Longer Battery, Better Tracking, Improved Fit: Halo Collar 4 Review

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The peace of mind that comes with knowing your dog is safe is almost invaluable. I should know. I currently have 11 dogs. Each of them has some kind of collar that best suits their sport, personality, and temperament.

I’ve not hidden my love of Halo GPS dog collars. I’ve used just about every major “wireless fence” style dog collar on the market, and the Halo collars have yet to let me down. Where other collars have failed and left me searching for one of my bird dogs for several days, the Halo Collars have stepped up and always filled the role of reliable, consistent, and user-friendly.

When I heard the Halo Collar 4 was coming out, I assumed it would be much the same when I agreed to test it. I was wrong. Not only does it sport a smaller frame and hinged component, making it far more comfortable for a pup, but it’s also compatible with dogs half the size of its predecessor (from a 20-pound minimum size down to 20-pound pups).

The biggest claim is the jump in battery life. You can go ahead and color me skeptical when a brand makes bold battery life claims. So, did it measure down and battery up as much as the brand claims?

In short: Skepticism be damned. The Halo Collar 4 ($599) outperforms its predecessor in every way, which is a tough feat to conquer. The battery life is wild and, in my tests, actually goes above and beyond what the company claims.

Halo Collar 4 Review

What Halo Has to Say About the Newest Addition to the Lineup

If we’re going to start anywhere, let’s start with cofounder Cesar Millan. I want you to picture the following quote in his voice. It makes it better, I promise.

“Halo Collar 4 allows pet parents to set rules, boundaries and limitations while creating a backyard everywhere they go. You can now provide trust, respect and love to your dog knowing they are safe wherever they go.” 

— Halo Cofounder Cesar Millan

The Halo Collar 4 promises a lot. I’m going to do something I rarely do and copy the intro to the press release here verbatim (with a few Oxford commas added because I have editorial integrity).

Halo, the most advanced GPS dog fence ever created, is launching the Halo Collar 4, the first collar designed to fit big and small dogs, giving pet parents the ability to create a “backyard” everywhere they go. It is the first and only dual-frequency GPS dog fence for unrivaled accuracy that combines data from L1 and L5 GPS bands for the most accurate location that is not impacted by obstacles, even in urban or bad signal areas. 

Halo Collar 4 also offers the perfect fit for big and small dogs with a tailoring system that lets you custom fit the collar to your dog’s exact neck size from 8 inches to 30.5 inches. The updated rendition includes 25% more battery life for 30+ hours between charges, a smaller and lighter all-day fit, and comes in a new Midnight Blue color, as well as updated Graphite, Orchid, and Sunburst colors.

Those are some hefty claims that I was borderline excited to bust.

Testing the Halo Collar 4

The Trainee

The thing about bird dogs from a strong hunting line is this: when bird season rolls around, a young bird dog can be almost impossible to keep contained when birds are about. My youngest Brittany is that dog. At a year and a half old, she knows her duty is to hunt ’em up. She does not, however, practice much restraint when she isn’t supposed to hunt ’em up. Known for having boundless energy, she measures up in all the best and worst ways that her breed has to offer.

Enter the true challenge for the Halo Collar 4. Even when faced with rooster pheasants at the edge of her perimeter, the Halo collars have kept her contained without the need for static shock or human intervention. She’s learned her tones and learned that it’s only when the collar comes off and the shotgun comes out that she can take to the field.

Battery Life to the Moon

After testing two previous version of the Halo collars, I wasn’t sure I’d see much benefit with the newest iteration. And then the battery life jumped up and smacked me in the face.

I run the Halo Collar 2 and Halo Collar 3 on another Brittany and a German shorthair. Both those collars give me a day of battery life. When I say a day, I mean a daylight day. Depending on how rowdy the pups get, I see anywhere from 8 to 12 hours of consistent battery life. That means they are contained for the work day and a bit after. Each night, the collars get plugged in when the pups get tucked into bed.

The Halo Collar 4 has run for 2 full days with no charge and held battery life the entire time. Yes, while at home, it still gets plugged in every night. However, this means a weekend away in the mountains requires no additional draw on the power banks I rely on. That leap in battery life is huge for those who overnight sans power in the great outdoors.

What the Halo Collar 4 Does Well

Everything it claims to. If you need a reliable GPS dog collar to keep your pup contained without fences, this collar will do it and do it well. If you have a pup that is too small to wear most GPS collars, this one might be the ticket.

I love being able to sit at my desk and look at the exact location of my pups on my phone. They don’t have to be penned up when I’m not looking. They can roam and play and be dogs, all while I know they are safe and secure. I’m not a fan of putting up fences for a heap of reasons, and this allows me to keep the landscape natural and my dogs safe.

The App

The Halo Collar App is another huge win for Halo. I’ve used other digital-fence-style collars with apps that made me want to throw my phone out the window. The Halo app is user-friendly, intuitive, clean, and simple to use. I can open my phone, see where my dogs are, and even whistle at them to come home. The app is top-notch in the world of GPS collars.

It also has a full dog training module taught by none other than Cesar Millan himself.

Always On

This is a big one. If your collar dies and you stick it on the charger, it turns itself back on. You don’t need to hold the power button for 30 seconds, rub your belly six times, and spin in a complete circle to get the collar to turn on and connect to the app. That might seem silly, but I’ve used other collars that are a pain in the royal arse to get reconnected to your phone, and I was never certain whether the collar was even on.

The Halo Collar 4 (and its previous versions) turns itself on and automatically connects to the app, ensuring immediate protection for your pup by just grabbing it off the charger and snapping it on. It’s grab-and-go protection that has never let me down.

Where’s the Downside?

You could say that they’re expensive, but they really aren’t. The Halo Collar 4 is at or below the cost of almost any other big-name GPS collar at $599.

The Charger

What you could complain about is the charger, but that’s only if you have former versions of the collar. I have three different versions, and each one has a different charger. That is frustrating, but I do get it. The newer versions likely require a bit more oomph, so they likely require a heftier charger.

That being said, a universal USB-C charger would be a huge perk, especially if you’re on the go and don’t have your collar-specific charger handy. Only my oldest Halo Collar offers that option.

A Little Lag

This is one that I guess can be expected. Occasionally, depending on weather or tree cover, you might experience a little lag in GPS connection. I always try to open my app when I send the pups outside, just to make sure they’re connected and covered. That being said, the lag is absolutely minimal, particularly when compared to other GPS collars.

Who Should Buy the Halo Collar 4?

Anyone interested in knowing where their canine companion is without going to the window or walking outside should consider the Halo Collar 4. This collar is perfect for anyone who lives near a busy road or can’t put up a fence. It’s the solution for weekend warriors who need to keep their pup at camp and out of the far-reaching mountains.

To be honest, I’m not sure who the Halo Collar 4 wouldn’t be good for. If you have a dog that weighs 10 pounds or more, you would benefit from adding it to your pup’s accessories. Period. End of story. They rock.

One of the other perks is that I bet the Halo Collar 3 is about to go on sale. So … you know, getcha one of those, too.

If you can’t tell, I stinkin’ love mine.

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