Dogtra PATHFINDER2 MINI COMPASS GPS Tracking and E-Collar Set

A handheld with its own screen, plus a small receiver

This set pairs Dogtra's COMPASS handheld GPS connector, model PT21U, with the PATHFINDER2 MINI GPS receiver, model PM20U, according to the Owner's Manual. The handheld has a 2 inch LCD, a built-in compass, a 1 to 100 level rheostat dial and customisable e-collar buttons, and the manual says it can be used as a standalone device after initial setup.

Dogtra's page says you can run the COMPASS on its own without your phone, and the listing says the handheld operates entirely separately from your phone, with full e-collar control. The free PF2 app adds satellite maps, offline navigation, GPS fencing and public land boundaries, per Dogtra's page and the listing.

The manual says the receiver in the box is already paired with the handheld. Its list view shows up to four receivers, and a detail view gives distance, speed, altitude and update time; the listing also names direction and motion. The system can be expanded to 21 dogs.

What the app adds

The manual lists features available only through the PF2 app: multi-device display settings, customising the e-collar buttons, truck location marking, notification, brightness and unit settings, detailed live and offline maps, Geo-Fence and Mobile-Fence notifications, E-Fence with correction, and tools such as a timer, recording and device sharing.

The manual's handheld section also includes a truck marker, while its list of app-only features names truck location marking. Check the manual for what the handheld does on its own before relying on it.

Dogtra's page lists the app requirements as iOS 14 or Android 7.0 and above with Bluetooth 5.0 and up. The manual says the previous Dogtra PATHFINDER app version is not compatible.

Range and updates

The manual gives a line-of-sight range of up to 4 miles and a 2-second GPS update rate, and Dogtra's page and the listing agree. The manual says steel structures reduce range, and tells you to hold the handheld away from your body.

For GPS fixes, the manual advises taking the devices outside to an open area with the antenna facing the sky, and lists crowded urban areas with tall buildings, dense forest and indoor use as conditions to avoid.

The manual's icon list includes a No RF indicator, and its advice for that icon is to move the handheld to a higher position. The manual's range figure is for line of sight.

Fit, weights and the receiver

Dogtra's page describes the MINI receiver as made for dogs of 25 pounds and up, and the listing's variant is labelled 25 lbs and up. The page gives the receiver as 5.3 ounces and 3.3 by 1.35 by 1.63 inches on a 3/4 by 28 inch Biothane strap, and the handheld as 2.125 by 4.8 by 1.5 inches and 6.4 ounces.

The manual's fitting section says to reposition the receiver every few hours, to remove it after 8 hours of use, and to check the dog's skin. Read that section in full before first use.

Training modes are nick, constant, tone, pager and an LED locate light, and the manual lists sleep mode and a tracking-only mode. Dogtra's page also lists a Receiver Lock Mode.

Box contents and charging

Dogtra's page lists the Compass transmitter, the MINI GPS e-collar, a Biothane strap, contact points, a contact point extension tool, a USB charger with splitter cable, a test light, a belt clip, a plastic screen protector and a quick start guide. The listing's components row names a belt clip, charger, lanyard and screen protector.

The manual's package list also includes a C-type charger cable and a lanyard, and its features page lists USB-C charging and 3-hour rapid-charge batteries.

The manual rates the system IPX9K waterproof certified, and the listing also gives IPX9K. Dogtra's page describes the COMPASS handheld as a rugged, waterproof GPS connector.

Warranty

The listing's warranty field says 2-Year Limited Warranty. The manual's extended warranty gives one year from purchase plus an additional year, for a total of two, for the original purchaser who bought from a Dogtra Authorized Dealer and can show proof of purchase.

The manual's warranty excludes products bought from non-authorized dealers or outside the US or Canada. Check that the seller is an authorized Dogtra dealer before ordering if the warranty matters to you.