Dog and cat
lovers have a new way to make sure their pets get plenty of exercise and
nourishment: phone apps that track how much an animal plays, runs,
sleeps and eats.
Whistle, an iPhone app and
monitor worn on a dog's collar that was launched last week, measures an
animal's activity throughout the day. The app can track changes over
time and can compare exercise levels with other dogs of the same breed.
Created
with input from veterinarians, Whistle Labs' app aims to help owners
detect early medical problems by showing changes in a dog's activity
level and behavior compared to other animals of the same age, breed and
weight.
"What (veterinarians) get
today are hyperemotional responses, often driven by one or two
anecdotes," said Ben Jacobs, chief executive of the San Francisco-based
company.
"What we found out was
that a) vets didn't really have the information they needed and b)
there's no breed weight and age standards," he added in an interview.
The
app gathers data from a small circular device attached to a dog's
collar. An accelerometer in the device detects motion, helping to
determine if the dog is playing, walking or resting. The rechargeable
device is enabled for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The app also notifies owners of changes in a dog's behavior, such as if it suddenly starts waking up at night.
"This is the first window you have into the dog's entire day," Jacobs said.
The
monitor costs $99.95 and the app is free for iPhones. Whistle Labs said
it is also gathering data about dog activity by breed and weight for
research use.
Another app called
Pintofeed, which is linked to a Wi-Fi-connected feeder and costs $149,
allows owners to feed their dogs and cats remotely and set feeding
schedules.
"People lead busy lives
and don't really want to have to deal with another task. The feeder is
autonomous and manages the feeding for you so you don't have to rush
home from work," said Carlos Herrera, co-founder and president of
Pasadena, Calif.-based Pintofeed.
"The
app is meant to be a management and notification device. You'll get
alerts saying your dog skipped a meal, or your batteries are running
low, or the food is running low," he added.
For
owners who want to keep tabs on the location of their dogs and cats, an
app call Tagg for iPhone and Android provides the information.
The
GPS-enabled tracker attaches to the collar of a pet and tracks the
animal's location on a map. Users receive alerts when the pet ventures
outside a particular range and they can also view activity levels.
Tagg costs $99.95 and has a subscription fee of $7.95 per month.
REUTERS