Is Pet-Tech on Your Christmas Shopping List?

“You want me to wear what?” Image from Pixaby. Used with permission.

I’ve been so focused on Worry Beads, that I haven’t talked much about pets or Pets in Space this month, but Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space is still on sale, though not forever. We do a limited release of the anthology so that authors can get the rights to their stories back in a timely manner. 

But I will admit that I was running out of pets in space ideas until a friend suggested a look at pet technology that is actually available (we have plenty of fictional pet tech in the stories – haha). 

So, did you know pets can have wearable technology, too? 

“I’m willing to listen, but that’s all right now.” Image via Pixaby. Used with permission.

Wearable tech has come a long way and is rapidly advancing to new heights of innovation. Plus, it isn’t just for humans anymore. Dogs, cats, and other pets can benefit from state-of-the-art wearable devices. For the latest wearable pet tech:

1. Monitor your dog’s activity with suggested daily targets based on size, breed, and age, and get progress reports on how active your pooch is with WonderWoof BowTie.
2. Glow-in-the-dark LED smart collars with GPS, Wifi, and Bluetooth utilize geofencing and real-time tracking, so at the press of a button you know where your dog is and what it’s doing. The Buddy by Squeaker does all that and more—it can read your dog’s temperature and make sure it’s comfortable by adjusting the thermostat in your house, plus it’s waterproof and links to your smartphone for health analysis updates.
3. GPS wearables keep track of your pets and monitor the food they eat, how much activity they are getting, and even their mood. Examples are: PawTrack for cats—Whistle, DogStart’s, and TailTalk for dogs.—Tractive and PawTracker for dogs and cats.
4. Paired with a collar tag, OurPets Wonder Bowl only lets the animal it’s linked with eat, so it’s great if you have several pets.
5. If your dog or cat get lost and they’re wearing a GPS-enabled collar, a drone can zoom in on them immediately. We utilize drones now to track and count strays in big cities like Houston Texas.
6. IBM’s recent patent for a pet sitter or dog trainer drone is an innovation to entertain or train your dog while you’re at work. It can let your kitty or puppy in or out as needed, and hand out food for meals or treats to reinforce training.
7. Health monitoring devices alert owners when something is wrong. Examples are PetPace, iotatracker, FitBark, and also Tailio for cats.

However, sensors go beyond wearables. Monitors for aquariums remind you when the water should be changed, watch the temperature, and the fish/coral/plant stock. For cats, sensors like Litter-Robot sense when your cat is done and cleans the box. Several automatic feeders gauge the amount of food your pet needs and reorders more when needed. Examples are PetNet and also CatFi which has 3D facial recognition, so you’ll know how much each of your cats is eating. Some feeders help prevent your pet from getting bored. There are also invisible fences, automatic ball launchers, electronic pet doors and more. 

I’m a little overwhelmed by all the choices! Did you know about all this? And would you get some wearable tech for your pet? 

Perilously yours,

Pauline