We all have different scenarios we train for, whether it is the upcoming hunting season / test, outdoor obedience or in home manners, this handheld excels in everything “OUTDOORS”. I have not once had an issue with this setup outside. It delivers accurate distance, direction, easy to use functionality and numerous other great features. When in the field, I wouldn’t want any other unit. HOWEVER, I am extremely disappointed that the unit doesn’t function at all if the handheld doesn’t have a GPS signal. I could understand if the “GPS Tracking” aspect didn’t work, but to lose all functionality of stimulation which kills the versatility of this unit…(IMHO). Every now and then my dog decides it would be a good idea to jump on the island, formal dining room table or people when we greet them at the door. When a correction is given in these scenarios, the light on the handheld flashes amber and the correction isn’t given…then I notice “waiting on handheld GPS” displayed on the screen. I called and spoke to Garmin about this thinking I was doing something wrong, but nope, all functionality of the transmitter is disabled when GPS signal is lost and it does NOT have good reception indoors.

It's been in the field. And I love it in the heavy cover. It's a game changer.

Manual and YouTube shows no detail. I'm left to guess. When I first operated I didn't know you don't have to pair collar each time. Nothing tells us about how to turn on controller, long press on switch, sort press, momentary switch? So, you don't know when to stop pressing button. Needs idiots guide, but I guess it's too much to ask idiots to write that.

I had hoped that the tracking would be a little more accurate between the Pro 550 plus and tracking collar. The TT25 is too large for my small French Brittany. Hoping Garmin brings back the TT15

Started off rough as the GPS didn't seem to give accurate distance. The tech support at Gun Dog was excellent! Turned out the handheld and collar needed a software update which was simple. Took my GSP out hunting and the collar/GPS worked perfect.

First time using this type of device and I love it. Training a new puppy for hunting and he’s getting along just fine.

I've been using the Garmin Pro 550 Plus with TT 15 collars for about 3 years, purchased through Gun Dog Supply. A couple basic functions of the 550 Plus work well - direction and pointing vibration. However, it has 2 features that are perpetually very irritating. First is that the distance measurement changes from feet to yards when distance is beyond 99 (or 100?) feet. WHY? My dog typically ranges 30 to 100 yards away, depending on cover type. I too often must pause to study the screen to know whether my dog is, say, 90 yards or only 90 feet away; I move at a brisk pace and want to know distance at a glance. No can do with the 550 Plus. I asked a rep at Gun Dog Supply what the heck's up with this and he replied that maybe it's to hone in on the dog when you're trying to find it on point. My response, in good humor: I don't care whether the dog is, say, 52 feet versus 53 feet away... I'm not hunting field mice in my weedy backyard with a pointing cat : ) I also contacted Garmin directly about this. Geez, I wish Garmin used the metric system so this foot-yards-foot-yards etc foolishness wasn't possible... I can understand meters far better than trying to decipher feet vs. yards, and to make matters worse, size of letters in the abreviation for feet, "ft," is in about font size 1... in other words, itty-bitty tiny. At any rate, I'm surprised as heck that no one else who submitted reviews commented on this! 2nd is the light quality of the screen. Late in the day, especially under a forest canopy, it gets tough to decipher the screen... just not bright enough. Drives me nuts. Ironically, on my dog's collar I can turn headlights on yet I need a headlamp to see the screen on my 550. I note some others commented on this CON feature. All things considered, for my hunting purposes the 550 Plus is no better than the older thing I had that cost half as much. For hunting in woodlands I'm now going back - way back - to a bell (skipping the beeper thing).

It works! Dogs position relative to mine and movements easliy and quickly assessed. Not perfect but definitely affective. Must have or I would be concerned about the whereabouts of my 8 month old Brittiny hunting dog even with the bells around his neck. The video is a plus. Overall 4.5.

I bought this gps unit/ collar in anticipation of a hunting trip out of state. However in using it for a few weeks just working the dog in cover, it really gives me peace of mind. I can’t always see the dog in heavy cover. Or hear her, despite paging her. Finally I can tell at a glance her distance and direction. I only gave four stars because it’s only been a few weeks and certainly not an inexpensive product, so I expect longevity too. Would definitely recommend.

Wish it came with a printed copy of the manual. It would be helpful to learn how to use it since this is the first training and/or gps collar that I have ever used. Where I hunt and train there is no cell service to look up the manual. The collar itself works great for my pointing dog. It gives me great peace of mind when out in the field. Other than that it is a great collar. Wish it came with a lanyard, I ended up making one.

Good solid training device. Works as advertised. Like the vibrate and light functions.

Great product for training. Quick to change from dog to dog without having to look at a screen. However can’t see screen after dark. Glad I have it for daytime training. I have the alpha 100 as well It’s just not as quick or handy for training work

This collar will get you a few more birds and it’s definitely safer to know where your dogs are at. However, it is not always reliable. Garmin makes regular updates to the software needed to properly operate the collar. Without updated software the gps is not accurate. So you need to constantly check for software updates. The biggest problem with this is that you are a mac user you will not be able to update the software on the collar. The garmin software installer app only works on PCs. So know that if you own a mac, you will also need to buy a pc just to continually keep the software updated to actually know where your dogs are. Do not buy this collar if you are a Mac user.

