7 Of The Coolest Pieces Of Tech For Your Pet

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For most of us, our pets are members of the family. They sleep in our beds, eat the best food we can provide, and provide us with some much-needed companionship and unselfish love. While SlashGear has talked about some of the best stuff to keep pets comfy in the car, we really haven't gotten into the cool tech that is kind of our thing.

Pets are beloved parts of the household, but they're also big business. After all, there's a lot to spend that money on: food, health care, vaccines, treats, dog walkers, and even pet insurance. Here, we'll look at the things we want to spend money on for our pets: cool toys and tech. There's a ton of great stuff out there, from self-cleaning litter boxes to AI-powered dog toys, and not all of it will break the bank.

We found these cool pieces of tech via a number of sources. Some, we looked up on pet websites and forums. Reddit, online reviews and rankings were also consulted. I asked for recommendations from the veterinarians and technicians at the animal ER where my wife is employed. As the owner of two dogs and a cat, I also own a handful of these products myself, and can attest to the durability and functionality of those items.

Owners of multiple animals deal with their fair share of pet hair on a regular basis. From dust bunnies under the couch to furniture and drapes covered in various colors of fur, hair mitigation is just another part of pet parenthood.

My family went through three vacuums, including two specifically marketed towards pet owners, before discovering the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. None of those other vacuums, whether standing, stick, or cordless, did the job as well as this little handheld vac. It's designed for pet parents and comes with a trio of attachments for getting into crevices, cleaning off upholstery, and brushing hair off of furniture. The built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery runs around 20 minutes before needing a recharge, and  it's a lightweight and relatively quiet product so as to not completely terrify one's pets while cleaning up after them. Pet lovers will also feel good knowing that a portion of the purchase price of this handheld vacuum goes towards the Bissell Pet Foundation, an organization devoted to helping shelter pets.

SlashGear has reviewed a feature-rich stick vacuum that's even better than the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser in terms of raw performance and extras, but at over $500, it's simply not in everyone's budget. For the pet owner needing a more affordable option, or pet owners who would like a handheld vac for smaller jobs, this vacuum fits the bill at a fraction of the cost of the Tineco Furfree.

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum is available from Amazon.

Pet doors are incredibly convenient, especially for folks who work from home and don't want to take a break every hour or so. They can also be useful in housebreaking dogs and allowing pets into a fenced yard to enjoy the outdoors when one isn't home. However, pet doors have historically been a tough sell because of the negatives: a hole needs to be cut into an existing door for installation, and the little flap can let breezes, debris, and even the occasional enterprising raccoon into your home. They're not cheap — smart pet doors often run hundreds of dollars, and that's without professional installation.

This app-connected smart door provides a solution to some of those issues. Timers can be set to only allow your pets to roam within certain hours, or the included Pet Door Key can be attached to your pet's collar to allow access. The door can also work with your pet's RFID microchip, which they should definitely already have, keeping worries about a lost collar to a minimum. The opening is thick, tinted, and airtight, ensuring no drafts result from installation. And if you don't like the idea of a hole in the door, the option to install in a wall is also available. There's even a video to help guide owners as they teach their pets how to use the door.

The PetSafe SmartDoor Connected Pet Door can be purchased from Amazon.

Mealtime in a household with multiple pets can get a little frustrating, especially when each pet has different dietary needs. Often, animals need to be separated, or food bowls have to be placed in inconvenient spots to keep pets from treating one's home like an open buffet.

The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder, which utilizes the identifying microchip that all pets should have, is an innovative little feeder that can help minimize food sharing. Verifying a pet's chip using an RFID reader ensures food is always available for one pet while also keeping others from stealing an extra meal. The tray can hold up to 13.5 ounces of dry or wet food, and when it's not open, a neoprene seal keeps food moist and aromas trapped in the unit. I've seen one of these in action at a friend's house, and her two German Shepherds largely leave the unit's cat food alone now that they've learned they can't get into it.

While it's not an automatic feeder, it does make mealtime less stressful by only opening up when the animal with a paired collar tag or microchip wanders nearby. Owners of pets that have medications added to their meals can be sure those pets are receiving those meds, and the feeder also saves pet owners on wanted food and money if only one animal is on a pricey prescription diet.

The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder can be purchased on Amazon.

