Halo Collar Review: Is This GPS Fencing System Worth The Cost?

We all want to give our dogs room to roam and burn off excess energy safely and responsibly. But keeping an off-leash dog contained can be a colossal challenge, especially if you don’t want to have to supervise your pup every moment. The last thing you want is for your pup to become one of an estimated 10 million lost pets in the U.S. every year.

Fortunately, dog fencing has come a long way, thanks to the latest technology. If you don’t like the aesthetics of a fence in your yard and want to avoid the headache of burying in-ground wires, you’re in luck. A growing number of companies are unleashing GPS-enabled wireless fencing systems to help you give your pup freedom in your yard and even beyond.

Halo Collar is the most well-known and popular of these systems on the market today, but is it really better than the competition? And is Halo the ideal fencing solution for you and your pup? We explain how the Halo Collar works, delve into its numerous features, and much more.

What Is Halo Collar?

The Halo Collar, backed by the well-known dog expert Cesar Millan, uses the latest smart technology to help keep your dog from roaming away, track his activity in your yard and beyond, and much more. One of its most useful functions is the ability to set up multiple boundaries within your yard or large property to keep your dog safely in a specified area.

This collar system is incredibly multi-functional, combining several smart gadgets into one that acts as a:

• Wireless fencing system
• GPS dog tracking collar
• Smart dog training collar
• Activity and health monitor

These are just the start of what Halo Collar can do. And impressively, the company is already regularly upgrading this relatively new product.

Evolution Of The Halo Collar

The original Halo Collar debuted in late 2020 and has undergone some significant upgrades and improvements since the first-generation product. We love that the company considered customer concerns about connectivity and location tracking problems to make their product even better. In late 2021, they released the Halo 2 Collar and made even more improvements in the Halo 2+ Collar a few months later. In fall 2023 they released a new Halo 3 collar. These upgrades include a longer battery life (up to 24 hours), a more durable and water-resistant collar, enhanced GPS tracking, and better cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Halo Collar Key Features

The Halo collar 3 has so many features it can take a while to master them all. But the good news is that it comes with Cesar Millan’s 21-day training guide to help you and your pup become pro users. We’ve highlighted the system’s most noteworthy features to help you understand Halo’s capabilities and how it all works.

Virtual Wireless Fencing

The Halo Collar allows you to set up to 20 virtual fences within your property. You can easily set them using the map in the Halo app or by walking the boundaries. Your fences are stored in the collar and guide your dog to stay inside your set boundaries.

The fences are integrated with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), so you can use them in remote areas without needing a WiFi or cellular connection. (However, you do need WiFi and cellular coverage for dog tracking and to see real-time updates.)

How Does It Keep Your Dog In Bounds?

The Halo Collar communicates with your dog using the customizable Prevention Feedback feature. Settings are similar to what you find with smart dog training collars, including 15 levels each of sound, vibration, and static corrections (as well as pre-recorded Cesar Millan voice commands). The collar senses when your dog nears a fence and automatically administers your set correction to signal him to stop moving forward.

You can further customize prevention feedback to start with an initial warning correction (e.g., a beep), followed by two more tiers of prevention (boundary correction and then emergency correction) if your dog continues to ignore the boundary. As soon your dog stops or turns around, the feedback stops and the collar uses the Return Whistle feature to signal that he’s done a good job. If your dog leaves the fence, you’ll immediately be notified via the app.

Another noteworthy feature is customizable Encouragement Feedback, which includes Whistle, Good Dog, and Come Home prompts. You can use these signals to encourage your pup’s positive behavior and call him home.

Where Can I Use The Virtual Fences?

Because the system relies on GPS and GNSS satellite technology, you can set up fences anywhere in the world. Just remember that you’ll need to initially set up your fences with a WiFi or cellular connection through the app if you’re planning on using the fences in a location without connectivity. The system is designed to work on all types of terrain, including forests, rivers and streams, hilly areas, driveways, and more.

The durable collar also has an IP-67 water-resistant rating, so your dog can enjoy roaming in the rain or playing in streams. It also lights up for nighttime visibility. Halo Collar is also an excellent product to own if you want a portable fencing system since you can set up fences anywhere. You’ll just have to train your dog with the new boundaries.

