Dogs have come a long way since the days of being satisfied with a bone to chew on. Thanks to modern technology, all sorts of gadgets and devices are available to help make your pup’s life more comfortable, safe, and fun. From GPS-enabled collars to dog-friendly smartphones, check out these top five dog technology trends that are worth your money, along with my favorite options for each one!
Top 5 Dog Technology Trends of 2022
If you’re in a hurry and just want to see what’s out there without reading a whole lot of “blah blah blah,” I’ve got your back. Check out the table below for a quick peek at my top recommendation for each of the dog tech gadgets that we’ll be discussing below.
FYI, this post includes affiliate links. If you decide to buy something through them, we’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
1. Tracking Collars
Tracking collars are becoming more and more popular and for a good reason. They offer a lot of benefits for both dogs and their owners. For one thing, they’re a great way to keep track of your dog’s whereabouts. They use GPS to track your dog’s location and can send you alerts if your dog leaves a particular area.
For that reason, they’re perfect for safety purposes. If Fido ever gets lost, you can use it to find them quickly. And if there’s ever an emergency, you can use the collar to track your dog’s location and get them to safety quickly.
Another neat feature is that these collars typically double as a “doggy Fit Bit.” In other words, you can use them to track your dog’s activity levels and ensure they’re getting enough exercise.
Tracking collars are best for:
- People with “runners” and little escape artists, or anyone who wants to make sure they can quickly and easily locate their dog.
- Anyone who needs to track their dog’s activity throughout the day.
Our Favorite Smart Collar:
You really can’t go wrong with the Tractive Waterproof GPS Dog Tracker! It’s one of the highest-rated tracking collars on Amazon (4 stars across 10K+ ratings), and it lets you track everything from your pup’s location to their activity levels. The only major downside is that you need a subscription, but you’ll find that’s the case with pretty much all dog tech gadgets these days.
Check out our favorite smart dog collars for more amazing options.
2. Fitness monitors
While you can buy a GPS collar that includes activity tracking, sometimes you don’t really want to go that route. Maybe you don’t want to spend all of that money. Or perhaps your dog needs a very specific type of collar (for example, long-necked dogs need different collars than short-necked pups). Whatever the reason, you can skip the GPS and just something that will monitor Fido’s fitness.
Dog “Fitbits” are best for:
- Those who want to track their dog’s fitness but don’t need to constantly track their location.
- Dogs with health conditions that either restrict or encourage more physical activity.
Our Favorite Dog Fitness Monitor:
There really aren’t many dog fitness monitors without GPS tracking. That’s fine, though, because my top pick more than does the job! The Fit Bark scores 4.5 stars across just under 1,000 ratings. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and has a long-lasting battery. You can even link it with your own fitness tracker! Plus, the GPS-free one doesn’t require any sort of subscription, so there are no hidden “after purchase” costs.
Related: Best Dog Fitness & Activity Trackers a.k.a. Fitbits in 2023
3. Smart feeders (food and water bowls)
Smart feeders are one of the most popular dog technology trends for a good reason! They are a great way to ensure your dog has access to food on a regular schedule. They’re great for busy pet owners who may not always be home to feed their dogs since you can program them to dispense food (and/or water, depending on the model) at specific times.
Some smart feeders also come with additional features, such as monitoring your dog’s eating habits or receiving alerts when the food or water levels are low. They can be expensive, but they are worth the investment to ensure your dog is always well-fed and hydrated.
Smart feeders are best for:
- People who work outside of the home or have to leave their dogs home alone for hours at a time.
- Anyone who needs to monitor exactly how much their dogs are eating and drinking, either out of curiosity or for health reasons (such as diabetes or obesity).
Our Favorite Smart Feeders
There are quite a few intelligent feeders on the market, so you can choose one that best suits your needs. Personally, I love this one by WOPET. While it’s mostly marketed towards cat owners, it’s perfect for pups, too! It holds 6 liters of food, and you can program it using your smartphone. The downside is that it only holds dry food (no water or wet food), but my dog primarily eats kibble anyway, so that’s not an issue.
4. High-Tech Dog Toys
High-tech toys are worth your money if you’re looking for a way to keep your dog engaged and entertained. There are a lot of different options on the market, so you’ll be able to find one that’s perfect for your pup‘s personality.
Some of the most popular high-tech dog toys move around independently, dispensing treats as your dog plays. Others include ones that allow you to interact with your dog remotely, using a smartphone or tablet.
High-tech dog toys are best for:
- Dog owners who can’t really play fetch or sit on the floor with their pups for playtime.
- Anyone who needs a fun way to keep their dogs entertained.
Our favorite high-tech dog toy
It’s harder to choose a favorite here because there are so many different types of high-tech dog toys. Overall, though, I really like the PetSafe Treat & Train. First, it has 4.5 stars, which is almost unheard of for a pet tech toy on Amazon. Second, it doubles as a training gadget AND a treat dispenser toy. While you can’t control it from outside of your home via an app or anything, you can control it from up to 100 feet away with the included remote.
Check out some more of our favorite interactive dog toys!
5. Pet Cameras (to watch them when you’re away)
This is definitely one of my favorite dog technology trends! Pet cameras are a great way to watch your furry friend while you’re away from home. There are a variety of them on the market, so you can choose one that fits your needs and budget.
As far as features go, it really depends on which one you get. Obviously, they all have some sort of visual capability. In other words, you can see Fido from anywhere at any time. Most offer some sort of audio feature. Some only let you hear what’s going on in your home. The better ones act as two-way radios, so you can speak to Fido.
The really good ones have extra features, including dispensing treats and taking photos or videos. Some pet cameras even have night vision so you can check on your pet 24/7.
Pet cameras are best for:
- People who work outside the home. Pet cameras are a great way to provide your pet some companionship while you’re away from home.
- They can also help you monitor your pet’s health and well-being. If you notice any changes in your pet’s behavior, you can contact your veterinarian immediately.
Our top Pick
Again, there are quite a few options in a huge range of prices. If you want something that does more than just allow you to check on your dog, though, I highly recommend Petcube Bites 2 Wi-Fi Camera with Treat Dispenser. It’s their priciest camera, but it’s the only one that lets you give your dog a treat from anywhere at any time.
You’ll need a subscription IF you want to save the videos or detect motion. If you just want to check in on your dogs in real-time, you don’t need it.
With new advances made pretty much every single day, I can only imagine where dog tech trends will go next! Maybe they’ll figure out a way to convert dog-speak to human-speak! That would be neat, right? In the meantime, though, these trends above definitely help make caring for our furries besties a lot easier!
What are your favorite dog technology trends? What gadgets do you hope to see in the future? Share below!
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Last update on 2023-05-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API