1567 Words, 7 Minute Read. A review of our experience using the Fi collar for small dogs. We discuss the realities of comfort, tracking, and customer service.

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Karen Lena Izzo, The Small Dog Rules

As a dedicated (okay, overprotective) small dog mom, I’m always open to technology that enhances the safety and wellbeing of our small pups, Phoebe and Scout. 

That’s how I happened upon the possibility of using the Fi collar for small dogs. 

I found their updated technology, which they claim to be light and comfortable for dogs of all sizes, a major selling point. With the promise of tracking their activity and offering peace of mind, especially when leaving them in the care of someone new, the Fi collar seemed like a dream solution. And, I love Fi’s collaboration with “approved” collar vendors like The Foggy Dog, which would allow me to select lighter-weight, thinner collars appropriate for little canines. 

Fi’s heavily advertised 30-day money-back guarantee gave me a safety net, as well, with nearly every page of their website promising “Free Shipping. Try Risk-Free.” 

My review of using Fi collars for small dogs, laid out below, serves as a warning to small pup owners thinking of trying it. To be fair to the company, I reached out to several small dog Facebook groups to which I belong, asking for others’ experiences. As a result, I spoke with multiple small dog owners who LOVE their Fi collar and say it works beautifully for them. 

But I heard from just as many with experiences very similar to mine. So, when making your own decision, please do additional research. Ask around and review current insights on using the Fi collar for small dogs. The company does seem to be evolving the device, and perhaps they will sort out what I perceive to be major lapses in consumer support. 

When the Fi collars arrived, my excitement soon turned to concern, especially regarding Scout. Despite her 12-pound muscular frame, she’s quite fine-boned, with a delicate neck. The weight of the device was more substantial than I anticipated. Would it be too heavy for her? We put it on, and Scout didn’t seem to object. However, the device clearly interfered with her comfort when cuddling or just lazing around the house. The unbending metal edges and impressive construction are wonderful, if you’re a bigger dog with a thick neck. 

But for Scout? The steel device seemed to poke and prod her. It made ME uncomfortable just looking at her. 

And then came the real test: the accuracy of the tracking. Both girls, sporting their new tech, were supposedly ready to have their movements mapped with precision. 

Yet, the reality was far from it.

The Fi device, in our experience, struggled mightily with accuracy. Both Phoebe and Scout would be right beside me, yet the app showed them on divergent paths, sometimes even bizarrely cutting through neighbors’ yards. Clearly, something wasn’t right. Of course, it’s possible you may have a much better experience than we did. We may just live in an area with poor satellite reception.

While I had high hopes for this safety tracker, using the Fi collar for small dogs wasn’t meeting our needs.

The tracking inaccuracies were too significant to overlook. And, in my mind, the tech is still just too heavy for more delicate small dogs.

So, less than a third of the way through our 30-day return window, I hopped on my email, planning to initiate a return.

But this is where my journey with the Fi collar veered even more off-track than the GPS.

Returning items is a process we’re all familiar with; it’s usually straightforward and user-friendly. Not this time. While I’m all for supporting businesses, and I recognize some consumers abuse return systems, here I was the one who felt abused.

In my mind, the experience with Fi was unnecessarily complex and consumer-unfriendly. It was almost as though they erected barriers to legitimate returns. The process was fraught with challenges, far removed from the usual “click and return” ease I’m used to.

And, I am not alone. A brief search of Fi collar reviews shows hundreds of consumers complaining about the customer service and tracking.

Returning this Fi GPS collar became a lesson in patience and persistence, far from the straightforward process implied by the company’s “try risk free” marketing messages.  

I began the return process on November 29, clearly stating my reasons: the collars were too heavy for my delicate, small dog, Scout, and the tracking was inaccurate, often showing the dogs on different routes despite being together. I expected a prompt and straightforward response, but I received no response. 

When I emailed again a day later, someone did get back to me. But they weren’t giving me any information on the return. Instead, they gave me homework: answer this litany of questions (the ones I’d already answered for them in the first email).

I took a deep breath and answered their questions again. And again, my email received no response. 

In my efforts to return a product to Fi, I encountered significant delays and ineffective responses. 

After a week without answers, I took to Fi’s Facebook page to express my frustration about the difficulty in getting help with the return. Each time I posted, Fi responded with an apology and repeatedly advised me to email their support team for urgent attention. 

Despite following their instructions and sending multiple emails, my requests received no response, leading me to post again on Facebook. Fi kept apologizing and asking me to email them again, which I then would do, to no avail. I only received a detailed response after I publicly expressed my disappointment and indicated I would involve outside agencies. 

This long-awaited reply came several days later, with Fi’s Customer Success team stepping in and apologizing for the delay due to high volume. They finally agreed to process my return only after I had made several attempts and escalated the issue.

Fi’s instructions have what I’d call an unfriendly tone, as though somehow a customer is trying to get away with something. And I hope that hasn’t been the case for them. 

But the worst part? Forget about the “no risk” “try it out!” attitude on their website and ads. Nope. It turns out they also expect customers to cover return shipping costs. 

Oh, and you have to write a “return permission” code number on the outside of the package. I found the process overly complicated and, frankly, almost punitive. 

This experience with returning the Fi collar for small dogs was a stark contrast to the initial excitement and ease of purchase. It highlighted the need for companies not only to focus on the quality of their products but also on the efficiency and empathy of their customer service and return processes.

As if the drama of returning the actual collars wasn’t enough, I also had to cancel the GPS tracking subscription. Like the hardware return, this experience was not easy. 

While I had initiated the cancellation through the app as instructed, I didn’t receive any confirmation that they’d actually processed my cancellation. This lack of confirmation concerned me, as the app still appeared active, leaving me uncertain about the status of my subscription.

Facing ambiguity and unwilling to risk unexpected charges, I took matters into my own hands. I went to my credit card company and severed the connection to Fi. This step was a precaution to ensure that we would incur no further charges, reflecting the lengths I had to go to for peace of mind. It’s a step I believe most consumers wouldn’t expect to take.

This ordeal with using the Fi collar for small dogs is one I wouldn’t want others to stumble into. It seems like such an easy invitation: “try risk-free.” But if you value your time and your money, I’d argue their slogan needs reworking.

If you’re using a GPS tracker for small dogs, and you love it, I’d love to hear. Leave a comment below!

And, if you’re interested in more information on safety gear for small dogs, you might like Are You Using A Dangerous Car Harness for Your Pup?