Using technology in dog training is something I get asked about often.
Many pet owners have their dog microchipped, but that only works when the dog is found by a good samaritan who brings the dog to the vet to examine the chip. It is one of the great joys in life to bring home a puppy. Puppy breathes, puppy belly, puppy puddles. Wait… what? There is a downside to a brand new puppy and it will test even the most patient one of them. That is right – puppies need to be trained to go to the toilet inside. If you give your pup a good start, they will make all the aspects of teaching your dog the rules easier. Old school training methods such as clicker training are still useful, but some dog owners look to technology for devices that can make training easier.
Dog training is now high tech
Pet tech is not a new thing. Self-cleaning cat litter boxes are ubiquitous for decades. But as the human market becomes over-saturated with assistive devices, inventors are seeing other outlets for their creativity. The pet product industry is growing with the popularity of cats and dogs as pets. More than half of all homes own at least one animal – the majority of whom are dogs. Many puppies unfortunately end up in shelters because their owners did not have the time or the inclination to properly train the dogs. New technologies geared toward training dogs can help to ease the burden of shelters by a fair shake to dogs in training.
Smart devices for dog training
Dogs are intelligent and happy to please. They can choose any number of commands and limits given time. They can be trained to stay within a certain distance from the house to bark only at certain sounds and to potty only in a designated area outside. Almost all dog can be trained if given the right tools and time. And treats. Lots and lots of treats! Here are 5 ways technology can make training easier for dogs.
1. Activity Trackers are here to help you track activity.
Dogs need frequent exercise often multiple times throughout the day. Unless your dog is into agility competitions, it can be difficult to track their daily activities. Particular if you have a full-time job outside your home. The golden rule of pet owners is to engage your dog in activities to promote it while you’re out of the house. Your pup will sleep peacefully in the absence of you so that they won’t have to eat your shoes, you hope. In addition to the daily workout trackers of your dog, the activity tracking can alert you whether your dog is snoozing or otherwise pooping. Several other items on this list may give you a visual of what your dog is up to in real time.
2. Potty Doorbells
House training a new puppy is one of the most exhausting and frustrating aspects of having a dog. Sure, in the end it is worth it, but it requires a lot of patience and dedication. The newspaper-on-the-floor is a proven method, but new technology is making both the method and the newspaper obsolete. There is a new potty trainer in the city and it’s called a. Your dog trains to push a doorbell which is placed inside the door at their level. It warns you that your dog needs to go outside.
3. Pet camera with treats dispenser
Dog trainers agree that the best form of training is positive reinforcement. When your puppy does something you ask them to do (or tell them not to do) they are rewarded with positive comments “good girl” or a small treat. More and more dog owners use pet cameras to monitor their canine companions while at work or outside the house running errands. Actually, you spy on your dog to make sure they behave themselves.
4. Apps for mobile devices
There are many apps that provide advice on how to train dogs, including videos. If you are interested in hiring someone to come to walk your puppy to help with the potty training, there are apps to find and book appointments with local dog walkers.
5. GPS trackers
The GPS tracker is per se not a training tool. But it does lead you back to your dog if he or she escapes the fence or sneaks out the door. Many pet owners have their dog microchipped, but that only works if the dog is found by a good samaritan who takes the dog to the vet to have the chip examined. More precise tracking devices allow owners to search their dogs using satellites. Nearly every dog owner loses their dog at some point. Proper training can help to make sure that your dog makes it safely home.
