Technology Has Gone to the Dogs! Using Tech in Dog Training

Bringing a puppy home is one of the greatest joys in life. Puppy breathe, puppy bellies, puppy puddles. Wait, what? There’s a downside to a brand new puppy and it will test even the most patient person. 

That’s right – puppies need to be trained to go potty outside. Crate training your pup from an early age can make every aspect of teaching your dog the rules easier. 

Old-school training methods, such as clicker training, are still useful, but some dog owners are looking to technology for devices that can make the training easier. 

Dog Training Goes High Tech 

Pet technology is not a new thing. Self-cleaning cat litter boxes have been around for decades. But as the human market becomes oversaturated with assistive device technology, inventors are eyeing other outlets for their creativity. 

With the popularity of cats and dogs as pets, the pet product industry is booming. More than half of all homes own at least one pet, with dogs the majority choice. However, many puppies end up in shelters because their owners didn’t have the time or inclination to train the dogs properly. 

New technology geared at training dogs can help ease the burden of shelters by giving dogs a fair shake at training. 

5 Tech-Savvy Devices for Dog Training

Dogs are intelligent and eager to please. If given time, they can pick up any number of commands and boundaries. They can be taught to stay within a certain distance from the home, to only bark at certain sounds and to potty only in a designated area outdoors. 

Almost all dogs are trainable if given the right tools and time. And treats. Lots and lots of treats. Here are 5 ways technology can make dog training easier. 

1. Activity Trackers

Dogs need regular exercise, often several times throughout the day. Unless your dog is into agility competitions, it can be difficult to track their daily activity levels. Especially if you work a full-time job outside of the home. 

The golden rule of pet owners is to engage in activity with your dog to exert them while you’re out of the home. That way, your pup will sleep peacefully while you’re gone instead of eating your shoes, you hope. 

In addition to keeping track of your dog’s daily exercise, the activity trackers can alert you to whether your dog is snoozing or up to no good. Some other items on this list can give you a visual of what exactly your dog is up to in real-time. 

2. Potty Doorbells

Housetraining a new puppy is one of the most exhausting and frustrating parts of owning dogs. Sure, it’s worth it in the end, but it takes a lot of patience and dedication. The newspapers-on-the-floor is a tried and true method, but new technology is making both the method and newspapers obsolete.  

There’s a new potty trainer in town, and it’s called a potty doorbell. You train your pup to push a doorbell that’s installed at their level inside the door. It alerts you that your dog needs to go outside. 

3. Pet Camera with Treat Dispenser

Dog training experts agree that the best type of training is positive reinforcement. That means when your pup does something you ask them to do (or tell them not to do,) they are rewarded with positive voice comments (“good boy”) or a small treat. 

More and more dog owners are using pet cameras to keep an eye on their canine companions while at work or out of the house running errands. You’re basically spying on your dog to make sure they behave. 

4. Smart-Phone Apps 

Many pet cameras link to a smartphone app so dog owners can interact with their dogs through the phone. In addition, there are training-specific apps that users can download. One such app sets a schedule for puppy potty breaks and sends an alert to the dog owner’s phone as a reminder. 

There are many apps with tips on how to train dogs, including video. If you’re looking to hire someone to come walk your pup to help with the potty training, there are apps to find and book appointments with local dog walkers. 

5. GPS Tracker

The GPS tracker is not a training tool, per se. However, it does lead you back to your dog if they escape the fence or sneak 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 pup to the vet to get the chip scanned. 

More precise trackers allow owners to find their dogs using satellites. Almost every dog owner loses their dog at some point. Proper training can help ensure that your dog makes it home safely. 

Technology Has Gone to the Dogs

There is technology to make almost every aspect of our lives easier. Need a recipe? Ask your virtual assistant. While dog training can’t be done virtually quite yet, the technology exists that makes it accessible from anywhere.

About the Author:

Emma is a professional writer and blogger, with two furry friends and a lot of pet behavioral and pet health knowledge to share. She has written for numerous big animal magazines and health sites, and is a regular contributor to The Catington Post.