Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle, Includes Handheld and TT 15 Dog Device, Multi-dog Tracking GPS and Remote Training Device in One

So... let's just address the elephant in the room. This collar and tracker are EXPENSIVE. Ugh. Very, very, very much so. For me anyway. That's also my only con. I mean, damn.Ok, so this color has exceeded my expectations surrounding what I hoped it would do. I live in the country and like to let my dog run, especially in the back yard, fields and woods. She won't usually go more than a couple hundred feet at most, and when she really runs, it's usually after a rabbit or some other animal. (she doesn't catch them, but they both get an adreniline rush and some exercise. haha.I LOVE being able to sit in my house, and see exactly where she is. How fast she is traveling. If she is moving. Everything. And yes, it works while sitting in my house. I'm sure everyone's experience will be different.I also take my dog hiking, and on vacations she has freedom to run as well. I tested the range on this collar, and it works a solid 2 miles in heavy woods, maybe further. (it boasts 9 miles, so I'm thrilled to get half that in poor conditions) I use the training functions... mostly to call her back. or "Page" her I like to say. I rarely, almost never use it to deliver a shock. Just a beep or vibration from time to time.The GPS that comes with the collar is amazing. It's waterproof... yes, I tested it by throwing it in the lake, which by the way, it SINKS. So do NOT expect it to float. Fortunately, I was in shallow water. :)This is really a top-notch system. In hind sight, I suppose I could have saved a little money and got the one without the training functions, but no regrets, I'm glad I have them, and I do ocassionally use them.If you can afford it, and your dog runs a lot and you want an easy way to keep track of where they are, this collar is absolutely amazing.One other thing, it comes with a 1 year sub to some map service... you can download birds-eye-view maps and then load them onto the device. I recommend a micro SD card. It was frustrating to get to work and get setup, not super easy, but it CAN be done, I am your witness. And once you have the maps loaded, it's just so great.$800 for peace of mind, knowing that if my dog runs into a corn field, or in a thick forest, or whereever, I can always see where she is and which direction she is moving? It's steep, but worth it. Very happy with my purchase.

The media could not be loaded. I have handled search dogs for 18 years. I have now used the Garmin Alpha for my search dog since 2013 or 14 (can't exactly remember) and it has made a big difference, both in wilderness and urban search.PROS:Running the dog without the Garmin Alpha, you never knew where your dog was and what potential dangers that he may be encountering. My search dogs range super well (up to a mile or more away from me) and the Garmin Alpha enables me to know which direction he is ranging in and to see if he is still moving or not. It gives me a much greater sense of security, especially at night when the big predators come out or when he is searching along a cliff edge. I have also learned to somewhat read his behavior when he's ranging out through watching how his track is going and what he is doing.The other data collected from the Garmin Alpha enables me to more quickly and accurately see what happened during trainings and missions, to see how well my dog covered a certain area, to more quickly make better reports containing much more data, and to use that data to better train my dog and myself. It has been great!I love the touchscreen and it makes data entry and map navigation super fast, although re-holstering it and even carrying it in hand sometimes causes it to change screens inadvertently. With practice and use, it happens less and less and you just get used to the device's sensitivity.I also love having my dog's direction be connected to my Garmin Fenix watch, a super feature by Garmin! which allows me a back-up plan....back-up contingencies are super important in search & rescue. The Fenix also works in pinch if I have re-holstered my GPS when I need to use my hands more out in the field.Transfer of data to my computer is easy and the hookup fast. The hand-held device continues to hold its battery life extremely well, even though my unit is 6+ years old now and I use it 1-2 times weekly.Our team now owns two other units for other search dogs on the team. The ability to share data wirelessly can save us a lot of time on missions. It is also very helpful to be able to see where other dogs are searching.CONS:The price point has made it difficult for all the handlers on our team to have this important safety and data gathering equipment. Search and rescue teams depend on the generosity of their community to function each year (we get no Federal or State funding) and it has taken us time to own 3 Alpha Units. I am not saying they are not worth every penny for what we do, I am just saying that it has been difficult for our team to bite the bullet and actually own enough units. We are very grateful for what we have.The maps in the Garmin GPS are the big lose for me. In this day of online map availability, the Garmin maps pale in comparison. The Garmin Basecamp mapping program also pales. Our team now uses SAR Topo on our command computers and on our cell phones to be able to have better mapping imagery in the field, which translates to safety for us. I am sorry to say that Garmin really has missed the boat on this important feature because they have rocked the GPS market. But GPS without adequate mapping causes us to now use multiple devices to fill in the blanks.One other suggestion is to make the dog's radio collar waterproof. While the collar is water resistant, it is not waterproof. I lost a collar doing a water search and I was surprised with hunting dogs (including water recovery dogs) that Garmin had only made this water resistant. My dog's collar was toast after he went into the water to pinpoint a find. Ouch, that was an costly find for me. I am now very careful and do not allow my dog to wear his collar when we are searching near water. It is a shame I lose that technology, but I cannot afford that type of costly find as a search volunteer.CONCLUSION:Overall, the Garmin Alpha is a tremendous tool for dog handlers in search and rescue operations (wilderness and non-disaster urban search scenarios) and I highly recommend it! I never go out into the field for a training or mission without my Garmin Alpha!