Your furry friend deserves this smart health tracker for National Dog Day
How better to celebrate National Dog Day than by dogging your pup’s every scratch, sniff and tail wag?
The latest versions of high-tech, wearable pooch trackers, Whistle Go and Whistle Go Explore, monitor health patterns, letting dog owners know whether there’s, say, excessive scratching and licking, CNET reports.
The device is worn on a dog’s collar, and resembles his human’s Fitbit in that they both use an accelerometer to sense specific movements. The Whistle Gos also employ GPS to report back on Fido’s well-being and whereabouts.
Being an adoring pet parent doesn’t come cheap, though: The devices cost between $90 and $130, plus a monthly AT&T subscription ranging from $6.95 to $9.95. And, yes, they come with apps, letting pup parents monitor from afar.
Weekly reports detail a dog’s general “wellness” in terms of calories burned and activity, which can help keep their weight at a healthy level. Other vitals — excessive scratching and licking, for example — can indicate a problematic skin condition.
Unlike other wearable tech for dogs — yes, this is the world we live in — these new devices source data from more than 55,000 dogs surveyed by vets. The information can help determine whether a dog’s activity is normal compared to the other pups in the survey.
CNET’s review, with the help of a pooch named Ruby, said the device is especially useful for obsessive pet owners who want to be sure they’re helping their dogs live their best life. After all, dogs help us do the same, right?
“Ruby’s generally an active pup, but we discovered that when no one’s home, she isn’t doing much,” the write-up reads.
“Now we’re thinking about ways to incorporate more playtime at home while we’re at work.”
