3 ms·

> i'd love to own the data from that collar why not get him an Apple watch and put it in an exercise mode so it records GPS coords as he goes, synced to his ow

> i'd love to own the data from that collar why not get him an Apple watch and put it in an exercise mode so it records GPS coords as he goes, synced to his own iCloud account?

xp84 3y ago
I’m guessing the big downside to that is that an Apple Watch running a workout continuously has a battery life of maybe 6-8 hours at best, so you’d have to buy at least 2 of them and fiddle with them several times a day to swap them and start a workout. And also they cost $300 each but I haven’t looked at what any other option costs, admittedly.
petsfed 3y ago
There's also the issue of keeping him on our land. There's added correction capabilities (first a signal noise, then a mild shock) as part of the Halo collar that we got him. And an entire training program that comes with it, so prior to enabling the feedback mechanisms, I train with him so its not just a bolt from the blue. He's an 80lb Belgian Malinois, a breed known for their high drive, and for being pretty scary looking. People out here keep goats, horses, chickens, etc. He knows not to go after our chickens, but do the neighbors know he won't go after theirs? The last thing I want is for him to wander onto a neighbor's property and get shot because he looks like he's helping himself to their livestock. He'll get shot for that (or less), and I'd have zero recourse, even legally. The Halo collar is the exact same price (including data plan) as the apple watch, but I trade remote feedback to him if he leaves the property (and a collar ruggedized to the rigors of an active dog), vs owning the data, but on a device that's not at all designed to be worn by a dog that likes to roll in dead fish and coyote shit. Meanwhile, adequately fencing the property (so he won't jump over it) will cost me between $12k and $30k. Compare that to $700 + $5/month.
- jjtheblunt 3y ago
  If he gets shot, will you wish you had fenced the property? > a dog that likes to roll in dead fish and coyote shit that is like every normal dog, at least I know exactly what you describe!
  - petsfed 3y ago
    Are you asking me if, in the situation where my failure to build a $12k-$30k fence (for materials alone, not including labor, and the environmental impact survey that has to go along with 1200 linear feet of 6' high fencing in a wildlife corridor) gets my dog shot, will I wish that I spent tens of thousands of dollars when the ~$1000 or so I spent on equipment, and a few weeks' worth of after-work training should have done the trick? No, I won't wish I had fenced the property. I'll wish I'd done a better job of training my dog.
  - porkbeer 3y ago
    Fences deprive wildlife of free movement, and I can only imagine the upkeep on one that big.
matsemann 3y ago
Which is what, 10 times as expensive as something purpose made like https://tractive.com/ https://tractive.com/ ?
- jjtheblunt 3y ago
  that looks even better: agreed.

> i'd love to own the data from that collar why not get him an Apple watch and put it in an exercise mode so it records GPS coords as he goes, synced to his own iCloud account?

xp84 3y ago

I’m guessing the big downside to that is that an Apple Watch running a workout continuously has a battery life of maybe 6-8 hours at best, so you’d have to buy at least 2 of them and fiddle with them several times a day to swap them and start a workout. And also they cost $300 each but I haven’t looked at what any other option costs, admittedly.

petsfed 3y ago

There's also the issue of keeping him on our land. There's added correction capabilities (first a signal noise, then a mild shock) as part of the Halo collar that we got him. And an entire training program that comes with it, so prior to enabling the feedback mechanisms, I train with him so its not just a bolt from the blue. He's an 80lb Belgian Malinois, a breed known for their high drive, and for being pretty scary looking. People out here keep goats, horses, chickens, etc. He knows not to go after our chickens, but do the neighbors know he won't go after theirs? The last thing I want is for him to wander onto a neighbor's property and get shot because he looks like he's helping himself to their livestock. He'll get shot for that (or less), and I'd have zero recourse, even legally. The Halo collar is the exact same price (including data plan) as the apple watch, but I trade remote feedback to him if he leaves the property (and a collar ruggedized to the rigors of an active dog), vs owning the data, but on a device that's not at all designed to be worn by a dog that likes to roll in dead fish and coyote shit. Meanwhile, adequately fencing the property (so he won't jump over it) will cost me between $12k and $30k. Compare that to $700 + $5/month.

jjtheblunt 3y ago
If he gets shot, will you wish you had fenced the property? > a dog that likes to roll in dead fish and coyote shit that is like every normal dog, at least I know exactly what you describe!
- petsfed 3y ago
  Are you asking me if, in the situation where my failure to build a $12k-$30k fence (for materials alone, not including labor, and the environmental impact survey that has to go along with 1200 linear feet of 6' high fencing in a wildlife corridor) gets my dog shot, will I wish that I spent tens of thousands of dollars when the ~$1000 or so I spent on equipment, and a few weeks' worth of after-work training should have done the trick? No, I won't wish I had fenced the property. I'll wish I'd done a better job of training my dog.
- porkbeer 3y ago
  Fences deprive wildlife of free movement, and I can only imagine the upkeep on one that big.

matsemann 3y ago

Which is what, 10 times as expensive as something purpose made like https://tractive.com/ https://tractive.com/ ?

jjtheblunt 3y ago
that looks even better: agreed.