Activity tracker for dogs?

beagleSo I was joking with my wife that someone should make an activity tracker for dogs.  It seemed like a useless, stupid idea.  Then someone went and did it?  Amazing.  But then, the Pet Rock was a stupid idea too, and, well, I wish I had done that.  But some stupid ideas should remain in the recesses of our mind (the Jump to Conclusions Mat, for example).

So anyway, there’s an activity tracker for dogs now.  True story.  It’s the Whistle, and costs $129 (note – you can get an entire dog for less than that if you’re not too picky).whistle  As a novelty gadget gift, it’s pretty awesome, but I really fail to see the value it brings beyond that.

It straps to about any collar which is nice, and is waterproof which is really just common sense for the target demographic.  It tracks your dog’s rest and activity throughout the day, naturally syncing to a smartphone app.  Surprisingly, the company recommends it for use on dogs greater than 10 pounds…which makes me question the use of stainless steel in the enclosure rather than lighter aluminum?  But oh well.  The battery should last around a week, at which point you can charge it via a USB cable.

So yeah, I’m a skeptic…but my Beau, my beagle pictured above, would be happy to test one out if they’ll send me one for review! 🙂

You can buy one at the link above, or at PetSmart.

Timbuk2 releases a backpack…for dogs

329-3-2220_inuseTimbuk2, perhaps better known for their awesome laptop bags,(I’ve used them for years and love them, very well made), has actually started selling a backpack for dogs.  No, not one for your dog to wear…but a backpack to allow YOU to carry your dog!  As a dog lover, this sounds completely ridiculous to me, but perhaps if I lived in a bit city I’d find the need to carry my dog rather than let him walk around?  I don’t know.  Although, my dog is rather large for that (he’s a beagle).  If you feel this is something that you really, really need in your life, you can find it for $90 at Timbuk2’s product page here.  Please reconsider though…dogs LOVE going for walks, smelling and peeing on everything, and trying to trip you with their leashes.  Don’t deprive them of that!

Yes…I did consider that maybe this was some kind of a joke…but I learned about this via an email from them…and it’s nowhere near April 1st…so I think this might actually be a real product!

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