Symptom

• Your dog's location in real life does not match where the app says they are

Environment

• Halo App

Background

If the location of the Pet Pin on your My Map screen doesn't match your dog's location in real life, please note the “updated as of..” under your pet’s name on the Pet Card to see how recently the position has been updated on the map. Your dog's location will be accurate as of the time stamp in the app. 

If the time stamp is not up-to-date, see the bulleted list below for ways to troubleshoot this. This information is also covered in the article "Why is my Pet Card not up-to-date?"

Resolution

1. Check your collar's battery level to make sure it isn't critically low or off. The location will only update on your My Map screen when your collar is turned on. 
2. Make sure your phone is connected to the Halo System via WiFi or cellular/LTE, or that the phone and collar paired via Bluetooth (must be within 100 feet [30.5 meters] of each other). If your phone has no service, then it cannot receive updates from the Halo Collar unless they are paired via Bluetooth. 
   • Note: Your dog's Pet Pin will update in real-time on the My Map screen when you are connected via Bluetooth. 
3. Make sure your collar's GPS status (Low GPS, Moderate GPS, or Strong GPS) is accurately represented on the Pet Card (i.e. it should say low GPS when your dog is indoors, and strong GPS when your dog is outdoors. You may see moderate GPS in either location, depending on satellite signal strength)
   • • If your dog is outdoors, but the collar shows 'low GPS', then the Pet Pin location will not update. Conversely, if your dog is indoors, but the collar shows 'Strong GPS', then the Pet Pin may move around erroneously.
     • Note: Accurate indoor/outdoor sensing is essential to the Halo Collar's function. If you are consistently receiving inaccurate indoor/outdoor readings, please see this article to custom-configure your collar's GPS level settings for your property. 

Additional Notes

If you are with your dog and you want to ensure up-to-date GPS tracking in the App, you can connect your Halo Collar to your phone via Bluetooth. You can do this by opening your dog’s Pet Card while your phone's Bluetooth is turned on. When your dog’s Pet Card is selected, their location will continuously update on your map, their Pet Pin will pulse, and the Pet Card will indicate a Bluetooth ‘live’ connection. 

When your Halo Collar is connected over WiFi, the map position will update approximately every seven seconds. If the Halo Collar is connected over LTE/Cellular, it will update every 1 second. Occasional longer delays in updating the app may occur as your collar and/or your phone transition between WiFi and LTE/Cellular coverage.

The above update rates are applicable when your dog is outdoors and moving around. When your dog is resting, its position will not update. When your dog is indoors, the position of the Pet Pin should remain fixed to your dog’s last outdoor position (i.e. the spot where they re-entered your house), and the Pet Card will show a ‘Low GPS’ indication. 

At all times, the GPS on the collar will be up-to-date (assuming it is turned on). If your phone does not have a connection, then you will not see any updates at all.

In the event of a firmware update, the battery dying, or the collar spending an extended period of time indoors, you may be prompted via in-app notification to take the collar outside to allow it to re-calibrate to the GPS signal. Keep it outside until the blue GPS light starts blinking - this can take up to 20 minutes, but will often only require a few minutes.

Note: If you are testing the GPS accuracy while holding the collar in your hand, you need to make sure that you are holding the collar either by the strap or the label-side of the collar, as the opposite side from the label houses the GPS antenna - holding it here may cause signal interference. Additionally, if you are holding the collar perfectly still while you walk around (as you would with a cup of coffee), then the collar will think it is at rest and the location will not update. You must move the collar around as you walk with it, as though it were on a dog, so that its motion sensors detect the movement and its location updates on the map. 

To learn more about your GPS accuracy, check out the article “How accurate is the GPS?” 

If you ever encounter any concerns about your GPS connection, please reach out to our Customer Support Team and we will be happy to assist.