If you own a furry companion, you’ll know exactly what it’s like to leave them home alone. Even if they’re super chill about it, you can’t help but feel guilty when Fido looks up as you as you leave. If only you could keep an eye on them while you’re out and tell them you’ll be home in no time.
Plus, as well as the doggy parent guilt, you also can’t help but wonder what exactly they get up to when you’re out. Have you seen the movie ‘The Secret Life of Pets?’ It’s not the best film, but I think my favourite part is when the poodle is left alone then all of a sudden it starts headbanging to heavy metal. Whilst I don’t think my huskies have a party when we go out, I’m intrigued as to whether they just lay there for hours on end, or get up to mischief.
Those of you with two or more dogs will also have an additional problem when you go out or leave your dogs unattended. When one of them is naughty (say they get into the bins or do a protest wee), when you return, you can’t bloody tell which dog did the deed! It’s so hard because you can’t risk guessing and telling the wrong dog off. My male husky will act terrified no matter whether it was him or his sister that did something naughty.
We’ve also taken our dogs abroad and to hotels over the years. They’re actually good as gold. We’re really lucky that we can leave them anywhere and they’re always absolutely fine. But being a typical crazy dog mum and self-confessed worrier, I usually still feel a bit on edge. It’s hard leaving them in a new place. Say we go out to dinner for example and leave them in a hotel room, I never really fully relax.
And on top of all this stuff, I have one dog who is completely blind. So it does tug at my heartstrings to leave her for long periods of time. Even though she does have her little bro for company.
So, considering all of the above, I was THRILLED to be contacted by a brand called FURBO. They have gifted me one of their ahhhmazing dog cameras to try out and share the results with you lovely folks. I do get asked to review and try numerous products, but I’ll only work with brands I really believe in, and this is one of them. When they told me about what FURBO offers, I just knew that loads of doggy parents could benefit from their device, and I couldn’t wait to try it for myself.
What does it do?
It’s a camera which enables you to view your dog’s activity, while you’re out, from your phone – no matter where you are. But hold up, there’s more. This nifty device also lets you talk to your canine (or feline) companion from afar. You simply press a button on the app, and watch your dog woof in delight when he hears your voice.
What’s more, you can give Fido some commands, and even reward him with a tasty treat. Say what? How do you do that? Well, the FURBO camera has a built-in section when you can put treats in. You can release a treat by tapping the treat button on the app, and it magically shoots out a bunch of treats. So you can see, speak to and feed your dog all at once.
And for those #instapetmoms out there, you’ll love the added feature of being able to record videos and take pictures of your dog while you’re not around – which can produce some hilarious results. You might even catch fido counter surfing for food he shouldn’t be eating on camera. #caughtintheact
The verdict
I think it’s a brilliant concept that will be useful to so many pet owners. Particularly those dog owners who have dog’s that suffer from separation anxiety. The app can help you to keep an eye on how your dog is doing and return if they get distressed. It can also alert you if they are being vocal, thanks to the bark alert feature.
For me it’s just peace of mind. I don’t think I’ll use it every time I go out, because my dogs are OK being left alone. But, I will use it to see what they do while I’m out and think of ways to try and improve their solo time – like trying new toys and seeing if they play with them. Or giving them a bit more space and seeing if they use it.
The times FURBO is most useful for me is when I have to leave the dogs for longer than I really want to. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, I’ll feel so reassured to know I can check on them. Then I’ll know they’re OK and that I don’t need to rush back.
We also take our dogs travelling a lot to hotels in the UK and abroad. Now when we have to leave them in new places I can check in on them. Overall I’m really happy with this new doggy toy. It’s so easy to use, which is ideal if you’re like me and rubbish and setting up high tech stuff. You literally just connect it to the app and you’re good to go.
Want to try it for yourself? Click here to get your own FURBO Interactive Dog Camera and find out what your dog gets up to when you leave them home alone…
