Technology rules all facets of human lives, from communication to shopping, health, and fitness. So, it’s no big surprise that technology has also found its unique way into pet care!

In this era of smartphones, smartwatches, and smart homes – smart dog feeders, trackers, toys aren’t big a surprise. Right?

Americans spent over an estimated $66.75 billion in 2017 on their pets for necessities like food and vet care. In addition, they spent an estimated $14.93 billion on supplies that included “pet tech,” confirmed American Pet Products Association. And that’s almost half a decade back. So, imagine the kind of technology that paw-rents can indulge in now?

Let’s look into a few of them:

Pet Trackers

The tracker is a locator and a Fitbit for your dog – combined in a single product. The collar functions with a smartphone app with a GPS locator, activity monitor, and other advanced features including ambient temperature alerts, storage of vet records, a log of various walks or hikes, and records everything short of what the dog is thinking at the moment. Also, few advanced GPS trackers send text or email alerts if the dog wanders beyond the allocated home zone.

And then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

Digital Feeding Bowl

Despite the best efforts by the dog-parent, it is not possible to always be home at doggie dinnertime. So, this is where your intelligent feeding bowls come of use – to feed them right from your smartphone app. It even measures out the approximate amount of food to prevent overeating.

Such feeding bowls accurately weigh and measure the amount of food in your dog’s dish to ensure that they maintain a healthy weight. Used with the app, it even suggests the recommended food intake.

Water Purifier

It is essential to ensure that your dog has access to clean freshwater, even when you are not available. And automatic water purifiers and dispensers allow to automatically adjust the volume of water after a purifying system screens out impurities, heavy metal ions, and chlorine.

Dog Camera and Treat Tosser

The Wi-Fi dog cameras allow you to live-stream your dog’s activities. It also sends alerts when your dog is barking and enables a two-way “chat” with your paw-friend. Also, you can program the same to toss him a treat.

Bone Toys

With an app and intelligent software, interactive bone toys play with your dog when busy. It even customizes itself depending on your dog’s play behaviour.

Anxiety Relief Systems

Technology-powered anxiety relief devices deliver calming sounds, vibrations, and acupressure to de-stress your anxious dog. In addition, it’s drug-free with no side effects!

Smart Pet House

Tech giants like Samsung have designed dog houses with special motion-activated sensors to play soothing music, an automatic fan for a constant fresh air flow, vibration-dampening feet to alleviate stress from loud noises such as thunder, and battery backup that kicks in during power outages.

These technologies can surely give an incredibly lavish life to your pets but create a deep hole in the parents’ pockets. Although, looking at the vast amount of money spent by them to shower love on their kids, investing $30,000 for a pet home doesn’t seem impossible!

My View

Technology affects animal hearing and vision very differently from us. For example, while video chatting may alleviate separation anxiety and boredom, a dog perceives socializing with you not just based on sight but also other senses of touch, smell, and taste. Likewise, tools like pet activity trackers cannot replace human interaction — make sure you exercise and play with your pets, which is a healthier way of strengthening your bond with them. Finally, as a dog father myself, my opinion of all these tech gizmos is no substitute for time spent with your pet. Instead, I would use all the available cool tech to get my work done faster and free up all my time to spend with my dog.