Are you a fan of high tech dog toys?
If your reading this on your phone or tablet, thats already a maybe - desktop... bless you.
It's a sad day when you admit you no longer have time for your dog like you used to, and I was in denial. At first, family and friends chipped in. But over time, one by one everyone was to busy. The truth is for a while my work schedule became so demanding that it affected how much time I was able to spend with her. Working some of the overtime hours from home helped but it crushed me when she would bring a toy over. The way she looked at me then walked away disappointed made me feel so bad.
My schedule change is only temporary luckily and the good news is I learned about some cool products I didn’t know existed. While looking for something that would keep her occupied as I was working I found a few creative pet products. It started with an interactive toy she could play with. Then a sea of innovative dog products opened up. I didn’t know where to start. If you're like I was, you're in for a treat with this list of dog gadgets you never knew about.
Following we have outlined 7 of the best smart dog gadgets around. Continue reading and in this article we go over why we think these products are the best in their class.
Seven Useful Pet Gadgets For Dog Owners
Best Dog GPS Tracker
Best Smart Door For Dogs
What to Look for in Pet Tech Products
It goes without saying that you expect any product you buy to deliver on its promises. But, there are a few features necessary to getting the most out of any tech solution. The following expectations are a comfortable benchmark to qualifying as a useful gadget.
A User Friendly App:
App's deliver convenient access to standard and premium product offerings. A user-friendly app makes the experience enjoyable. You can tell a lot about a company by how much effort they put into an application intended for their customers. A well developed application is a sign that the brand takes the product seriously. It also could be an indication of the level and quality of support you can expect.
Reliable WiFi:
WiFi is the foundation of remote access and with it comes security vulnerabilities. The ability to control your device remotely is one of, if not the most sought after feature any tech solution has to offer today. A stable WiFi connection is a necessity in most cases so be sure the device has a trustworthy connection.
Dependable Power Supply:
This primarily applies to battery powered devices because batteries are a hazardous material. To avoid compatibility issues look for products that include a power supply. Its also a good idea to find out how much usage you get on a single charge. Identify if the device will function when the battery is being charged and how simple is it to charge.
Knowledgeable and Helpful Customer Service
Good products usually have reasonable customer service because their reps are knowledgeable. If a brand invests in their reps it's a good chance they invested in product development. It takes resources to train a quality customer support team. Sooner or later it's going to be your turn to call tech support and you want to talk to "someone" who can offer a satisfactory resolution.
Best Dog GPS Tracker
Whistle Go Explore - The ultimate GPS tracker for dogs
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Waterproof ⊕ Built in LED light ⊕ Add Multiple users |
⊖ Monthly fee |
⊙ Use as a backup to properly securing your yard |
Best Smart Door For Dogs
PetSafe Electronic Smart Door
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Secure ⊕ 2 SmartKeys included |
⊖ Louder than expected |
⊙ Be careful of metal dog tags |
Best Smart Dog Feeder
PetSafe Smart Feeder (for Cats or Dogs)
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Reliable backup battery ⊕ Large food tank |
⊖ Creative pets can steal food |
⊙ Disable the food dispenser button |
Best Interactive Pet Camera
PetCube Play 2 WiFi Pet Camera
The Play Smart pet camera with interactive laser toy is the ultimate pet monitor. The cube has a wide-angle camera, microphone, and low-intensity laser pointer.
The coolest part of these pet tech gadgets are the interactive laser toy. To control the laser, manually drag your finger around the screen of your smartphone as you keep watch or the automatic laser toy feature will keep them busy when you’re away.
With Alexa assistant already built-in, you can also play music or use your WiFi pet camera to control other smart devices.
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Small footprint ⊕ Motion detection ⊕ Reliable video |
⊖ Laser toy lags a little |
⊙ Calibrate the laser |
Best Automatic Treat Dispenser For Dogs
Furbo dog camera and remote dog treat dispenser
If your best friend gets into trouble when your not looking, this could be the beginning of correcting your dogs behavior issues.
This smart dog gadget has remarkable two-way communication technology. It allows you to view, speak and toss a treat to your dog when you’re not home. From the app you control the treat-tossing feature in real-time from any smartphone or tablet.
The remote treat dispenser for dogs includes a built-in WiFi camera for live-streaming everything. This is one high-tech dog toy that will make it feel like you never left home.
Use the interactive dog camera with treat dispenser to check in and keep your fur baby tail wagging.
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Free app
⊕ Night vision |
⊖ Audio video could be better |
⊙ Be sure the treats a small enough |
Best Automatic Ball Launcher For Dogs
iDogmate Ball Launcher
This automatic dog ball launcher can throw balls up to 30 feet and almost never gets tired. Power the ball tosser by plugging in the AC adapter or use the included rechargeable battery. It also comes with a remote control and 3 mini tennis balls. Although the included balls are not made for heavy chewing.
iDogmate offers their interactive ball launcher in two sizes. Listed above is the small machine made for dogs under 14kg (30LB), and comes with 1.75 inch balls.
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| Big Dog Machine | Small balls for chewers | Large balls for chewers |
A ball thrower machine is one of the best gadgets for dog owners ever invented when it comes to playing fetch. Ball launch distance is adjustable to as little as 10 feet and features a random setting as well. This way the ball tosser for dogs offers a lot of flexibility between indoor or outdoor activity.
The remote control and rechargeable battery makes one of our top 10 dog gadgets the ball thrower machine for dogs. If you can train your dog to refill the launcher you will be unstoppable from lawn chair to love seat.
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Battery included ⊕ Remote control ⊕ Rechargeable |
⊖ More durable balls for chewers sold separately |
⊙ Order the durable balls if you have a chewer |
Best pet gadget when potty training a puppy
PetSafe Train N Praise Dog Treat Dispenser
This interactive dispenser will automatically reward your puppy for using the pee pad. Using positive reinforcement dog training techniques this treat machine is changing how to train your dog where to poop. Train N Praise can detect moisture on the pad, and then deliver a treat by sending a signal to the treat dispenser. This is the perfect solution for compact living such as when potty training a puppy in a apartment.
The training dispenser comes with a remote control as well. At the push of a button you can reward good behavior from up to 25 feet away. Remote dispensing makes this an all around tool for treat training dogs to perform more activities than potty training a puppy.
| 🗸 Pros: | 🗴 Cons: | • Recommendations: |
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⊕ Remote control included ⊕ Compact design |
⊖ Inconsistent treat delivery |
⊙ Use treats smaller than a dime |
Is Pet Tech right for you?
As a pet parent you know the routine - Walk, scoop, feed, repeat. If you're looking for a solution like I was, looking for the best gift for dog lovers or if you just enjoy pampering your doggo, why not high tech dog toys?
These smart devices are only some of the solutions available for dog lovers. Making your life easier and keeping your pet engaged while you’re away could never be more achievable.