The 550 Pro Plus is a great addition to my hunting gear. My two Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and I hunt from the Dakota's west and south to Nevada. I have used an Alpha 100 for the first 4 years with my dogs. It worked well but required too much visual and dexteral interaction. Along comes the 550 Pro Plus and I snap it up. Much easier to use without taking my eyes of the prey or the dogs. I still carry my Alpha to get the detail i need from the onxhunt maps if nothing less than for safety when the Griffs are out of sight. Having a spare collar that came with the 550 is an asset. I only have one complaint, so see my cons.

Very annoying to find out that the weak vibration on the handheld device hanging at the end of a cord is unable to be felt. I would’ve expected this to have an audible alert rather than a vibration which is basically useless. Much cheaper collar systems provide this feature

Couldn’t be more pleased with the e-collar and GPS function. Simpler is better.

Highly reconmend

lets keep this short and to the point MAC IOS. I love everything about it but if you are part of the 90% of the world that uses a real computer AKA a Mac, you cant update the collar SMH.

Second collar in the family .Very happy with the product and how user friendly it is

The unit works as advertised, however, there is a problem with calibration. I tried calibrating the compass and the unit wouldn't respond. After talking with the Gun Dog reps I was sent to the Garman techs. They worked me through the updates and factory reinstall. It still wouldn't calibrate, but the compass pointed North and the GPS worked fine, so I am keeping it. I am a little skeptical of the non-calibration, but the Garmin folks said they would stand behind their product.

The guys at Gun Dog Supply filled my order promptly! I love the the simplicity of the Garmin Pro 550 Plus. Training and tracking combined is perfect!. The distance it works are as advertised. Thanks!

I have been using this training tool with my one year old Brittany for a couple of weeks. The versatility of using tone, vibration and stimulation makes this a great training tool. I can't wait to get her out in the field to test out the GPS tracking.

I bought this collar for it's tracking ability. I usually run my dogs with beepers but having recently lost most of my hearing I had a really difficult time discerning the direction the beep was coming from. This tracking collar solves that to a degree as it will give a distance and direction to the dog. While I've only had it a short while I believe it will help tremendously when hunting season arrives. I've owned Tri-Tronics for decades and always like them, they do what they say and are robust. This Garmin version is no different. The only con on it is that the 2.5 second updating is a bit slow as my dog outruns that. Meaning it it's always 2.5 seconds behind the dog - so if you have a fast big running dog it the distance and direction will be slightly behind the dog. Not that big of deal as it still gives a good indication if the dog is close or moving away. If the dog stops or is on point, the device buzzes you and can really hone into the dogs position within a few feet. I do like the light on it, it's bright enough that you can see it in the darker woods which will also help locating a dog on point. Also the independent tone button is really nice as you don't have to fiddle with the dial going between tone and shock as I have to on my current Tri-Tronics G3. I also bought the holster for it and that works well. I also got the Garmin Fenix watch and can link it to the dog and see direction and distance on my wrist - I think that's going to be really nice not having to look at the controller when walking in on a point with gun in position but just look your wrist.

Simple, easy to use, effectively got my English Setter to hunt as a team rather than for himself!

Garmin 550 mini is just what I needed for my squirrel dog. Works great and simple to use. The only drawback is for smaller dogs the antenna is long and it aggravates my dog, she’s only 18 pounds

Great product so far I’m just a beginner dog trainer and your video on the Garmin + was very helpful thanks

Did a quick checkout and seems good. I watched a you tube on it and everything is consistent with what ISaw. Looking forward to a better evaluation.

Use this collar for training 100%. Was looking at this device for a while and glad I purchased. My buddy also uses this collar while hunting and has no concerns. But again I use for training only and its perfect for the job. Only one recommendation - I would love to have a trash break intensity/setting for a one time correction for chasing rabbits, etc. just need that extra intensity on certain occasions

My big running pointers can get out of sight really fast. With the 550 Plus TT15 combo, I know where they are and what they are doing. Sometimes they forget that they are working for me and a quick vibration, buzz or light stimulation is all they need to bring them back in. I have one young bitch that is real timid and an older dog that is really bold. The 550 Plus has settings to adapt to both. Simple to use and at 78 yrs. young, “SIMPLE” means a lot to me.

The tracking/training collar is basic and easy to use. Very uncomplicated. Giving away my Astro

This collar is perfect for me and my big running GSP. It is simple to use with a little time in the hand.Knowing where and how far away he is could not be so simple.The stim on the collar can be fine tuned easily. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is it is a little slow on the GPS to react to fast moving dogs like mine

Used during Pheasant season. Awesome for keeping track of your dog in thick cover. Easy to use.

Haven’t had a chance to actually use it in the field yet but around the yard it seems to work exactly as expected. Takes a bit to find signal but not excessively long. Provides the basics of what you need - where’s the dog and is he on point or moving. The handheld does beep once when the dog stops moving but it’s fairly quiet and I imagine in the field it may be easy to miss. Would be nice if beep was louder and more frequent when the dog stops moving but certainly not a deal breaker. Overall for me it was a great option that does it all without costing an arm and a leg.

