We all love our pets and I’d wager the overwhelming majority of folks would consider them part of their family. That’s a given, pets are dope.
It’s only natural for us to want to give them the best of everything. Food, fancy pet clothes, nice places to crap, all of it. In 2018, gadgets are now part of that list.
Pet tech is on the rise, folks, whether you like it or not. Think it’s weird? Then get the hell outta here, because we’re about to delve into 5 of the best techy gadgets you can get for your little mates.
Pet Trackers
Perfect for the dog who won’t stop running away or the cat who’s out all night, pet trackers will do exactly what they say on the box; track your furry pals every move.
A decent one will set you back between $200 and $300, but they’re definitely the most robust and reliable.
Most of these collars use GPS just like your smartphone, allowing you to set up a virtual fence via an app. If your pet jumps outside that fence, you’ll get an alert and real-time tracking of your pet so you can bring them home safely.
Trackers are also handy if you wanna see where your skanky cat has been all night.
FitBark
Is your pooch as fitness conscious as you? Of course not, they don’t have the mental capacity to comprehend such a concept, but that doesn’t mean you get to ignore their physical needs.
As the cheeky name suggests, the FitBark is essentially a FitBit for your pet, allowing you to track their daily exercise, sleep and general health. As you’d expect, this all hooks up a slick smartphone app so you can see that junk in real-time.
Tracking and maintaining health in general is hella trendy as more health apps can sync up with your FitBit, so getting a tracker for your pup is pretty much the next step.
A FitBark will set you back around 100 bucks and ships locally from Sydney.
If you sign up for pet insurance with petinsurance.com.au, you’ll cop 10% off your cover and score yourself a free FitBark*. So if your pet’s had a bit of a indulgent summer and they need a solid run around, get ’em signed up for cover and get to work with that free FitBark. Cover yours and your pets’ butts over HERE.
Smart Home Camera
Wondering where all your socks have gone? Setting up a smart home camera will help you get to the bottom of it.
Not only that, you’ll be able to see exactly what kind of weird shit your pet does while you’re not home. Trust me, they look all innocent when you’re there, but they’re all into suss behaviours. Look at this bloke.
What a weirdo.
You can pick up a smart home camera from a number of brands like Nest, Netgear or even Telstra. Hook them up to your home network and you can even stream live footage while you’re at work. Vibes.
These handy little cameras range from $39 up to around $300, depending on how gnarly you wanna get with your home surveillance.
Treat Dispensers
We all want our pets to have some fun while we’re not around and treat dispensers are one way of ensuring that.
While most are simply average-looking toys packed with treats the only fall out when tilted a particular way, there are definitely some more elaborate models on the market.
For example, the electronically timed Foobler ball will only spit out delicious treats at certain intervals. Genius.
The Foobler will set you back around 50 bones (ha!), but if you really wanna go all out, you can get one with a built in camera so you can see and talk to your pet while you give them a treat. Something like the Petzi will cost you $230.
Automatic Ball Launcher
Perfect for the active doggo who needs constant ball throwing attention, the iFetch automatic ball thrower will never get a tired arm. Mainly because it doesn’t actually have any.
You get the idea, you train your little bud to drop the ball into the scoop and the gadget chucks it back out again. Rinse, repeat, etc.
The iFetch generally retails for a little under $200, but there are cheaper versions from similar brands.
