The Dogtra Pathfinder 2 is a GPS tracking and training system that comes in two sizes: the full-size Pathfinder 2 and the smaller Pathfinder2 Mini. Both turn your phone into a GPS tracker and e-collar remote, both use free offline maps with no monthly subscription, and both can follow several dogs at once. So which one should you get? Here’s how they differ.
What the Pathfinder 2 does
It combines two things hunters and outdoor owners used to carry separately: a GPS tracker and a remote training collar. Open the free app and you see every dog on the map in real time, with tracks showing where they’ve been. From the same screen you can give tone, pager vibration or stimulation, so you can call back a dog you can see on the map but not in front of you. Geo-fence alerts tell you when a dog leaves an area you’ve drawn, and with a smartwatch you can check where your dogs are with a glance at your wrist.
Because you download the maps before you go, it keeps working where there’s no cell service, which is where most dogs go missing.
The main differences
Range
The full-size Dogtra Pathfinder 2 has up to 9 miles of range, so it’s the one for big country, hound work and bird dogs that range wide. The Pathfinder2 Mini has up to 4 miles, which is plenty for most upland hunting, hiking and rural properties.
Size and weight
The Mini receiver is about 22% smaller than the standard collar. That makes it much more comfortable for small and medium breeds, lighter pointing dogs and any dog that wears the collar for long days.
Which dogs each one suits
Choose the full-size Pathfinder 2 for large breeds, hounds, long-range bird dogs and anyone who hunts open country a lot. Choose the Mini for spaniels, small pointers, terriers, family dogs on hiking trails, and daytime use where a lighter collar matters more than maximum range.
What both have
- A free app with no subscription or activation fees
- Offline topo and satellite maps that work without a cell signal
- Tracking for up to 21 dogs from one phone
- Geo-fence alerts and live track history
- Tone, pager vibration and stimulation for training
- Waterproof, rechargeable collars made for real field use
Adding dogs and tracking-only collars
You can add to either system. For a collar that tracks and trains, get the Pathfinder2 Additional Receiver or the Mini Additional Receiver. If a dog only needs tracking, for example at events where training collars aren’t allowed, the tracking-only Pathfinder2 TRX and Mini TRX have no contact points at all.
Is it worth it?
If your dog often goes out of sight, yes. A separate handheld GPS and e-collar cost more, weigh more and mean juggling two devices. The Pathfinder 2 uses the phone you already carry, adds training on top of tracking, and has no ongoing fees. For a lot of owners, the peace of mind pays for itself the first time a dog disappears over a ridge.
App compatibility details, firmware updates and manuals are on the official Dogtra website.
Which one we’d pick
Get the Dogtra Pathfinder 2 if you need the most range or run large dogs that range wide. Get the Pathfinder2 Mini if your dog is small to medium, you hunt or hike in moderate terrain, or comfort matters more than the last few miles of range. Either way, you get the same app and the same maps.
Compare every model in our Dogtra GPS collars category, read our Dogtra e collar buying guide, or ask us for a recommendation. Every order ships with tracking.