If pet technology continues to advance, soon our pets will be as connected as we are. One new technologically advanced dog collar is seeking funding through Kickstarter. The Buddy collar by Squeaker is designed to keep your dog safe, active, and healthy – it’s also pretty stylish too!
The Buddy collar has a built-in activity monitor to keep your pooch from developing a paunch. The data collected by Buddy is displayed on the connected iOS or Android app. It includes how far your dog has walked, how many steps he has taken, and the number of stairs he has climbed in a day. If your dog begins gaining weight, or he already has some to lose, you can figure out how much additional activity he needs and set some exercise goals.
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The app allows users to input the type of food they feed their dog as well, and it calculates the canine’s caloric intake. Buddy will then be able to tell you if you are over or underfeeding your dog. Aside from monitoring your pet’s activity, Buddy also allows you to set up a geofence.
You can designate an area that your dog can run and play in, and if he leaves that area you’ll get a text alert. Buddy also sends GPS tracking information to the connected smartphone app, so if your dog escapes his virtual fence, you can easily see where he’s headed.
Buddy doesn’t just connect with smartphones either; it can connect with many smart devices including the Nest thermostat. If you have a Nest thermostat in your home, Buddy can link to it and alert you if your home is too hot. Not only will it alert you, but it will also kick on your air conditioning so Fido has a more comfortable environment.
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Buddy even has pet owners covered in the style department. Equipped with a built-in ring of colored LED lights, the collar can basically become your dog’s personal disco ball. You can customize the colors of the collar through the app. Not only will your pet look sharp, but the LED lights will also keep him visible at night or in dim lighting.
Currently the campaign is only about a quarter of the way to the goal of $385,000, but they still have more than two weeks left to get the funding they need. If everything goes according to plan, the collars will hit pet store shelves in the near future, and there will be three models and three sizes to choose from.
