It seems like everyone is obsessed with health these days. Activity trackers like Fitbit, Polar, Jawbone, and Misfit are all the rage in the human world, allowing us to track how many steps we take, calories we burn, and even how much sleep we get at night. You may have seen your friends, neighbors, or family members wearing one of those lightweight plastic wristbands with the sleek digital displays. Perhaps you own one yourself. But did you know you can get an activity tracker for your dog?
These nifty little gadgets attach to the collar and wirelessly report exactly what your dog is doing all day, via an app or website. The most basic smart collars simply track your pup’s activity (were they sleeping all day or moving around the house?), but some can monitor more specific behaviors like scratching and shaking. Some also have built-in GPS and will send an alert if your dog sets one paw outside your house or property. Some of these smart collars even act as health monitors of the future, tracking body temperature, heart rate, and more.
Maybe you’re a fitness buff who wants to get your pup in on the action so you can help with weight loss. Or perhaps you are a busy working pet parent who wants to make sure your dog is really getting a workout with their walker or running around at doggie day care. Maybe your pup has anxiety and you want to know if they are spending the day at home calm and snoozing or pacing around, shaking, or engaging in destructive behavior. If your dog has a medical condition or has had surgery, some smart collars can even monitor vital signs and help you and your vet determine if medications are working.
Check out some of these smart collars to see if one might be right for your dog:
FitBark
Price: $99.95
Monitoring fee: None
Best for: Weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: .28 ounces
Attaches to existing collar: Yes
Battery life: 10 to 14 days
Wireless specs: Bluetooth 4.0
GPS: No
Available: fitbark.com
Rugged and waterproof, FitBark tracks basic activity (rest, active, and play) and attaches to your dog’s own collar. FitBark is great if you want to track your dog’s activity, especially if you are looking to increase exercise to help them lose a few pounds. It transmits data via wi-fi; an optional FitBark Wi-Fi Base Station is available for $79.95.
Nuzzle
Price: $189.99
Monitoring fee: None
Best for: GPS tracking, weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: Less than 1 ounce
Attaches to existing collar: Yes, but also comes with collar
Battery life: 1 to 3 days
Wireless specs: Bluetooth and 3G cell connectivity
GPS: Yes
Available: hellonuzzle.com
One of the newest activity monitors, Nuzzle is equipped with GPS (works in the U.S. only) and also tracks basic activity. It fits on to your dog’s collar with an attachment piece. This monitor is perfect if you want to make sure your dog hasn’t run away or worse — has been stolen. It’s also great for tracking basic activity. The water-resistant device comes standard with two batteries so one can always be charging. The first units are set to ship in January 2017.
PetKit
Price: $69.99
Monitoring fee: None
Best for: Weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: .28 ounces
Attaches to existing collar: Yes
Battery life: 2 to 3 months
Wireless specs: Wi-f- and Bluetooth 4.0
GPS: No
Available: Amazon
PetKit tracks basic activity, as well as sleep quality, calorie expenditure, and mood, so might be a good choice if you want to keep an eye on your dog’s activity levels. The water-resistant sensor comes in four colors (gold, gray, blue, and red). The CR2032 battery (button battery) must be replaced when it dies (not rechargeable).
PetPace
Price: Starting at $139.95
Monitoring fee: $49.95/month
Best for: Weight loss, dogs with medical conditions or recovering from surgery
Sensor/collar weight: 1.5 ounces
Attaches to existing collar: No
Battery life: Up to 6 weeks
Wireless specs: Wi-fi via included base station
GPS: No
Available: petpace.com
One of the priciest pet monitors available, PetPace is an all-in-one sensor and collar that tracks basic activity patterns and also monitors vital signs (temperature, pulse, and respiration), identifies what position your dog is in (standing; sitting; or lying on back, right, or left side), logs the number of calories burned, and monitors heart rate variability. This product is ideal if you need to keep a very close eye on your dog’s vital signs, perhaps if they are recovering from surgery or a major illness, or have an on-going health condition. It also tracks your dog’s activity and rest. Water-resistant, dust resistant, and shockproof, PetPace can be used for both dogs and cats weighing 8 pounds or more. The device transmits data by wi-fi via PetPace Gateway base station (included).
Vetrax
Price: TBA upon release in February
Monitoring fee: TBA upon release in February
Best for: Dogs with medical conditions or recovering from surgery, weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: 1.5 ounces
Attaches to existing collar: Yes
Battery life: 20 to 25 days
GPS: No
Available: Through veterinarians only
Another new wearable monitor to hit the market, Vetrax identifies five specific behaviors: resting, walking, running, shaking, and scratching. The device is marketed as being capable of monitoring chronic illnesses, dermatology issues (is your itchy dog scratching less now on a new medication?), arthritis (is your dog walking around more thanks to a new pain medication?), weight management, and postsurgical rehabilitation. The product has a planned release in first quarter 2017, but will only be available through your veterinarian.
Whistle GPS Pet Tracker
Images for Whistle
Price: $79.95
Monitoring fee: $9.95/month (discounted if you buy a one- or two-year plan)
Best for: GPS tracking, weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: 1.25 ounces
Attaches to existing collar: Yes
Battery life: Up to 10 days
Wireless specs: Bluetooth 4.0
GPS: Yes
Available: whistle.com
Whistle tracks basic activity (walking, running, playing, active, or resting) and provides live GPS tracking (get an alert if your dog leaves a predetermined zone). The sensor is weather-resistant and waterproof. Whistle also offers a basic activity monitor, which does not have GPS.
WonderWoof
Price: $95
Monitoring fee: None
Best for: Weight loss, monitoring activity and sleep
Sensor weight: 20 grams
Attaches to existing collar: Yes
Battery life: 7 days
Wireless specs: Bluetooth 4.0
GPS: No
Available: wonderwoof.com
Wonderwoof tracks basic activity (sleeping, resting, active, playing). The waterproof (sensor is available in a variety of colors and comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
The post Are You Looking for a Dog Activity Tracker? We Have a Buying Guide! appeared first on Dogster.
No comments:
Post a Comment