Figure: © IoT for everyone
IoT products can help puppies and their owners live happier, easier lives. Owning a dog involves a plethora of often time-consuming tasks. Pet owners focus more and more on going beyond the bare minimum in order to enable their dog to lead an enriching, happy and fulfilling life. As with any task or process in the age of automation, we now have a large market for pet products that help pet owners collect more data and use technology to automate or add to parts of their daily pet routine. Here are some of the categories:
Location, health and activity monitoring
One important thing to understand when evaluating smart collars for your dog is which location source (s) the collar is using. Collars without GPS have one major drawback that I’ll cover in more detail in this article, but there is one specific exception that I’ve included below.
Fi Smart dog collar
Image source: Fi
Fi has developed one of the toughest, most feature-rich smart dog collars on the market. The collar determines the location of your dog mainly via GPS, but it can also store the address of designated WiFi networks so that it can recognize when your dog is at home. In addition to location tracking, the Fi mobile app allows owners to view real-time and historical data on their pet’s activity and sleep patterns, which can be important indicators of the pet’s health. You can also compare your dog’s activity level with other dogs based on breed or geographic region, and set daily activity goals to ensure your pup is getting the exercise he needs. Other fun features include a waterproof case, a remotely controllable LED to help you find your dog in the dark, and an online marketplace for manufacturers to sell unique ribbon attachments.
You can find more information about the Fi collar and the app on their website.
Apple AirTags
While I’m usually not a fan of pet trackers that don’t have GPS and cellular or satellite connections, which I cover in more detail in this article, there are two main reasons I think the Apple AirTags are still great choices could be you and your dog. First, while the Apple AirTags are environment-based, they just need to be near an iPhone. This aspect is especially useful if you live in a city where there will of course be a higher density of iPhone users. The second reason is that they are much cheaper and more widely used than specialty dog collars. The AirTag is currently around $ 30 and is available in major stores. There are a ton of dog collar adapters available on sites like Amazon and Etsy.
You can find more information about AirTags on their website.
Remote monitoring and maintenance
Furbo dog camera + dog girl
The Furbo camera itself comes with wide-angle and infrared night vision HD video, two-way audio, and a treat dispenser. With the Dog Nanny add-on, dog owners can receive intelligent notifications on their mobile phones even when there are funny and serious events and display a daily dog diary with all the highlights from their dog’s day. This camera is a great option for those concerned about their dog being home alone, or those who want to give their dog a little more freedom as it leaves, while still being able to catch him before he eats a hole in your mattress .
Please visit their website for more information.
WOpet Smart Feeder
With WOpet’s WiFi-enabled Smart Feeder, you can automate your dog’s meals for specific times or manually release the feed via the app. The manual delivery option can be used as a training aid to reward your dog for performing a certain behavior or trick that you are currently working on. If your dog is eating too quickly, you can also configure this feeder to split your dog’s meal into up to 39 servings to control consumption. Similar to the Furbo, this smart feeder is equipped with a camera and two-way audio so you can interact with your pet remotely. However, this camera does not offer any warning / event notifications that you would find in the Furbo.
Please visit their website for more information.
Wayzn Smart Pet Door
Wayzn’s Smart Pet Door turns any sliding door into a smart, automatic door for your dog. There are several ways to open the door – either with the motion sensor to detect the movement of your dog near the door, manually via the Wayzn app or via voice / video control via integration with an Alexa or compatible camera . One of the most attractive features of this dog door is that, unlike traditional dog doors, it is extremely easy to install and does not require permanent modification or damage to your door. It’s also extremely easy to flip up for quick, manual access to the door.
Please visit their website for more information.
Training & enrichment
PupPod Feeder & Rocker
The PupPod feeder has some similar remote monitoring and treat dispensing features mentioned for the Furbo and WOPet products mentioned above, but its main differentiator is the accompanying rocker. The seesaw requires your dog to perform certain behaviors, such as: B. touching the rocker when a noise is heard to get a treat. When your dog starts, he will rise and need to use impulse control and discrimination skills to get the reward. This type of mental focus and stimulation is great because it helps them mentally drain them and distract them from undesirable behaviors like chewing.
Please visit their website for more information.
CleverPet Hub
With any puzzle toy, it is important that your dog puzzles and learns as he walks. Hence, having multiple puzzle toys around the house that you spin around are a great way to keep your dog excited and engaged. For scared dogs or new puppies out to explore the world, the CleverPet Hub starts with allowing the dog to eat their normal meals from the dispenser to help build the dog’s confidence and ensure they have a positive connection with the device. After that, your dog can participate in a number of different games with touch, sound, light, color, and sequence to keep him busy all day.
Please visit their website for more information
Cheerble Wikedbone
For high drive working dogs, having something that combines physical and mental stimulation can be a godsend when it comes to controlling your dog’s energy levels. The wikedbone will trick your dog into walking around in random, unexpected directions in order to chase after the moving toy. You can use it in person or remotely to play with your dog all day or to lure him into specific areas (and maybe away from your new leather shoes). The edges or hoops of the toy are also interchangeable if you have chewing gum on your hands.
Please visit their website for more information.