Not surprisingly, entrepreneurs in the tech sector have taken notice of our willingness to spend out hard-earned cash on our pets (as well as our own love of technology), and have started developing technology for pet owners and their furry friends.
While we have not personally tested these high-tech toys, we do think they’re pretty cool, and recognize that a few of these gadgets for your pets have great potential for pet owners to help their pets stay happy and healthy.
Here are a few of our favorite gadgets for your pet that are available now…
Whistle ($129) – Whistle fitness tracker (which lives on your pet’s collar) monitors your pet’s daily activity, be it sleeping, walking, eating, or swimming, and will digest the information and send a report to your Smartphone. Want to know if your dog walker is actually taking your dog for a walk? Whistle can let you know…
Whistle also allows you to monitor your pet’s food, track his or her medications, and set fitness goals for your pet. It will also let you measure your pet’s activity level against similar breeds, so you know how your pet’s activity level compares. You can also upload your pet’s stats to your vet and share photos of your pet, as well as his or her activities with the Whistle community. Look for a GPS function to be added soon.
Tagg ($100 + $8/monthly service fee) – Tagg pet tracker is a GPS-enabled pet collar that will track your pet’s whereabouts via computer, tablet, or Smartphone, and even text you an alert letting you know if your pet has escaped your property. If you’ve got a pet that loves to escape, this may be the perfect solution to finding Fido or Fluffy while he or she is on the go. Tagg is water resistant, and the battery will hold a 30-day charge.
FroliCat ($22.95–$42.95) – FroliCat offers five different interactive gadgets for cats (and dogs) that are designed to keep them busy and burn off some calories (and energy) in the process. Three of FroliCat’s products are automatic laser pointers, and the other two include and auto hide-and-seek toy and a automatic cat teaser. While these products might seem like the lazy way to play with your cat, they can be ideal answers to keeping your cat entertained while you’re at work all day. There are some great, affordable options here that are worth checking out.
Up and Coming Gadgets for Your Pet
In addition to Whistle, Tagg, and FroliCat, there are a number of great inventions still in development. One of our favorites is Pet Cube; an interactive cube that will host a video camera, speakers, and a laser pointer, all controlled by your Smartphone. Pet Cube will allow you to watch your pet while you’re not home (and take pics of those adorable moments you’re not there to witness), talk to him or her, and even play with your pet via the laser pointer, from wherever you are (even work!). This gizmo looks like fun, and promises to be a big distraction when it comes to productivity.
Why These Gadgets Are Great
These gadgets for your pet are more than just fun toys to spend your money on, and that’s why we like them. Instead, they offer pet owners a way to help their pets stay healthy, active, and safe – all of which are important aspects of pet ownership.
Gadgets like Whistle, in particular, can help you identify problems with your pet’s health before they become a serious problem. If you realize that your pet isn’t getting enough exercise, you can get him or her on a regime that will help control his or her weight and body index score (with 55% of American pet’s being obese, this is a big concern). Likewise, if you notice a sudden drop in activity, it may be a sign your pet isn’t feeling well, and should come in for a check-up.
We hope you’ll check these high-tech toys out and let us know how they work for you and your pet! Happy shopping!