Those who adopt from shelters often get a little curious as we stare at our weird little companions. Descriptions like "mutt" or "mixed breed terrier" are fine for filling out a form or describing your new buddy to a friend, but sometimes you want to know what exactly your dog is a mixture of. Basepaws, a pet DNA testing company introduced to the world in 2017 via Shark Tank, and now owned by pet medicine megabrand Zoetis, seeks to answer that question.

With a home-based test kit, Basepaws can provide breed information as well as information on traits your pet may display. The company claims that 21 breeds are represented in its Breed + Health Cat DNA Test, while the dog version covers over 300 breeds. Results also include genetic trait markers, health risks, and even a suggested wellness plan based on the pet's DNA makeup. As an oral swab-based kit, information on a cat's dental health is also available, either as a standalone kit or as part of the Breed + Health Cat DNA test.

There are several reasons to want to monitor a pet while it's left alone: safety, health, happiness, and even just the owner's curiosity are all good examples. While something as simple as a webcam can monitor pets, a more specialized option is also available.

The Furbo 360-degree Dog Camera is a great, reasonably priced option for owners who want to keep an eye on their pets and interact with them. Upgraded from the original Furbo's 160-degree field of view, this camera automatically rotates a full 360 degrees to track pets and provides color images (even in night vision). A two-way microphone allows the owner to hear and directly speak to their fur babies, and the Furbo camera can launch treats in the direction of the doggo as well. There are a number of alerts that can be set up, and with an optional "Dog Nanny" subscription, even more specific monitors are available, including emergency alerts for things like smoke alarms or breaking glass.

Amazon Alexa compatibility, app-based controls and monitoring, and a full training course to help both owners and pets get accustomed to using the Furbo 360-degree Dog Camera combine to make integrating the camera into a household a seamless transition. If you don't have enough apps for your pets, SlashGear is here to provide you with another five apps that every pet owner should have installed.

The Furbo 360° Dog Camera can be purchased from Amazon. 

While there's no smart connection, IoT link, or phone app for the ChomChom Pet Hair Roller, the science behind this gadget is enough to warrant a spot on our list. Simply rolling the ChomChom in quick, short strokes builds up an electrostatic charge that can then be used to remove hair from fabric surfaces. It's cheap, remarkably effective, and has good reviews on multiple websites, along with its 4 ½ star rating (across over 200,000 reviews) on Amazon.

While vacuums provide similar effectiveness on things like furniture, the ChomChom's advantage is in its simplicity. The tool is lightweight enough that one can clean a whole couch without fatigue, something we can't say for a handheld or stick vacuum. Cleanup is as easy as opening the collection panel and tossing the little wad of lint and hair into the trash. While it is primarily made to be used on fabric, that does cover a lot of items, including upholstery, furniture, drapes, and even clothing.

I purchased one of these on a whim alongside a few toys for my dogs, and I was impressed at how well it worked in getting my terrier's long, wiry blonde fur off of the black cloth seats in my Jeep. Given the low price, it beats investing in multiple lint rollers with sticky, wasteful tape refills or a far more expensive fur solution. However, if you're looking for something a little more heavy-duty, SlashGear has written up a list of five of the best vacuum cleaners for pet owners.

The ChomChom Pet Hair Roller can be purchased from Amazon.

One of those "hindsight is 20/20" accessories that I wish I had for my dog before she went missing is this GPS tracking device from Tractive. While one might be tempted to try an AirTag or Tile for pet tracking, SlashGear has looked into those options and found them to be lacking in the response time and precision needed to quickly find a pet that's gone missing.

Tractive's tracker is a triple threat. Along with live GPS tracking via an app, this little unit also sends emails with changes in the pet's sleep or activity, allowing owners to stay on top of potential health issues. It also works as a "doggie FitBit" of sorts, keeping tabs on daily activity to make sure the dog doesn't go from a lean pup to a couch pug-tato. The unit itself is waterproof, attaches directly to a pet's collar with four rubber connectors, and can track animals as small as 8.8 pounds. It can hold a charge for up to 10 days, giving owners ample time to find their missing buddies.

The unit itself is available on Tractive's site, with three subscription options to connect the tracker to LTE cell phone networks. One final note: I did end up recovering little Zelda after almost a month, and she's doing great. She's also now the proud owner of one of these GPS trackers — just in case.