Smart home technology used to calm and even feed anxious dogs

Pet owners are setting up hi-tech doggie daycare centres at home using smart technology that will even feed pups from afar.

Australian pet owners are using technology to create makeshift doggie daycare centres at home, installing internet-savvy gadgets to check on their pups from afar, host video chats, and even to throw them dog treats.

Animal behaviour specialists said the technology had the potential to help anxious dogs and pet owners trying to soothe them during work days, but the RSPCA warned they were “in no way a substitute for the physical care and attention that a pet needs”.

The technology, including the new Petcube Bites device and Furbo Dog Camera, is part of a growing smart home trend that is forecast to revolutionise Australian houses next year, with new devices expected to launch from companies including Samsung, Ring, Nest, and Phillips.

The Petcube Bites smart home gadget lets pet owners monitor their furry friends from afar and even throw them treats remotely.

Australian shopping expert Kathy Sheeran said smart pet technology was becoming a huge trend this holiday season as consumers sought to buy something for everyone in the family.

“Pet products are a big thing this Christmas,” she said.

“We spend billions of dollars a year in Australia on our pets and pet cams have become very popular.”

Animal behavioural consultant Dr Cam Day said the devices, which ranged from $50 to $400, weren’t just a novelty but a useful tool for treating dogs with separation anxiety disorders.

“They’re a great idea, mainly because the way work routines are going none of us are working the 37.5-hour week and many dogs don’t tolerate absences like that at all,” he said.

“Who cares about the smart air conditioners and the TV and the robotic vacuum cleaners? We need robots to look after our dogs these days.”

Smart pet technology is becoming a huge trend this holiday season.

Dr Day said installing an internet-connected camera at home had become the first step in diagnosing anxiety in dogs and developing treatment solutions, as owners could only treat what they could see.

Symptoms of anxious dogs included whining, howling and crying, he said, though some dogs left alone could develop panic disorders, leading to destructive behaviour such as “pulling screen doors off their hinges” and destroying gyprock walls.

Dogs with panic disorders and others with extreme attachments to their owners might not benefit from smart pet technology, Dr Day said, but many puppies responded well to a chat, more food, or play during a long day alone.

The RSPCA warns smart pet technology should not replace human companionship.

“I think these are wonderful devices because part of the treatment for home alone disorder is to improve the richness of the dog’s lifestyle when you’re not there,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said the smart pet technology could provide “useful insight to some pet owners into their pet’s behaviour while they are at work,” but warned they could not replace human companionship and should not be used in place of boarding or pet-sitting services during long absences.

“They are in no way a substitute for the physical care and attention that a pet needs, including walks for dogs, active play time, and regular human attention,” the spokeswoman said.