GPS Activity Tracking

Through the GPS tracking feature, you can see the location and activities of your dog in real-time. It allows you to track your dog’s location within 10 feet even if your dog isn’t inside your fence boundary.

What’s more, the collar helps you keep tabs on your dog’s activity level and training progress. Similar to a Fitbit, it monitors the number of steps your dog makes and resting vs active time to tell you if he’s staying fit or being a lazy bum. You can also use it when walking your dog to get a better picture of his daily exercise.

It also monitors when and where your pup receives prevention corrections. This can be especially helpful during training to know which areas of your yard you need to focus on. The app provides you with handy daily, weekly, and monthly activity charts.

21-Day Halo Training Program

One of the perks of the Halo Collar vs similar geo-fencing systems is Cesar Millan’s 21-day program, which incorporates Millan’s famous behavioral psychology training methods into fence boundary training. This step-by-step guide only takes about 15 minutes of training per day. You start with basic indoor training and then progress outdoors.

The tutorials are very specific and include short videos to help you visualize what you should be doing to train your pup correctly. When you’re finished with the 21-day program, you can get premium lessons by Millan and live video sessions and Q&As with professional training experts. However, these added perks require their highest-tier monthly subscription.

Halo Price

How much does Halo collar cost? The price is $599 for the collar itself, which comes with a charging cable, 2 sets of contact points, a removable cover (in the selection of colors) and a training program.

Our readers get $25 off Halo Colars with the code Halo25 using this link.

A monthly subscription plan is required to activate GPS services, cellular data storage, location tracking, and to create and use fences. They offer three plans, Bronze at $5.99 per month, Silver at $9.99 per month, and Gold at $29.99 per month. For many people, the basic plan will suffice, but you get advanced tracking and monitoring with the Silver plan and advanced training content with the Gold plan. You get 30 days free of their Gold plan when you purchase your first Halo Collar, so you can try out all the features before committing to a plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about Halo Collar.

Will the Halo Collar fit my dog?

The collar comes in three adjustable sizes to accommodate a wide variety of dogs. Users say it’s easy to adjust and fits comfortably. It’s also recommended for dogs over five months of age.

• Small: 11-15 inches
• Medium: 15-20.5 inches
• Large: 20-30.5 inches

Does Halo use electric shock?

Yes, but it is a very mild version of an electric shock collar that is referred to as a “static correction.” The static correction levels feel similar to a tap on your dog’s neck. And there are 15 levels of static feedback, so you can customize these to suit your dog. They’re also completely optional to use, which is helpful if you have a timid or highly sensitive pup.

Can I use Halo as a training collar?

Yes, the Halo collar has many of the same features as smart remote dog training collars, so you can use it with obedience training and much more. You simply use the Instant Feedback feature, which lets you send customizable corrections to your dog’s collar via WiFi, cellular, or Bluetooth connectivity with your app. The included training program also has some great training tips to complement your fencing training.

Are there yard size requirements?

Each virtual fence requires a minimum of 250 square feet for your dog to roam and can accommodate a maximum of tens of square miles.

Can I use Halo Collar indoors?

Yes, you can use the system indoors with a Bluetooth-enabled device called a Beacon, which is included in your purchase. With the Halo Beacon, you can set up off-limit zones in your home and use customizable prevention feedback to keep him in bounds.

Can I use Halo with multiple dogs?

Yes, you can use the system with multiple dogs, but each dog needs their own Halo Collar. They do offer discounts if you purchase multiple collars at the same time. Each dog can use all Halo fences that you create on your account, and you can turn your fences on and off for each dog without affecting other dogs.

Final Thoughts

Although the price tag is high, we recommend the Halo Collar for anyone looking for an easy-to-use wireless fencing system with fantastic high-tech features. Both the Android and iOS apps get overall excellent customer reviews, and if you run into any hiccups with the system, Halo offers customer service and tech support via live Zoom sessions. With the performance upgrades, Halo has made, we think it’s a safe and reliable way to let your dog roam free. And the training can help strengthen your bond with your pup and boost his confidence and self-control.