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Is your dog stuck in the 20th century? Walk them into the present with these amazing advances in pet tech designed to improve their life (and yours). From smart collars to treat-dispensing cams, we’ve got the scoop on the best high tech pet products around.
Read on for all the details of these pet-friendly gadgets and gizmos.
Best High-Tech Pet Products
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Tracking and GPS
A lost pet is a pet parent’s worst nightmare, which is why a tracking device can be a literal, modern-day lifesaver. GPS and location tracking gear for collars are among some of the most popular high-tech pet products on the market. Learn more by checking out our articles on the best tracking collars for dogs and cats, and read on for a few handpicked selections below.
Utilizing AT&T’s wireless network and Google Maps, the Whistle GO Explore will notify you whenever your dog leaves their designated safe space and provide live location tracking. Lasting up to 20 days on a single charge, the GO Explore provides a weekly health report and can be set up so that more than one owner can receive alerts.
In addition to GPS monitoring, it can also be used to track physical activity goals for your pet, as well as certain health behaviors. A monthly or yearly subscription is required.
Designed for pets nine pounds and up, the Tractive GPS dog collar device offers tracking in over 150 countries. It connects via app (iOS or Android), as well as any web browser.
It’s also lightweight and fully waterproof for dogs who love to swim or splash around in the mud in their wanderings. The tracker’s battery lasts two to five days and a monthly subscription is required.
Available in sporty black or sleek brown, the Link AKC smart dog collar device contains both a GPS tracker and an activity monitor, an LED light that can be turned on remotely, and an environment temperature alert all within its sleek design. It slips on your pet’s favorite collar via a sleeve on the back and has a battery life of up to three days.
You can track your pet anywhere in the country that has AT&T cell service, and even store your pet’s veterinarian records through the app. A yearly subscription is required.
With this reflective tracking collar for cats, how high tech you want to go is up to you. On its own, it simply glows or blinks with an LED built-in light, for simple visual tracking of your kitty.
However, you also have the option to add a tiny lightweight camera to the collar to get a cat’s-eye view of their activities. Take it up one more notch with the attachable radiofrequency tracker tag insert for another layer of security.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Cameras
When you have to be away from your best furry friend, put your mind at ease with pet cameras. These popular high-tech pet products allow you to look in on your pet via a phone app.
Check-in on your pup with this top-rated live streaming camera with night vision. The best part is the treat-tossing feature that you control through the free app (Android and iOS), letting you praise and reward your dog from afar.
Verified Review: The Furbo is the ultimate, “Didn’t know I needed it until I got it” pet tech. This treat-shooting pet spy-gear has easy set-up and a user-friendly app. You can shoot treats at your pet, talk to them through the microphone, and sneak a peek at them while you’re away via the built-in camera. I love it because (1) I now have confirmation that my dog seems pretty content when I’m not around. (2) It sends me a push notification whenever he’s barking so I can turn on the camera and see what’s up. (Spoiler alert: It’s always the mailman.) and (3) I can remind him any time, from anywhere, that I love him. That’s definitely the best part.
Keep an eye on your pet with this HD camera that connects to your phone via a free app. The device features night vision, microphones, and speakers so you can talk to and listen to your pet from wherever you are. There’s even a pet-safe laser toy you can control so you can play together from afar.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Pet Spaces
Give your pet more autonomy (and yourself less work) with these high tech pet products that let you control the accessibility and comfort of your pet’s space.
If you’ve got a secure yard, this is the perfect high-tech tool to let your dog in and out. It uses radio-frequency technology: Your dog wears a SmartKey on their collar and the door reads the SmartKey’s unique signal, triggering the battery power-driven flap to unlock.
It’s available in two sizes and is programmable for up to five pets with additional SmartKeys.
This smart crate is designed to keep your doggo feeling safe and calm, with features such as a motion-activated anti-anxiety playlist, an automatic fan for comforting white noise and added ventilation, and sound and vibration dampening built in to reduce anxiety—especially perfect during storms or fireworks.
