Mention a microchip and many people will ask — “is that GPS for your dog?” Unfortunately, no. But, Tagg — The Pet Tracker is the next best thing. It attaches to your dog or cat's collar and follows his or her movements.

The online tracking system allows the user to view the movements of his/her dog, not just the current location. This feature is great for a constantly escaping dog — even if he's lost his collar or didn't have it on, one may be able to guess his whereabouts based on previous journeys that have been logged on the Tagg website. The tracker itself securely fastens to the dog's collar, and looks sleek, but is slightly bulky. Most reviewers have noted that the tracker never accidentally came off the collar, but my dog was attacked by another dog who bit the tracker off. In our many forest walks through underbrush and during routine rough play it stayed securely attached and was never damaged. It is also waterproof.

Having a GPS for a dog who frequently or occasionally escapes a yard or enclosure would greatly reduce dog-related stress. I have a newly adopted dog and greatly enjoyed the peace of mind of a locator device, especially when we began taking her off leash.

The device is easy to set up and gives prompt and reliable notifications through text and email. The Tagg Tracker has a long battery life — staying charged for up to 30 days. The cost is reasonable at 99.95 for the whole setup, which includes one Tagg Tracker, one docking station, collar clip assembly and power kit. After one free month, the service costs $7.95 per month.

PAWS: 4.5 out of 5 (Won't it be nice when we can implant it? Or will it?) I gave a slightly lower ranking because it was hard for me to remember to turn off the tracking when we went on an outing, and then turn it back on when I wanted to make sure our dog was being tracked. My boyfriend was much better at this, so for the tech-savvy, mindful people this is likely not an issue.

More information at PetTracker.com.