Perhaps we love our pets a little too much, but we don't care. We are all about giving our good doggos and pretty kitties the absolute best in life, and bringing you news on devices that can help you do the same.
We've introduced you to a speaker that can calm your active (i.e. noisy and annoying) dog and activity trackers that are basically Fitbits for your furry friends. But what you may not have known is that there is an entire world of pet tech out there.
Have you ever thought about getting your pooch an automatic ball launcher for when you're too exhausted to play fetch? What about swapping out your feline's watering bowl for a premium water fountain that keeps the H2O fresh for longer?
If not, we want to tell you more about those products and where you can get your paws (we couldn't help ourselves) on them.
What is 'pet tech?'
When we say "pet tech," we're basically talking about any piece of tech — deemed "smart" or otherwise — that can enhance the life of your pet (and in turn, yours).
The pet tech umbrella spreads much wider than you might think. The first things that probably come to mind are cameras that keep you in the loop about what your companion is up to while you're away from home, and tracking collars for helpful location services and possible emergency situations.
But there are a lot of other helpful devices out there that can make being a pet owner much less stressful, and even provide your pet with a little extra happiness throughout the day (they deserve it, after all). This can come in the form of automatic feeders that you can customize to your dog or cat's eating schedule, litter boxes that will empty themselves so your time spent touching (and smelling) that stuff is significantly cut down, bathing devices, vacuums that are meant to suck up pet hair, and much more. Of course, we'll show you a few of those things in a bit.
Do you need a bunch of fancy pet tech?
Technically, no, you don't. But do we even need fancy tech for ourselves? Of course not, but we do it anyway. So allow us to make the argument that you should if you can afford to do so.
If knowing that the life of your pet will most likely improve with most of these products, it's important to know that so will yours. Taking care of a pet is hard, demanding work — a living thing is in your care, and that can be enough to stress out even the most calm and organized individuals.
What should first-time pet owners prioritize?
If you're a first-time pet owner that just recently brought a new cat or dog home, it may be difficult to buy pet tech in bulk — it can run up quite a bill, and you'll have to add it to all the other basics you need to pick up for your first pet (bowls, food, maybe a crate, a bed, etc). But, there are a few things you might want to prioritize getting first so you have all the most important bases covered.
After a collar and an ID tag, the first thing we recommend is getting a GPS device to attach to your pet. New pets aren't just new to you, they're new to the world around them — and a lot of times, they can get curious. That opens up the possibility of them wandering away and getting lost, and in that scenario, you're going to want to find them easily. A pet tracker can help you with that, and then some.
The best pet trackers have incredibly in-depth health tracking that can keep you up to date on your pet's overall health, including their activity levels, calorie burn, sleep habits, and more. The Whistle Go Explore(opens in a new tab), which is included in our list below, is a prime example of this, and features other helpful perks like an intuitive companion app, consistent wellness reports, and a built-in light that might be hard to find elsewhere.
Another piece of pet tech you'll want to pick up early on is a camera. Many of us have jobs that don't allow us to work from home forever, but that doesn't mean you have to go through the day completely clueless as to what your pet is up to while you're out and about. A good pet camera can be accessed from your smartphone for periodic check-ins, and some of them (like Furbo(opens in a new tab)) allow you to toss out treats for some interactivity with your pet even when you can't be physically present. Furbo is also a great option due to its night-vision capabilities, two-way audio, and notifications for movement and barking.
After those two items are part of your pet tech repertoire, the rest is up to you and can be purchased at your leisure.
What is the best tech for pet owners?
It's time to get into our picks. Here are a few of the latest (and best) tech items that every pet-obsessed owner needs right now.
