Every walk keeps a Bluetooth connection open to your pet's tracker. Here's why that matters and what happens when the connection drops.
Why Bluetooth is required
Your phone records the route, but the phone alone can't tell whether your pet came along. The Bluetooth link to the collar is what confirms the two of you are together — it's the difference between a walk with your pet and a map of where your phone went.
That's also why the confirmation before a walk says you'll need to stay near your pet's tracker for the duration.
What happens if the connection drops
Don't worry — nothing is lost. The walk simply pauses itself:
- The button changes to a greyed-out Reconnecting to Tracker
- Time and Distance stop counting
- The trail stops drawing on the map
- A banner appears: Please go near the tracker to continue your walk
Move back within range of the collar and the walk resumes automatically.
Please note: If you pressed Pause yourself, the walk stays paused even after Bluetooth reconnects — you're in control, so tap Resume when you're ready.
How quickly the walk pauses
| Where the app is | When the walk pauses |
|---|---|
| Open on screen | Straight away |
| In the background | After about 15 seconds, so a brief blip doesn't interrupt your walk |
When a walk pauses while the app is in the background, your phone shows a notification titled Bluetooth disconnected with the message "Move closer to {your pet} to resume the walk." Tapping it takes you back to the GPS Tracker screen.
You can still finish
Finish stays available even while the walk is reconnecting. If you want to end the walk without waiting for the collar to come back into range, just tap it — everything recorded up to that point is saved.
Tip: If reconnecting keeps failing, check the collar is switched on and charged, and that Bluetooth is enabled on your phone.
Related articles - My walk paused by itself or says "Reconnecting to Tracker" - How to start, pause and finish a walk - "Start Walking" isn't working - What is Walk tracking in Ask A Vet?