More time for your pet with smart technology
Who wouldn't love to spend every free minute with their furry four-legged friends? Dogs and cats not only need plenty of companionship and love, but also require time for cleaning and grooming. This is time that you can reduce or even completely eliminate with the right smart home devices, allowing you to take longer walks or cuddle your cherished family member on the couch.
Smart technology not only makes your life easier, but can also improve the overall quality of life for your pets. We present the most practical solutions currently available and give you an overview so you can make the best choice for your home.
Before we get to the pet-friendly helpers, let's take a closer look at the heart of every smart home. If you already own other smart home devices, the word "hub" will certainly ring a bell! A hub is a central app or device with an operating system like Siri, Alexa, or Google Home that connects to all your other smart devices. This interface allows you to easily control, program, and manage everything.
If you already own a hub, you should ensure that it and any new smart devices you purchase are compatible. For newcomers, it's crucial to consider which hubs are compatible with your chosen smart products and coordinate everything accordingly. It's also advisable to check that the hub works well with your smartphone and/or computer: for example, if you have an iPhone, it makes sense to use a smart speaker with Siri as a hub, as iOS devices connect and complement each other most effectively.
1. Independent coming and going
If you have your own garden, or if your cat is more of a feral feline, installing a pet door is a good idea. However, ordinary pet doors allow a lot of heat to escape and also pose a significant burglary risk: with a small door, the door can be unlocked from the inside, and with larger pet doors, a thief could, in the worst-case scenario, squeeze through.
Smart pet doors are sealed against wind, water, and weather, and close automatically and in good time, preventing unnecessary heating. They also feature integrated locks to ensure that no one but you and your family can pass through. Some smart doors are equipped with a sensor that detects a corresponding tag on your pet's collar, allowing them to enter and exit as needed.
2. Smart dog leash
When it comes to going out, or rather, walking your dog, there's also the perfect smart accessory for you. After all, your pet needs plenty of exercise and activity to stay healthy.
For a nighttime stroll with your four-legged friend, most smart dog leashes feature integrated LED lights for better visibility in the dark, a durable nylon leash, and sturdy buckles for secure fastening. The leash also tracks your dog's activity; a map and GPS allow you to review the route, distance, and time of the walk, and a timer ensures everyone looks forward to the next stroll around the block when the signal sounds. Some smart dog leashes even monitor your dog's breathing and heart rate via a health tracker. A few even vibrate when you receive a notification on your connected smartphone. It doesn't get more convenient than that!
3. Smart Home for Pets
Whether your pets sleep indoors or outdoors, they need a proper place to sleep. Smart dog beds are equipped with thermostats and temperature-regulating functions to ensure your best friend neither overheats nor gets too cold while sleeping. For dogs that sleep in the garden, there are smart pet houses. Ideally, these are collapsible and also offer a smart heating and cooling system.
4. Automated feeding
The best is yet to come: Automatic fountains and feeders refill the bowls with fresh water and dry food at regular intervals.
Ideally, dogs and cats should have free access to fresh water at all times. This is crucial for their health – especially if you are away from them for extended periods of the day, as they would otherwise wait for hours, thirsty and ready to drink.
A smart, automated water dispenser can be controlled and programmed via the internet and a smartphone app. Different programs allow you to refill the water every few hours or only when the drinking bowl is empty.
Some so-called pure water fountains are equipped with the same intelligent water supply system and additional filters. These remove all impurities from the water, including chemicals, potential heavy metals, and bacteria. Depending on usage, however, the filter should be changed every 90 to 270 days.
When buying a water dispenser, make sure it has an easily visible water level indicator. A removable inner container for refilling, an automatic shut-off, and a quiet pump inside the dispenser are useful additions to consider.
Automatic pet feeders work similarly. Some are designed to provide pets with food for a few days. Others use a built-in digital scale to measure precise portions and track the amount your pet consumes, which can help maintain a healthy weight.
Depending on the design, the feeders can hold several liters of dry food and are completely lockable and protected against damage. Some are even equipped with anti-jam mechanisms that shake up the food if it gets stuck in the feeder.
Other useful features include, for example, a microbial outer shell that protects against germs and bacteria, or LCD screens that provide useful information.
5. Conclusion
In summary, smart pet devices have developed rapidly in recent years. There is now a good selection of manufacturers and products tailored to a wide variety of animals, owners, and their individual needs. With the right choice of smart accessories, the quality of life for both two- and four-legged companions can be improved.
