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Pros
- Easy-to-understand activity information.
- Very light and unobtrusive.
- Attaches to any collar/harness.
- Long battery life.
- Waterproof.
- Web-based dashboard.
- Social aspect helps compare canines.
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Cons
- Lacks Wi-Fi, so you must buy a base station for offsite monitoring.
Fitness trackers for pets might sound like a sketch out of Portlandia, but an active lifestyle is every bit as healthy for your furry friends as it is for you. The $99.95 FitBark Dog Activity Monitor is an unobtrusive fitness tracking device for canines of all sizes that syncs with clever software on your phone or computer to check in on your dog's activity levels. It's easy to use and offers a unique social aspect, though the Whistle is a slightly more attractive option thanks to its lower price and built-in Wi-Fi.
Design and Features
True to its name, the FitBark is an activity tracker for dogs. The device itself has a 3-axis accelerometer inside. It's not really for cats or humans because the software behind it isn't intended for those species; that said, it could probably track a feline with a modicum of accuracy.
The plastic unit, shaped like a dog bone treat, is only 0.28 ounces, which is comparable with the Tractive Motion (the lightest tracker we've seen at 0.25 ounces), and half the weight of the Whistle. It measures 1.1 by 1.6 by 0.4 inches (HWD), and comes in five colors: blue, gray, green, pink, and red. It's waterproof (rated IPX7) as long as the rubber plug covering the micro USB charging port is tightly sealed.
The size and shape of the FitBark put it at both an advantage and disadvantage compared with the Whistle. The latter's heavier, larger and also fits on a collar, but it's big enough that it won't work for toy breeds. But there's a good reason for its size: The Whistle has built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so it can communicate activity data directly to a smartphone app, sending it to your home router and over the Internet. So even when not home, Whistle users can get their dog's activity info.
With FitBark, you only get Bluetooth, unless you pony up an additional $79.95 for the FitBark Wi-Fi Base Station. It's a cute plastic dog house you plug in via micro USB, connect to the FitBark smartphone app, then let run near your router. It then relays the FitBark's data to your account online.
Things are better in the battery department. The FitBark uses a micro USB connection to charge its Lithium-ion battery (battery life is quoted at 10 to 14 days, depending on use). That's a big step up from the proprietary chargers used by other trackers like the Whistle and PetPace (and even most Fitbits, for that matter). The animated GIF below indicates the FitBark logo on the device having a soothing pulse as it charges, but the LED in mine just kind of glared when plugged in.