Sensors turn the crate on and off automatically. It’s made in the USA, for dogs up to 90 pounds.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Litter Boxes
Any high tech pet products that make litter box life easier are OK by us. But some work better than others. Check out our top picks below—and find even more choices (plus a few tips) in our article on automatic cat litter boxes.
The Litter-Robot 3 is a pricey giant of a gadget, but it’s got a lot of bells and whistles for cat parents to love. It’s relatively quiet compared to other robot boxes, doesn’t require special litter or bags, can be paused as needed, and has an 18-month warranty. There’s even a WiFi model that lets you monitor waste levels, litter box visits, and emptying reminders via app. The Litter-Robot is made for cats 5 pounds and up.
For this verified review, Rover writer Karen Anderson surveyed her robot-owning friends for a real-life take on this product: “’I love it,’ her friend Beth said. ‘It really works.’ She has two cats. One kitty is a dependable customer of the Litter-Robot. The other, an older cat, goes back and forth between the robot cat litter box and a traditional box. Still, litter scooping is vastly reduced in Beth’s household.”
A motorized rake activates 20 minutes after your kitty exits this automated litter box, collecting and depositing waste in a separate container to help minimize odor.
Designed for cats up to 15 pounds, this litter box comes with a removable cover (also available in a top-entry version) and disposable trays (a reusable tray can be used, too). It’s made to be used in conjunction with the brand’s blue silica non-clumping crystal litter.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Toys
We like high-tech toys, and so do our pets! From interactive smart games to spinners that do the work for you, these toys are a step beyond the tried and true laser pointer. Read up on the tech advances changing your dog’s life and see some of our favorite high-tech toys below.
Available on its own, or along with the PetTutor automatic feeder, the PupPod puzzle toy is one snazzy high-tech pet product. You control it via an app on your smartphone and your dog interacts with the pod; as they master a challenge, the app prompts you to toss a treat reward (the feeder automates the treat reward part).
The cognitive puzzle game increases in difficulty as your dog learns to touch on cue, concentrate, and more, staying engaged mentally and physically.
See it in action in our Rover-verified video review:
You’ll want to get on the waitlist for the latest version of the CleverPet Hub. Basically a game console for dogs, CleverPet engages your dog with different puzzle challenges, like the Color Match game that rewards your pup with a treat when they successfully match the color lights.
See how one dog learned to communicate in a similar way via a touch button console here.
Does it seem like your dog never gets tired of playing fetch—even though your arm definitely does? This motorized toy solves both problems: It offers all the ball-tossing your dog can stand and none of the arm work for you.
Best for small to medium dogs, the iFetch automatically launches balls between 10–30 feet. You can also teach your dog to refill the launcher themselves. It comes with three mini-sized balls, and you can buy additional mini balls. Have a bigger dog? You’ll want the iFetch Too, which uses larger, standard tennis-sized balls.
Bluetooth-enabled, this hands-free chew toy is recommended for medium- and large-breed dogs and has two modes: autoplay and drive. In autoplay mode, the bone roams around at different speeds, responding to your dog’s touch. In drive, you control this techy toy via app for more interactivity.
The Boltz spins and rotates in every direction on its own on any type of flooring while your kitty chases after the attachable charm toy. The unpredictable movements keep cats on their paws, ensuring hours of fun.
Verified Review: “Whoever is responsible for the interactive, robotic wizardry behind this miracle A.I. pet device, thank you for designing a toy that somehow manages to capture a cat’s short attention span, and withstands full-on feline assaults, for more than just a few, fleeting moments.”
