In the last few years, as a pet owner and tech enthusiast, it was hard to miss an explosion of new pet technology.
It’s amazing how many new companies are forming and expanding at such a rapid pace. You can’t keep up with them all. It was then that I realized I could provide all the information you need to know about them, in a single place. Get weekly product updates by subscribing to the my dog is a robot newsletter.
Learn how technology can make our pets healthier and live longer.
Use Smart Trackers to Monitor Your Dog’s Wellness
Smart trackers can be the best alternative to talking dogs. These trackers attach to the collar of your dog and tell you all sorts of information, from its exact location (via GPS) to how many steps they’ve taken in the last few weeks. Do your homework before purchasing a tracker because they are all different. You’ll want to do your research before making a purchase because every tracker is different.
My Dog Is A Robot has a list of the prices, battery life, and features for 20 trackers. Whistle 3 is one of the best-selling trackers. It tracks your dog’s GPS location, activity patterns and calorie burnt.
You can get more detailed information about the health of your dog by using PetPace. This collar uses sensors that track temperatures, heart rates, respiratory rate, calories, and activity.
The collar and attachments can be set up to send notifications via an app or update your phone if you dog hasn’t been getting enough activity. These accessories can be a little bulky at first, but are becoming smaller and stronger with every new version. Someday, these trackers could be as ubiquitous as microchips.
Approximately 10 million animals are still lost every year. Only 2% of the animals admitted into shelters find their families. GPS trackers will alert you when your dog crosses the property boundary and tell you where it is. No more searching the neighbourhood for lost dogs.
Combat Obesity with High-Tech Smart Feeders
The cause of overfeeding is usually the case for more than half of all dogs. Uncoordinated family, unreliable meal times and incorrect measurements can lead to dogs getting too much dog food. Smart Feeders are programmable to dispensing a specific serving size according to a set schedule. Others can be controlled by an app, but some have buttons on the device itself.
Smart feeders for multi-pet households are essential. The Wagz collars can be used in conjunction with Serve Smart Feeder to determine which pet is present at the feeder and to only feed the right pet.
Smart feeders track the food and drink your pet consumes. This may not be important to you unless there is a medical condition in your pet. In this case, any changes in what they eat or drink can signal a decrease in health.
Interactive toys will get your dog moving
The majority of dogs require more exercise than what we are able to provide. Interactive dog toys are perfect for those of us that may not be able to exercise their pets physically due to being too busy, tired, injure, or disabled.
CleverPet is a great way to stimulate your dog’s mind. To earn treats, your dog must press the lights in a certain order, with increasing difficulty.
Puppod, Pet Tutor and other products are used by many professional trainers to overcome training issues like separation anxiety. The smart treat and toy dispenser can be controlled and programmed from your smartphone.
GoBone can be controlled via an app or autoplay on your smartphone. You can load it up with tasty treats to get your dog to chase the toy. This is a great toy for dogs who have a high chase drive, such as terriers.
You can use interactive toys in conjunction with a fitness tracker to set long-term goals for your dog. This will improve their health. Exercise can help control your dog’s weight, and keep senior dogs flexible to prevent immobility due to osteoarthritis.
You can get instant help 24/7 with First Aid Apps
It can be hard to decide whether to wait or go to the emergency vet when your pet gets sick or injured. The apps can be downloaded for free on both iOS and Android. Download these apps now to access immediate assistance, even if the vet office is closed.
ASPCA Poison Control app – next time you dog eats a strange thing, you will know instantly if they need to be taken to the vet immediately or if monitoring them at home is safe. The app includes a calculator for chocolate toxicity.
American Red Cross: This app contains information on common health issues, videos and articles to help you learn to react in an emergency and to perform CPR for pets of all sizes. It could even save the life of your pet.
The PetDesk lets you request appointments with your veterinarian 24/7. It also sends out reminders and saves information on the medications of your pet. It can be used to contact your pet groomer, daycare or boarding facility.
PetCoachcan provide you with answers to health questions. You can sometimes save money by avoiding a visit to the vet for minor issues that you are able to handle at home. You can also use the database to find a veterinarian and schedule an appointment.
Pet parenting is becoming easier, and it will only get better.