Especially when our dogs get older or are also sick, it is very difficult for us to leave them alone. The worry that something could be and the dog is not well is just there as soon as you go out of the house. At least that’s how it is for me and many other dog owners I’ve interacted with.
I am worried when I go out of the house
Tessa and Snowy do not have to stay at home alone much. They used to accompany me to the doctor’s office, but now they can lie relaxed next to me while I work at my desk in the home office. Nevertheless, it is of course unavoidable that the two have to stay alone from time to time. For Tessa and Snowy this is no problem. For me, since Snowy is older and has also had health problems lately, to be honest he has. On that point, I am not only a dog physio, but first and foremost a dog owner who is concerned that the dog might be unwell while being alone.
As you know, I rarely test products. Now when I was approached about testing the Furbo dog camera, I agreed. I wanted to know if this would be a way to get out of the house with more peace of mind, especially if you have an older or sick dog.
That’s why we test the Furbo dog camera
In this article, I would like to share with you our experience with Furbo dog camera. However, the use of the camera in dog training will not be the focus of this article.
How does that actually work now!
Basically, the Furbo dog camera is controlled via an app. So you can see the dog via cell phone via live transmission when he is alone at home. Also, if your dog barks, you will receive a notification on your phone. Using the app installed on your phone, you can even give treats to your dog and talk to him as well. Whether and how useful this is in the context of dog training, if the dog has difficulties to stay alone, then disassembles the facility or barks, I can not judge as a dog physiotherapist and should not be the focus of my article.
The technical aspects of the Furbo dog cam – it gets technical
Commissioning & use
The Furbo dog camera comes with power plug and a 2m USB cable as well as an easy to understand quick start guide.
The device is compatible with IOS and Android and can thus be controlled via smartphone and tablets.
Place the camera in the room so that it has a good view of the room. Then connect it to the power plug and socket via the USB cable. The camera then starts to light up white at first (=commissioning) and then changed to a green light. This means it is ready for installation. The next step is to install the app on your smartphone or tablet, create a user account for yourself and follow the on-screen instructions. Then the picture of Furbo dog camera will appear on your smartphone. The whole thing is very quick and easy to understand even for people who are not tech-savvy.
Nothing works without internet connection
In order for the camera to transfer the images to your phone, it needs a stable Wi-Fi connection. This is now standard in most households, thank goodness. However, you’ll also need a good internet connection for your smartphone on the go so that the app can access the dog camera without any problems. Otherwise it can be difficult with a live transmission.
Those who are worried that the transmitted data between the app and the dog camera could be tapped can rest easy. The exchange of data takes place via an encrypted connection.
The product features of Furbo dog camera
I am demonstrably not a tech whiz, but of course I want to share with you the most important features of the Furbo dog camera.
In order to have the best possible overview with the camera, it is equipped with a wide-angle lens with 160° viewing angle. Depending on how and where you place the camera, you can overlook an entire room. The camera is a 1080p HD camera and there is an infrared LED night vision mode. Perfect when you’re out in the evening (even though we always have a light on for the dogs).
The device also brings these functions
The dog camera has a 2-way audio system with built-in speaker and microphone. In addition, it is equipped with a treat ejector. For this purpose, it is best to take small treats with a diameter of no more than 1 cm. The treats are shot out in a high arc. When your dog barks, the built-in speaker sends a “bark alert” to your smartphone (assuming good cell reception). So much for the functions.
The Furbo dog camera in use with Tessa and Snowy
I know that Tessa and Snowy can stay at home alone without any problems. Nevertheless, my curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know what they were up to when I wasn’t there. Maybe they are more excited than I always assumed? There were never any complaints from neighbors. However, Tessa had a lot of separation anxiety at the beginning, which we managed well with the help of professional dog training.
So, what do they do now? Sleeping, running around or what else do my dogs do that I don’t even know about.
Watching Tessi & Snowy
We installed the dog camera in our living room, because this is the place where Tessa and Snowy usually stay. Now I was of course curious what the ladies do when I’m not there. And also whether I can leave the house more calmly knowing that I can always see Snowy in particular. My old girl really worries me a lot in the last months and after the vestibular syndrome I was really anxious and unsure the first time she had to stay alone again.
I have to disappoint you first of all: Tessa and Snowy after a short time (“maybe she will come back?!”) lay down in their crib respectively on the sofa and snoozed, relaxed and slept.
Yes and me?! Yes, it definitely helps me to be able to take a look at home in between and see that my girls are doing well.
Our conclusion about the Furbo dog camera
The camera has a chic design and thus does not stand out unpleasantly in the interior. The camera is very high quality and has many useful features.
If your dog has difficulty staying alone, you would be making it too easy for yourself in my eyes by using the camera alone. I recommend you to get to the bottom of the cause with the support of a professional dog trainer and to develop measures so that the mouth can stay alone at home without stress. Certainly, the camera can be used specifically in consultation with the trainer.
For me as a dog owner, I can say that the feature of being able to see my dogs when I’m out and about and make sure they’re okay is quite useful. Especially if the dog is already older or sick, this is certainly very helpful.
PS: We only used the voice and treat ejection features to test the camera when we were home. The voice sounds a little distorted, which could possibly confuse the dog. Of course, the treat ejection makes noise, to which you should first get used to especially noise-sensitive dogs.
If you are interested in a Furbo dog camera: via this link with the discount code doggyfitness50 you will get 50 Euro discount: FURBO DOGECAM
*This blog article is a cooperation with Karkalis Communications, who kindly provided us with the Furbo dog camera for testing purposes.
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