How to track your dog's walks, with or without a GPS collar
Phone apps vs GPS collars for tracking dog walks: what each one actually measures, what it costs, and the free options that don't need a subscription.
Pupnik is our app, and it's one of the options below. We've kept the rest of this guide tool-neutral. Features checked September 2026.
There are two ways to track your dog's walks: with your phone, which tracks the walk, or with a GPS collar or tracker, which tracks the dog. Which one you need depends on what you're trying to find out.
First: what do you actually want to know?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Know how many minutes and miles you walk each day | A phone app |
| Build a walking habit and keep a streak | A phone app with streaks |
| Track your dog's steps, activity, and sleep all day | An activity tracker or smart collar on your dog |
| Find your dog if they ever get out | A GPS tracker with a subscription |
Phone apps vs GPS collars
| Phone app | GPS collar or tracker | |
|---|---|---|
| What it tracks | The walk: route, time, distance | The dog: location, steps, activity |
| Hardware | The phone you already carry | A device on your dog's collar |
| Cost | Often free | Device plus a monthly plan |
| Charging | Your phone | Another battery to keep charged |
| Finds a lost dog | No | Yes |
Free ways to track dog walks with your phone
- Pupnik (iPhone): GPS-tracked walks plus a game layer, with real-world finds on your route, levels for your dog, and a daily streak where any walk of 5 minutes or more counts.
- WoofTrax (iPhone and Android): tracks your walks and supports an animal shelter or rescue you choose.
- HappyPupper (iPhone and Android): a simple tracker for distance, pace, and routes.
- Strava: record walks as usual and tag them "With Pet." More on Strava for dogs.
For a side-by-side look, including walker-booking apps, see the best dog walking apps.
GPS collars and trackers
If your dog is an escape artist or you live somewhere a lost dog could travel far, a GPS tracker is worth it for safety alone. Fi and Tractive are the best-known options. Both need a subscription, and both can send walks to Strava. Fi vs Tractive, compared.
How to track a walk with Pupnik
- Download Pupnik on your iPhone and add your dog.
- Tap to start a walk and head out. Your phone stays in your pocket.
- Walk as usual. Pupnik records the route with GPS and checks it's a real walk, so XP can't be faked from the couch.
- Finish the walk to save the route, time, and distance, then watch your dog earn XP and your streak grow.
Your home location is always blurred by about 500 meters before anyone else sees your area, and one setting hides you from leaderboards completely.
What should you aim for?
Most healthy adult dogs need 30 minutes to 2 hours of exercise a day, depending on breed, age, and health. Get a personal number with the dog walk calculator, or look up your breed.