Pro Dog Trainer Review: Is the New SpotOn Nova Edition Actually Better?

REVIEW: Dog trainer Evan Doggett independently evaluates SpotOn's New Nova Edition.

When a new product launches in the GPS dog fence category, dog owners want more than just hype. They want real-world feedback from someone who understands training, behavior, and safety. That’s exactly what makes the recent video review by Evan Doggett, owner of Doggett Style Dog Training, so compelling. 

In his video, "Is the New SpotOn NOVA Actually Better? Pro Dog Trainer Reviews," Evan evaluates SpotOn GPS Fence’s newest collar—the Nova Edition—beside its predecessor, the Omni Edition. Having trained dogs professionally for over a decade and specializing in e-collar and off-leash training, Evan approaches the comparison from a trainer’s perspective: accuracy, clarity for the dog, durability, and real containment.

First Impressions: Design, Fit, and Durability

Right out of the box, Evan notices the Nova’s refined look and premium packaging. While aesthetics aren’t everything, the look and feel of a collar can convey how much thought went into its design, especially when it’s meant to be worn daily in demanding outdoor environments.

"First impression: this thing is so badass looking!"
- Evan Doggett
  Doggett Style Dog Training

Beyond appearance, Evan quickly shifts to build quality. In his experience, durability isn’t a bonus feature—it's a baseline requirement for equipment that has to perform consistently in real world scenarios.

"This thing is tough as nails. The older one was also very tough and rugged, but it’s not nearly as handsome."
- Evan Doggett

One practical upgrade he immediately appreciates is the move to a single collar size that fits a wide range of dogs. For trainers working across breeds and for households with more than one dog, that flexibility matters.

That versatility doesn’t come at the expense of toughness. Evan highlights the reinforced housing, upgraded strap materials, and a smart redesign that moves the power button to the interior, preventing accidental shutoffs

Smarter Feedback and Clearer Communication

"If you’ve got a very sensitive dog, you can now change the volume, because before it might have been too much for a lot of dogs and also not enough for older dogs or dogs hard of hearing."

It means users can fine-tune the sound to fit the dog and the situation—loud enough to get attention, gentle enough to avoid stress—helping dogs understand boundaries before any correction is needed.

The Nova also maintains SpotOn’s fully adjustable correction system, giving dog owners precise control over how feedback is delivered.

"The tone lets your dog know, 'If you continue, there’s going to be a correction', whether that's static or vibration or both. The static is also very adjustable. There's 30 levels of correction."

Nova’s updated design includes audible notifications and LED light prompts that make everyday use more intuitive. Evan points out that this added clarity helps eliminate uncertainty around power and charge status, giving owners confidence that the collar is ready when they need it.

When powered on, the collar audibly confirms with a spoken "Power on" prompt. A quick double-tap of the power button triggers LED indicators that show exactly how much charge remains, giving owners immediate confidence before heading out.

The Biggest Upgrade: Accuracy and Reduced Drift

According to Evan, the most important difference between the Nova and other GPS fence systems is its accuracy, specifically its reduced GPS drift.

With other systems, drift could cause boundaries to shift by several feet from day to day. Evan explains why that inconsistency creates challenges for both safety and training. With the Nova, that issue is dramatically reduced thanks to upgraded antenna hardware and dual-band technology.

"What would happen is there would be drift. So let’s say you put your line here—there might be five to fifteen feet of drift. Fifteen is the most I’ve ever heard of, but that means in order to keep it safe, you’d have to pull it back from the road or the cattle fence or whatever by that fifteen feet."

With the Nova, that margin of error is significantly smaller, allowing for more precise boundaries without sacrificing safety.

"The average drift with the Nova is three to five feet, which is why now you can have a property from a third of an acre up to infinite."

From a training perspective, that consistency makes a meaningful difference in how dogs understand and respect boundaries..

"Now, when you make that line smaller, even tighter, your dog knows, okay, it’s right here consistently, which is going to make training so much easier for people."

This improved accuracy is what allows the Nova to support smaller properties while maintaining the reliability SpotOn is known for, giving dogs clearer boundaries and owners greater peace of mind.

A Smarter Kind of Control: Voice Commands and Real-World Usability

One of the Nova’s most meaningful advances is the addition of programmable voice commands. This standout feature expands communication between dogs and their owners and allows for more direct, intentional interaction, especially in moments when timing and clarity matter. With this feature, you can record your own voice and issue it as a command, so your dog hears familiar cues, even when you’re not physically present.

With this feature, you can record your own voice and issue it as a command, so your dog hears familiar cues, even when you’re not physically present.

"Now with this one, you have up to three voice commands. So you can program your voice to ask your dog to come or sit."

From a trainer’s perspective, this opens up new possibilities. Evan explains how voice commands can be used in everyday situations where a dog needs direction, not correction.

"This would be really good for like digging. You watch them on your camera jumping up at the door, and you said no. And you can then use the manual feedback. Also, tell your dog to come."

That flexibility allows you to intervene early and gives you more control over what types of feedback you issue to your dog’s collar. Evan also notes that you can assign meaning to different signals, adapting the system to your dog’s training.

"Maybe the tone means come back to home. Honestly, you can get pretty creative with that."

This level of interaction is what sets the Nova apart. All virtual or GPS fences are built to contain your dog, but only Nova blends boundary enforcement with active communication. It’s something other systems simply don’t offer.

Evan also highlights practical hardware upgrades that improve everyday usability, including a redesigned magnetic charger that snaps securely into place.

"One huge improvement is the new magnet charger."

Why Nova Builds on an Already Strong Foundation

To be clear, Evan doesn’t dismiss the Omni. In fact, he goes out of his way to acknowledge its reliability and the role it continues to play for many dog owners. In his view, the Nova isn’t a correction of a flawed system—it’s an evolution of one that already works.

"The Omni was and still is a fantastic collar. It still has 100% containment."

That foundation matters, especially in a category where reliability directly impacts safety. Evan emphasizes that true containment means more than just GPS coverage. It means consistency, with no unexpected failures.

"It's not going to drop signal and magically there's now a hole that your dog can run through in this virtual fence. That's never going to happen with this brand."

For Evan, that level of dependability is non-negotiable. The Nova builds on a system he already trusts, refining performance without compromising the core promise that makes SpotOn a serious solution for off-leash freedom.

Final Verdict: The Best GPS Dog Fence Available is SpotOn

Evan’s review ultimately positions the Nova Edition as a meaningful step forward—not a superficial refresh, but a system refined in ways that matter for real dogs and real properties. From accuracy and communication to hardware reliability, the Nova reflects an evolution shaped by millions of hours of dog containment data.

Throughout the review, Evan repeatedly returns to one central theme: trust. Trust in where the boundary is, trust in how the collar communicates with the dog, and trust that the system won’t fail when it matters most.

"If you’re serious about getting a GPS fence collar that’s going to be safe, fair, and last a long time, and give you that quality and reassurance that not only are you able to track your dog, but you know that they’re going to be contained in that boundary that you set for them…"

For dog owners who value safety, precision, and long-term dependability—and who want guidance informed by professional training experience—the takeaway is straightforward. The Nova doesn’t just raise the bar for SpotOn. It sets a new standard for what a GPS dog fence can and should be.