My kids have been asking for a puppy for a while. We promised them that if we ever found a puppy that we all loved, we would jump at the chance and get him/her. We randomly looked around but never found the right doggie. My girls wanted small, fluffy, cute, and a girl puppy that they can dress up and I wanted a real dog (30 pounds or more and no pet clothes). We all wanted one that would not shed. Then one day we found the right puppy. Of course we ended up with a really cute Yorkie-Poo girl puppy that is fluffy, does not shed, and it tiny (will only get 10 pounds). We already have several hair bows, sweaters, and her name is Minnie.
So what does this have to do with technology? Well, I have not had a dog in years and now there is a ton of technology for pets. From web cams that allow you to interact with them while away from the house, to build your own pet toys. We even have an LED light up leash (pink of course). Here some over the top pet tech options you can get.
Petcube – A cool new device with HD camera, mic/speakers, and laser pointer. You can play with your pet using your smartphone while you are away from home.
PetHub – A smart pet tag with a QR code.
Canine Treadmill – Yes you can buy a doggie treadmill.
DogTV – Yes it is a streaming TV channel just for dogs.
Puppy Tweets – Your doggie can have its own Twitter account and send out tweets. Looks like it is bad as you think it would be….
Dogtek Eyenimal Camera – Strap this on to your pets collar to capture pictures and video from their perspective. This one even has infrared night vision!
A friend of mine recently opened up Prarie Path Pet Care so I couldn’t ask for better timing. They use a cool GPS tech that will allow the pet owner to login to a site and see what time the dog was walked, for how long, notes for the visit, and where the walk took place on a cool little map. You can also sign up for dog walking slots online which seems to becoming the norm. His firm is also taking the client perspective of being a resource for all of their pet needs. They will provide the service directly or find someone local that they trust. This concept is right up my alley since this is what Waident does for its clients. If you have a pet (dog, cat, bird, alligator, whatever) and live in the western suburbs, you should check them out.
