Smart Pet Products for Your Smart Home
By: Travis McDermott DVM
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Technology has become a part of every aspects of our lives (for better or worse). One of the trends that has been booming is the “smart home”. Smart homes are equipped to give homeowners control over the functions of their house through voice command, smart device, or even geolocation that uses your smart device to tell your house when you are home. Smart devices are projected to be a part of 12.2% of the houses in the US in 2021 and 21.4% by 2025. So, now you can program your house to turn the lights on when you get home and your TV to turn on when you tell it to do so, but what about your pets? Below are 6 smart home pet products I found that I feel can not only enhance your pet’s life, but also enhance the time you spend with your furry friend.
BEST SMART PET PRODUCTS
- BEST SMART PET CAMERA: Furbo Dog Camera
- BEST SMART PET FEEDER: PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder
- BEST SMART PET DOOR: PetSafe Smart Pet Door
- BEST SMART LITTER BOX: PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box
- BEST SMART DOG TOY: Wickedbone Smart Bone
- BEST SMART PET COLLAR: FitBark Smart Collar Device
1. BEST SMART PET CAMERA: Furbo Dog Camera
I think it’s safe to say that we all hate leaving our pets when we go to work or leave the house for any reason. Not only do we miss them but we are also worried about anything that can happen while we are gone. This is why I recommend the Furbo Dog Camera. Recommended by thousands of veterinarians and trainers, it is a one of a kind camera that lets you record video and talk to your pets, alerts you when they are barking, and even allows pet owners to dole out treats. It is a high-definition camera that also has night vision that can be live-streamed to your phone. You can have the option of getting notifications when your dog is barking or even have it snap photos of your dog when they are facing the camera. With its two way microphone, you can even talk to your dog while away. Now your pet is never without you to be there and comfort them.
Features of Furbo Dog Camera
- 1080p high-definition camera with night vision
- Pop treats out of device with free app from your phone
- Adjustable barking sensor
- Easy setup
2. BEST SMART PET FEEDER: PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder
Ever have those busy days where you just can’t seem to get home in time to feed your pet? Or maybe you had a late night and missed breakfast for Fido. No need to worry anymore when you’ve got the PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder for Cats and Dogs. This automatic feeder can help with scheduling meals, giving out snacks between meals and help to slow feed your pet. While its capacity is 24 cups of food it can dispense between a quarter of a cup to as much as four cups each time. You can schedule mealtime or choose to feed them instantly with the handy free app on your smartphone. The feeder can also be connected to your Echo device to simply ask Alexa to feed your furbaby. Also no need to worry about running out of food, the feeder also lets you know when it is almost time to refill.
Features of PetSafe Automatic Feeder
- Compatible with Alexa and most smartphones
- Option to slow feed pets in 15 minute increments
- Holds 24 cups of dry and semi-dry food
- Top-shelf dishwasher safe
3. BEST SMART PET DOOR: PetSafe Smart Pet Door
Have you ever gotten to your destination and remembered that you forgot to take the cover off your doggie door? Or maybe you’re just as lazy as me sometimes and wish you could open it from bed. This door features automatic locking functions and entries and exits that can be programmed with the SmartKey included. One SmartKey is placed inside the door and the other one inside a collar that is worn by your pet. The door stays locked until your pet comes in contact with the door and then is automatically unlocked. Up to 5 SmartKeys can be programmed. So, now if you want certain pets to be able to go outside and certain ones to stay in it can be managed!
Features of PetSafe SmartDoor
- Entry and exit with SmartKey
- Stays locked when SmartKey in collar isn’t present
- Battery operated
- Uses frequency technology
4. BEST SMART LITTER BOX: PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box
Some of us love our cats but don’t love cleaning the kitty litter box as much. With the PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Self Cleaning Hooded Cat Litter Box Ultra these worries can be put to bed. With a disposable insert and its ability to self clean for multiple weeks, this litter box is like a dream. Within 20 minutes after your cat uses it the cleaning cycle begins, scooping litter out of sight and into a tray that can be simply thrown out once a month. This particular litter is also almost completely dust free so no more litter box paw prints tracked around the outside of the box. It also comes with a safety feature that assures the cleaning parts will not engage unless your cat is not inside. The use of Crystal litter absorbs urine and dehydrates waste making it up to 5 times more effective at odor control.
Features of PetSafe Auto Self Cleaning Litter Box
- Removes waste automatically
- Disposable trays that are lined with plastic for no messes
- For use up to 30 days at a time
- Includes counter to keep track of daily usage
5. BEST SMART DOG TOY: Wickedbone Smart Bone
In this technologically advanced world we live in with smart pet feeders, smart pet nanny cameras, smart TVs and even smart refrigerators, we of course also need smart dog toys. Wickedbone Smart Bone is a polycarbonate dog bone that can be programmed either interactively or used through the Wicked bone app. It has a dozen interactive modes that adapt to your dog’s attention span. The Smart Bone responds differently to touch. It is flanked by tires and can be moved forward, backwards and turns just like a remote control car. It can also be enjoyed by cats! Fully charged in an hour your dog can enjoy up to four hours of play.
Features of Wickedbone Smart Bone
- Auto mode adapts to your pets style of play
- Materials FDA approved, safe for your dog’s teeth
- Cleaning is a breeze
- Drive mode lets you interact with your dog by Bluetooth
6. BEST SMART PET COLLAR: FitBark Smart Collar Device
Many of us use apps to track our health, to record our heart rate, to count our steps and to see how many calories we’ve burned. Now we can keep our pets on that same path with the FitBark GPS Dog Tracker. First and foremost this is a device to keep track of our dogs for those of us who are constantly worried about our furbabies being lost. It also monitors many health aspects like how far they’ve walked, how much they’re sleeping and how high their anxiety levels are. Battery-operated, it can last up to 20 days on a single charge. You can also link your own FitBit to the FitBark to compare your own stats to your dog’s. This lightweight tracker fits a large array of dogs from five pounds to 240 pounds.
Features of FitBark GPS Dog Tracker
- With in-app subscription, find your escaped dog within minutes
- Track the health of your pup
- Waterproof, fits collars up to 1.5 inches wide
- Create zones to be alerted when your dog leaves or enters