Reviewed by real cats (and our Rover humans), this interactive electronic toy taps into your cat’s hunting instincts, convincingly mimicking the sound and movement of butterflies. It’s hands-free for cat parents and runs on one AAA battery. Also check out the similar and popular SmartyKat, another locomotion toy that we’ve tested and reviewed.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Feeders and Water Dispensers
High-tech feeders and water dispensers are among the most life-simplifying high-tech pet products. Check out our list below, as well as our round-up of the best automatic water fountains for cats, the best automatic cat feeders, and the best automatic dog food dispensers.
The SureFeed connects to your pet’s existing microchip or their SureFlap RFID collar tag, unsealing the right portions for the right pet—especially great for multi-pet households with food thieves!
The scales light up to ensure you measure the correct portion for your pet while the feeder records your pet’s mealtime habits, so you’ll have all the info you need at their next health check-up.
Great for short periods of absence, this easy-to-program automatic food dispenser works particularly well for cats and dogs on the smaller end. The five compartments rotate through as needed and can dispense dry or wet food. Bonus? The food tray is dishwasher safe.
This stainless steel water fountain can accommodate cats, dogs (including large breeds) and even multi-pet households. It provides a whole gallon of fresh, running water and comes complete with filters and pump.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair
You found hair where? Pet hair is a constant battle for pet moms and dads. Luckily, this is where high tech pet products really shine. Learn more about robot vacuums in our article on the best robot vacuums for pet hair and check out a few of our top selects below.
The pet hair vacuum to measure all pet hair vacuums by, this Roomba checks a whole lot of boxes: it connects to WiFi and has an app for remote vacuuming when you’re not home, it’s guided by sensors that can take it underneath furniture, and it’s self-charging. Its “dirt detector” feature is particularly helpful at finding prime spots where pet hair proliferates, on hard or carpeted floors. This small-but-mighty product can run continuously for 90 minutes.
If you’re in the market for a pet hair vacuum that’s easier on the wallet than others on the market, this one is right up your alley. Best for hard floors, it’s designed with tangle-free pet hair tech for finding and sucking up those pesky clumps and wisps of fur.
It self-charges and can run continuously up to 100 minutes. It’s outfitted with smart sensors for smooth travel throughout your home. Schedule a cleaning or control it via remote or button when you’re ready to get cleaning.
Best High-Tech Pet Products: Pet Apps
A lot of high-tech pet products connect to apps, but apps can be helpful—and very convenient—on their own, too. See our round-up of the best apps for dog parents and take a look below at some of our favorites to help you train and care for your dog.
GoodPup (Verified Review)
Get the benefit of personal dog training, but with more flexibility and less hassle. GoodPup allows you to schedule sessions with a vetted and certified trainer via video—you can also access your trainer outside of sessions should any questions come up—all for a reasonable price.
Verified Review (Rover employee, Alison Rutty): “I used a trainer on the GoodPup app to help me address car anxiety in my 5-year-old Labradoodle. I felt like we had tried everything (treats, crates, medication) and nothing seemed to work. Enter GoodPup!
“They matched me with a trainer who conducted weekly, 30-minute video sessions with us. Scheduling appointments via the app was very easy. I especially loved the feature where I could send messages and videos to my trainer directly outside of our sessions. It was highly convenient not having to leave my house or travel anywhere. At $30 a week, I feel like I am getting high-quality, personalized training that would be much more expensive if we were meeting in person.”
This app helps you organize your training—a must when a new puppy joins the family. Easily keep track of medications, potty breaks, and more. Plus it lets you set recurring reminders so you don’t forget anything important.
Stay connected and share important pet info with all the people that care for your dog, from groomers to kennel services to vets. This app stores and tracks your dog’s health and medical records, plus it keeps tabs on your dog’s fitness through a monitor that attaches to their collar.
Can’t take your dog for a walk? Heading out of town sans your furry family? Rover app to the rescue! Our free app connects you to a network of professional pet sitters and dog walkers across the country. Read reviews and message sitters that match your pet’s needs and budget, then book and pay. It’s simple and secure!
Go, go gadget: happy pet!
Featured image from Amazon.