“The Garmin PRO 550 PLUS takes the best-in-class, one-handed dog training system of the PRO 550 and combines it with simple, at-a-glance GPS tracking. 18 levels of continuous and momentary stimulation, plus non-stimulating tone and vibration options let you customize your training for each dog. Track your dog from more than 2 miles away using the built-in display, and see when they are on point or have treed with pointing and treeing alerts. For even more dog tracking options, pair your PRO 550+ with your Garmin Fenix Watch or Garmin DriveTrack in-vehicle navigator.” – Gun Dog Supply

I have been frustrated with training collars and tracking collars for a very long time. I feel like I have to own and run several different collar at once to get what I want. I like to carry the fewest extra things possible with me on a trips I have been bouncing back and forth between tracking and training collars for a long time. For the last couple of seasons I have settled on the Dogtra Pathfinder for my needs (click above for a review of that system). It runs off of your phone, which I already carry, and that makes things quite simple for me. Overall I have been pretty happy with it, for training I have found it pretty useless but I have a Garmin Sport PRO that I use for training so it has never really bothered me (click bold lettering for a review of that system).

I have been frustrated with training collars and tracking collars for a very long time

Now for the nitty gritty. Despite how much I liked the pathfinder, its always bugged me how much of a pain in the neck it is to work the stimulation. Its an easy screen, but I have to take my phone out of my pocket, unlock the screen, select the dog, and then deliver the shock. In my opinion, by the time I do all of that it’s too late to effectively deliver a correction.

I have always wanted a system that both tracks and trains well without being too complicated. I originally used a Garmin Alpha before I switched to the Dogtra Pathfinder but I found it had way more than I needed and I wanted something a little more simple. Now with several years under  my belt of using different collars I know exactly what I am looking for.

I want a system that is very quick and responsive for stimulation and also very quick for a basic tracking function. The Garmin PRO 550 Plus offers this in spades. I also want the ability to use a more detailed tracking system should the need arise. This could be getting lost, losing a dog, finding a road or any other myriad of scenarios. Now, the Garmin Pro 550 Plus does not offer these advanced tracking features, but what it does do is pair with a Garmin Alpha that I can stuff in my pocket for the rare times when I want mapping or advanced tracking.

“A system that is very quick and responsive for stimulation and also very quick for a basic tracking function.”

I want to preface this review by stating that I think the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS is the perfect collar when combined with other Garmin products such as the Garmin Alpha and the Garmin Instinct Watch. On its own its pretty damn nice but when paired with the others its exactly what anyone would want.

REVIEW

The Garmin PRO 550 PLUS is the newest in a line of GPS tracking collars from Garmin. What makes this collar so special, is that its an E-Collar that includes GPS tracking, and not the other way around. You get full E-Collar functions with the added ability to know where your dog is throughout the session.

“Its an E-Collar that includes GPS tracking, and not the other way around.”

To be clear, with the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS, you get an E-Collar that has stimulation with 18 levels, you get tone, you get vibrate, you get a running light and you get true one handed operation. You get all that while having the ability to look down and see where your dog is via direction, distance, and whether or no the dog is moving or on point.

The transmitter is compatible with both the TT15 collar and the TT15 Mini collar if you have smalls or larger dogs. Personally I have smaller dogs so I use the minis and I haven’t found myself hampered with battery life. It is compatible with and functions well with the Garmin Alpha, the Garmin Astro, The Garmin Fenix Watches, The Garmin Instinct Watches, and the The Garmin DriveTrack System

“A system that is very quick and responsive for stimulation and also very quick for a basic tracking function.”

All of this is built into a transmitter built around the popular Garmin PRO 550 design. The only thing the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS does not have is the bark limiter function that you can find on the regular Garmin PRO 550. The Garmin PRO 550 PLUS is built around why I have primitively called a tube style transmitter for many years. This style of transmitter is very user friendly and allows someone who is very familiar with their setup to operate every function with one hand without the need to look down at it. 

From a training perspective, I love it. You still have to pair the collar to the transmitter but its pretty fast, and once I do that the setup functions just like a regular 550. What makes this so much more awesome is that I can look down and quickly see where my dog is if it’s out of sight.

Where the system really shines is when you pair it with other Garmin products. I have mine paired with a Garmin Alpha and a Garmin Instinct Watch. Here is what I get from that. With the addition of the Alpha I can find out both where my dogs are and where I am with incredible accuracy and mapping features. I keep my Garmin Alpha packed away for when I need it. Some people are using a Garmin Astro for this purpose because you already have stimulation abilities with the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS. But I don’t want that, When I have my Alpha out, Im not holding my 550, which means I would not have stimulation abilities at that time if I was using the Astro. If I don’t want to grab either system and I just want to know where the dogs are quickly, I just have to look at my Garmin Instinct Watch. It’s truly impressive when it all works together.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS is by far the best system on the market for anyone looking for training and tracking features in one unit. You can start with just this system and add to it later with other products such as the Garmin Alpha or the Garmin Instinct Watch or Garmin Fenix Watch. Or, you can skip those altogether and just use the Garmin PRO 550 PLUS on its own. No matter which way you decide to go it’s a steal at $649.99 as package deal including a transmitter and collar.

“by far the best system on the market for anyone looking for training and tracking features in one unit.”