What pet devices are must-haves in your home?
Your pet is your baby, so you must ensure your home is safe and fun for your little one. These devices are simple to set up, most of them with integrated apps that you can install on your phone.
Let’s look at some pet-friendly products you should have at home to ensure your dog’s safety and comfort.
Installing a Pet-Safe Dog Door
A pet door is as much for the dog as the owner. Also known as a pet flap, it is a home essential to give dogs agency to go in and out of the house whenever they want. This way, they don’t need to bother you when they need to pee or poop.
Your dog should be the only one that can pass through the pet flap. But what if you have a large pet? The flap may be big enough for a small person to get through, which is terrible for home security.
When installing pet door, consider getting a smart pet door, which has features to ensure that only your dog can get through it. The smart door can have your pet’s microchip as access or a key fob that you can attach to its collar. Some smart doors integrate with mobile apps that allow you to control access or monitor the number of times your dog can go in and out of the house.
FitBark to Monitor Your Dog’s Activities
Humans have FitBit; dogs have FitBark. GPS tracking is the most crucial feature of FitBark. You can also use it to monitor your dog’s activities.
First, install the FitBark app on your mobile phone. You can monitor your dog at all times, whether it is playing, sleeping, or eating. Even if you’re away for most of the day, you still have all the information you need to track your dog’s health and well-being.
An evaluation of the FitBark activity published in MDPI’s Animals journal stated that the device is a great tool for tracking off-leash activities for dogs. Evaluators Jessica Colpoys and Dean DeCock identified FitBark as a type of accelerometer, which is an activity monitor that pet owners and veterinarians use to track a dog’s changing health requirements.
“In order to provide individualized animal treatment, it is important for dog owners, veterinarians, researchers, and other animal professionals to know the normal activity level for an individual dog, as deviations in either direction can serve as early indicators of health concerns,” Colpoys and DeCock said of the importance of a tool that can accurately monitor a dog’s activities.
Vets and owners can then discuss ideal activities and food plans to ensure dogs will be at their peak health. Dates, for example, are delicious and healthy dog treats, according to The Upper Pawside.
An accurate and accessible activity monitor for dogs can help differentiate an individual dog’s normal activity level and activity abnormalities. Accelerometers, a type of activity monitor, are non-invasive tools used to track changes in acceleration.
-Jessica Colpoys & Dean DeCock, Truman State University
iFetch for Indoor or Outdoor Play
As a pet owner, you know how important regular exercise is for your dog. A simple game of fetch is fun and healthy for you and your dog.
Unfortunately, owners get tired much more easily than their pets. Your arm might give up after ten or so throws of your ball. You can get the iFetch to help. It is an automatic ball launcher, and one of the most brilliant pet devices on the market.
The iFetch can be used indoors—just plug it into your outlet. You can also use batteries and take the iFetch to your backyard or a nearby park where you and your pet can play fetch. It’s easy to set up and play with.
According to veterinarians, playing fetch is a way for dogs to get their physical exercise in. It also allows them to fill their social needs.
Veterinarians Debra Horwitz and Gary Landsberg said that insufficient exercise can contribute to problematic behaviors, such as:
- Attention-getting behavior
- Chewing things
- Digging in the yard
- Excessive barking
- Excitability
- Hyperactivity
- Raiding the garbage
- Unruliness
It is especially important to ensure that a dog’s need for exercise and social interaction have been met prior to leaving the dog alone at home and prior to lengthy crating or confinement sessions.
-Debra Horwitz and Gary Landsberg, veterinarians
Stay in Touch With Your Pooch Through an Interactive WiFi Camera
You should install a camera at home for your pet to monitor its activities and check if it is wreaking havoc in your living room.
But it’s also a way to get in touch with your pet, and one WiFi camera takes it to the next level: Petcube.
Petcube is one of the best and most friendly pet products ever invented. It is an advanced pet camera that goes beyond peeking at what your pet is up to when you’re not at home. There is also a feature that allows you to interact through two-way audio: FaceTime for dogs!
There are also variations, like PetCube Bites, which you can use to toss treats to your dog, and Petcube Play, which features an interactive laser toy.
You can set up multiple Petcube cameras at home for better coverage. You can control the settings through the Petcube app on your phone.
Conclusion
The pet devices of today are just getting better and more advanced. These devices make pet parenting so much easier.
While there are dozens of them in the market, a smart pet door, home camera, monitoring device, and pet game are must-haves. They collectively give you comfort knowing your pet is safe at home when you are not around. More importantly, they keep your dog healthy, which makes for a happy fur baby and pet parent.
