A new smart collar wants to help you better understand your dog by sensing changes in their mood. The Jagger & Lewis smart collar claims to measure the activity and welfare of your pet. Think of it like a Fitbit for your dog.
The collar is equipped with an accelerometer and gyroscope to measure movements, including when your dog is eating, drinking or sleeping. The collar includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to upload the information to the company’s mobile app. The data is then analyzed to determine if your dog is stressed (pacing back and forth), possibly ill (not drinking enough), or could have fleas or allergies (scratching a lot). You can check in on your dog’s activities and well-being through a Fitbit-style daily dashboard.
Jagger & Lewis said the collar has been tested with dogs ranging from 5 pounds all the way up to 100 pounds. The app can also offer feedback based on your dog’s activity data, such as feeding and drinking recommendations.
As a dog lover, it’s an interesting product, although I probably wouldn’t buy it. I can tell how my dog is feeling when I am home based on his behavior, and I own a Nest Cam to monitor him when I am away. The company made the case that this could help when my dog’s with a dog sitter or in a kennel, but if there’s no Wi-Fi available, I won’t be able to see the data regardless.
There’s also the price. The collar will cost about $200 (that’s about £165 and AU$275) when it launches on Kickstarter on January 24.