For many dog owners, leaving your pup home alone can be extremely stressful. This is especially true for new additions to the family. It can get nerve-wracking thinking about your new pup when you’re at work and the kids are at school. And for owners with active doggies, an idle mind and body can spell disaster.
So, what if you can speak to your dogs, monitor their day with high-definition video and sound, identify problematic behaviors, and toss them a treat for being the good boy or girl that they are? The Furbo Dog Camera aims to do just that, er, these.
Main Features
Treat Tosser
What sets the Furbo apart from other pet monitoring devices is its treat-tossing feature. That’s right. You can either program the Furbo to toss treats at regular times or do it remotely via the Furbo app on your phone.
It must be small treats, though, as the tosser can only fit treats 0.4 inches in diameter or smaller like these Zuke’s Minis. You can fit in around a hundred. It’s no pushover either. The Furbo can toss treats up to 7 feet away.
There’s nothing like being able to distract or entertain your dog with a treat while you’re at work.
Incidentally, if you’ve got more than one dog, the more active or dominant pet will end up hogging most of the treats.
2-Way Audio Real-Time Alerts
The Furbo Dog Camera has several detection features that will notify you of any dog-related activities. A basic function is notifying you if your dog starts barking. You can then speak to your dog via the Furbo’s speakers. However, if you’ve got a heavy barker, you’ll be glad to know that the sensitivity of the bark detection can be adjusted.
If you’re subscribed to a premium account (of which you’ll get a 30-day free trial upon purchase), you’ll have even more detection alerts and features. More on the later.
1080p Full HD Camera with Night Vision
The camera on the Furbo can be adjusted to record 360p, 720, and up to 1080p video, again, via the Furbo app. The camera has a wide 160°-viewing angle with 4x zoom and is night vision-ready. Again, additional camera features are present with a premium subscription.
Other Notable Features
Furbo Dog Nanny (FDN)
If you choose to subscribe for a premium account, you’ll get the Furbo Dog Nanny A.I. program. The Furbo can then record videos and store them in the cloud. You’ll also receive further alerts and notifications.
For example, the Furbo pet camera can detect and record dog activity, dog selfie, person alert, as well as create 60-second time-lapse highlight videos for you to store and share with family.
Detecting relevant dog activity can be extremely helpful if you’re trying to figure out if your pup has separation anxiety. Meanwhile, the dog selfie feature can take pictures of your dog when they’re facing the front camera.
The person alert feature, on the other hand, detects any other movement besides your dog. Thus, you’ll be quickly notified of any unauthorized entry into your home.
Alexa Compatible
If you’re using an Amazon voice assistant in your home, you can either ask it to program the Furbo to toss a treat, or schedule it for regular intervals.
Dimensions & Weight
The Furbo is 6 inches long, 5 inches wide and 9 inches tall, and weighs in at a hair above 2 pounds.
Using the Furbo Dog Camera
Although the Furbo’s pretty design lends it a “put-me-anywhere” vibe, you’ll need to keep it in a good location to make the most of its features. In has to be in a spot close to a plug where the Wi-Fi signal is reliable and steady.
Downloading the Furbo app was easy and so was the setup. Although connecting the app to the Furbo itself had some hiccups at first, once you get it going, it’s pretty user-friendly. The quick-start guide is pretty helpful too.
If you plan to get the premium subscription, then ideally, the Furbo should face your front door. At the same time, the Furbo should be out of your dog’s reach while also still keeping a good enough view to monitor your pet.
You’ll notice there is a 3M double-sided tape on the bottom of the Furbo. This will help secure it in place despite any pushes or pulls from curious paws. Don’t worry; if your over-enthusiastic dog does knock it over when they hear your voice, the Furbo should be sturdy enough to last this love attack.
The treat-tossing feature is pretty straightforward. However, if you want to maximize its benefits, you’ll need to briefly train your pup that treats will be coming out of this machine. An hour or so of training for them to connect that the treats will be given when you “Skype” them or when they’ve behaved will make for a more entertained and happier puppy. Otherwise, they may ignore the tossing and just end up thinking that treats are coming from some random place.
There have actually been plenty of dog owners whose Furbo has acted as a safety device. From catching a burglar in progress (and being able to yell at him through the Furbo), to seeing the dog eat chocolate, to watching a fire in the house…Furbo has literally saved lives.
Verdict
The Good
- Real-time alerts, which can be invaluable for emergencies
- Excellent A.I. capabilities
- Wide viewing angle and HD video recording
- Simple yet beautiful modern design
- User-friendly
- Strong tosser
The Low Points
- Control is only via the Furbo app
- Can only handle small treats
- Stationary camera with no tilt or pan capability
- Difficult for multiple dogs of different temperaments
- The Alexa feature is gimmicky – only for tossing)
- Premium account required to use all features (30-day free trial)
Separation anxiety can be a real concern for both dogs and humans. Although the Furbo might be on the pricier side for being a feature-packed dog monitor, the peace of mind it can give you and the stress it can alleviate from your pup is well worth it.
Even if you don’t subscribe to the premium features, you’ll be relieved to know that you’ll have a good head start if any emergency does come up at home.
For every second of the day that you’re away, the Furbo can help keep your beloved pet entertained, safe, and comfortable until he can again lick your face in person.
