Owning a dog takes a great deal of time, energy, and patience. It also takes a lot of love and devotion, two things most dog owners have plenty of! There are now plenty of technological advances available that can help dog owners take the best care of their four-legged friends.
While we enjoy our own smart products on a daily basis, we’re also being inundated with smart pet products that make our lives easier as well. Our canine friends at The Pampered Pup gave us tips and ideas on how pet technology can help dog owners in the following four main categories: Health care and fitness, communication and entertainment, products and services, and pet safety.
Healthcare and Fitness
There are plenty of products that can help dog owners take care of the health and fitness needs of their pets. Let’s review a couple of them.
- Fitness Trackers – A fitness tracker is one of the newest devices that works with an app that you download to your smartphone. Attach the tracker to your dog to get daily updates about their health and well-being, from how many steps they took during the day to how long they were active as well as their daily sleep schedule. These trackers are perfect for any dog breed but work especially well for dogs who may need to get more exercise every day.
- Automatic Ball Launchers – Every dog needs to get exercise during the day, but we don’t always have the time to give it to them. An automatic ball launcher will solve this problem right away! These devices come in different sizes and will launch small to large balls various distances away. You can use it indoors and outdoors, depending on the size of the area you’re in. They’ll help your dog stay healthy and active when you get tired of chasing and throwing their regular ball.
Communication and Entertainment
We all love products that keep our pets entertained and amused, right? Let’s look at a few new tech products we can use to do just that.
- Pet Cameras – It’s difficult to have to leave our dogs home alone, especially when we have a full-time job out of the house. If you worry about your dog while you’re out, installing a pet camera will make life a little less worrisome for you both. A pet camera with a built-in microphone and video feed will allow you to see and speak to your dog no matter where you are!
- Pet Play Cube – Another fun tech product is the pet play cube, a device that allows you to play with your pet when you are somewhere else. Simply set it up with an app you can download to your smartphone, and you’ll have the opportunity to play games with your dog while you’re not home. What dog won’t enjoy a game of laser pointer while you communicate with them from your phone?
- Multi-Function Biting Toys – The newest chew toys don’t just come with a squeaker inside of them. Instead, your dog will enjoy a toy that has a few different entertainment options in one. These interactive pet toys will keep your dog busy for hours at a time. Plus, they are a product that will keep your dog’s mind sharp and busy. Look for sturdy toys that offer multiple play options that will keep your dog busy.
Products and Services
Technology is continually improving dog products and services. Check out the following to see what we mean!
- Automatic Dog Drinking Fountain – Your dog needs access to fresh water at all times, especially when they are outside in the hotter months of summer. An automatic dog drinking fountain will turn on when your pet gets near the device. When they walk away, the fountain automatically turns off. Your pet will learn quickly that they only need to approach the dish to get a clean drink of water, keeping them hydrated and healthy.
- Dog Waste Vacuums – Yes, you heard that right. Most dog owners hate picking up the endless messes their dogs make, especially if the dog spends a lot of their time playing in the yard. A dog waste vacuum allows you to suck up the poop directly into a strong, disposable bag. The vacuum will need to be plugged in to charge before you can use it, but a 12-hour charge will be good for about 50 suctions. If you run a pet waste removal business, it’s an accessory that will pay for itself in no time.
Pet Safety
The safety of your dog is probably your number one priority, so check out the following tech products that will help your dog stay as secure as possible.
- GPS trackers – While your dog may listen well, you don’t know when they might take off. Maybe they see another dog they want to play with, or maybe they get spooked from fireworks down the road. Whatever the reason, making sure you can quickly find them if they run away is important. A GPS tracking device is a product that attaches to your dog’s collar and runs through a smartphone app. If your dog runs away, it will locate its exact position through the app. While your dog should always have a microchip, a GPS tracker allows you to find them much quicker.
- Microchip Doggy Doors – Do you allow your dog to go in and out of the yard using a doggy door? If so, a special door that can detect their microchip will be an excellent investment. This latest type of doggy door will detect the microchip implanted in your dog when they get near your home. The door will only open for your dog, so you don’t have to worry about stray animals getting in. You can also set up timers for the door to keep your dog inside while you are sleeping.
- Wireless Fence System – Instead of burying a wire to install an invisible fence, technology has made it much easier to keep your dog in the yard. Today, map out the boundary for your dog with your smartphone. Then, use a GPS signal and special dog collar to train your pet to stay where they are supposed to. It’s a much easier system than the older models, as long as you have a good Wi-Fi signal in the area you want your pet to stay.