I bought the PRO 550 plus and within 3 months of light use the collar will not take a charge. Garmin is requiring me to purchase a new one that they will ship to me and refund upon receipt of the broken collar. Garmin customer support leaves a lot to be desired especially considering the cost of one of these units. I have used tritronics products for over twenty years and have had great experience with them. This is the first Garmin/tritronics I have purchased and it is malfunctioning/broken within 4 months.

First hunt, first walk the antenna unscrewed itself and fell off (gone / lost). The notification for your dog on point is a split second vibration, impossible to feel if not holding the handheld device. GPS and directional indicator is great, don't have 100% confidence in distance accuracy. Garmin is sending a new antenna free of charge, on back order, go figure, I'm not the only one with the antenna issue. In fact, the person at Garmin recognized this as an issue. Will try lock-tight, plus I purchased a harness (leather) off GDS this should help, hopefully!

My 15 year old training collar had quit working and I had recently picked up a new Brittany pup. I bought this system for training and to be able to keep track of the new dog. I have not been disappointed. The Pro 550 + gives me a lot of comfort up in the grouse woods. Thanks Gun Dog Supply. I have always been happy with your prices and great customer service.

This by far appears to be the best option for a GPS/training system no touch screens to deal with. Always a pleasure doing business with Gun Dog Supply

I was running a Garmin 430 and separate shock collar. Now just one collar. The 550 plus is simple to use much easier than the 430, no logs to clear, it doesn't have much in the way of features, but I don't need all the features of the 430, don't even know what 1/2 of them are. I was afraid the Astro alpha 200 was too complicated for me, I don't want or need all of the features.

Had a problem with the unit when I got it and was unable to rectify it over the phone with garmin. They immediately sent me a replacement. It works great and it is real nice knowing where my dog is always at.

I have the 550 Pro with 3 separate collars and am VERY satisfied with that system for hunting AND training. I was uncertain which tracking package would best meet my hunting needs (primarily waterfowl). I appreciate the valuable feedback provided to me when I contacted Gun Dog Supply. I definitely feel I made the best choice for my personal hunting parameters because the Plus is almost identical to the Pro. I have not yet hunted all day with it, so I can not comment on battery life.

I have used Tri Tronics and Garmin for years with great results. Simple, easy to use and understand devices. This one had continual issues in the deep bush. Controls are not protected from bush and other hunting vest obstructions. Gloves are impossible due to size and location of controls. Unit continually needed resyncing at the worst times. If one were using this on rolling prairie with unlimited visibility and little obstruction on a nice glove free day it would be magnificent. I had to find an internet friendly area to download manual to operate. I would rather be hunting.

Purchased this to replace a different collar. Dog is already collar trained so it was just a matter of me getting comfortable with it. Steve Snells video was a helpful crash course on which button does what etc. My dog is a two year old Pudelpointer that consistently weighs in at 53 lbs. The TT collar is quite a bit bigger then the unit I replaced but she handles it just fine. Just got back from an overnight hike in trip to a Forest Service cabin and the collar did great. Had battery to spare after two days at 0-15 degrees with no way to charge the collar.

Garmin Pro 550 Plus is yet again a well made durable product from Garmin. I had the Pro 550 and loved everything about it but I needed GPS for working in tall brush. The Plus solved my problem and to take it one step further I synced it to my Garmin Instinct Watch. It's a great combination. I kept the old Pro 550 for training. Only drawback to the Plus is it doesn't feature the bark collar option. Gun Dog Supply came through with another great product, delivered in a timely fashion. Thanks! Picture of the Pro 550 Plus on my GSP "Natty Boh" attached. Can't wait till pheasant season.

i have a big running dog that gets out of bell range quiet often . he always comes back but he makes me uneasy when i cant see or hear him. he ran in to a porcupine once when he was close to me. i dont know what would of happened if he was out a ways. gps not perfect but close gives me piece of mind and makes the hunt more enjoyable

Having only used this once since receipt I can only say that for now it works as advertised. I will add that Steve and his crew at Gun Dog Supply are super to work with, very responsive and helpful.

Fantastic e-collar for our training. Levels of stimulation are fine (12). Used to train a wpg. We hike daily for her exercise in the mountains. She is never more than 200 yards away, but usually out of site. The simple GPS provides distance and direction to give us piece of mind with her location as well as knowing if she is locked up or chasing fur. Stim is strong enough for aversion training, but vibration is good enough 99% of the time. Recall beeper works perfect. Seldom use whistle any more as the beeper results in perfect recall.

This concept is a great concept. However, once my dogs go on point at 100 yards or less the distance to the dogs is off by about 1/2 every time. If they are 30 yards away it shows them at 60 to 70 yards, etc. etc. Calibrating the Handheld unit does not fix the problem. I am sending mine back and have already ordered another hoping it works better because the concept of GPS and shock in on is great.

Works great-Love it!!