push enough that connectivity and coverage can be spotty or interrupted by the environment and cause problems outside the tracker’s responsibility.

portfolio-image

About Link Link is a tracker module that you can attach to any collar or harness to track your dog’s location and activity. It’s worth mentioning that the company also had two previous products called Link AKC and Link Plus, which came integrated into a collar, so keep an eye on which product you are reading a review on because all these tend to be called “Link tracker” in different articles.

portfolio-image

What is the TEK 2.0 GPS Tracking System? The SportDOG TEK 2.0 is a professional GPS Tracking System designed with hunting and working dogs in mind. It has fantastic features and many hunting-specific features: like being able to track up to 21 dogs at once or having data on the sun and moon rising/setting. These are not something an average pet owner will ever appreciate but are very important for a hunter.

portfolio-image

What is Findster? Findster is a GPS tracker unit that you can attach to any collar. The best part is that there is no subscription needed, you only pay for the device, and there are no other recurring fees! This is because it doesn’t need cell coverage, which means there are no geographical restrictions for using it! The Pet Module is lightweight, waterproof, and shockproof, so it’s ready for all adventures!

portfolio-image

What is a Whistle Collar? Whistle currently has three pet trackers, the Whistle Fit - a fitness tracker without GPS, the Whistle Go, and its upgraded version with new features and longer battery life: Whistle Go Explore. We tested the Whistle Go Explore, which is a health and location tracker in one. This means that besides the GPS tracking, they also implemented a few health-related stats that distinguishes them from the other smart collars on the market.

portfolio-image

What is a Fi Collar? Fi is probably the best-known pet tech right now on the market. The tracker is connected to an app on your phone, which lets you know your dog’s location even from far away. The Fi tracker is well-designed, elegant and the Armored Aluminium Faceplate has a much more streamlined design than most of its competitors. The tracker was designed for active dogs, so it’s sturdy, and even the tracker unit is waterproof (IP68 Waterproof Rating), dirtproof, and supposedly resistant to bites as well, so you have nothing to worry about on your adventures.

portfolio-image

About Partnered Paw Behind Partnered Paw, there is Tasha, who started to make collars for her dogs years ago. Her business has grown, and now it’s almost her full-time job. Every collar is hand-made to order, so there is room for customization as well! Partnered Paw Custom Collar and Leash Review We received two 1.5" collars and a leash from Partnered Paw. I especially love these collars because Tasha custom-made them for Mia - we agreed that she would come up with something that best represents her brand and matches Mia well.

portfolio-image

About PETDURO PETDURO is a fast-growing company that came out with many new dog and cat products even while we were testing their collar and leash combo. Their harnesses, collars, and leashes come in many different colors and patterns so everyone can find something they like. About the PETDURO Engraved Collar & Leash PETDURO’s collars come in tons of different colors and patterns; ours is called the Bubble. All of their collars can be purchased separately or as a matching set.

See more reviews