‘Love me, love my dog’… or cat, iguana, pot-bellied pig – people’s affections towards their pets are often deep and sometimes oddly obsessive with everything in their lives revolving around their furry/feathered/scaly friends. And retailers are aware of this as a whole array of gadgets and gizmos are hitting the shelves, manufactured for pets yet aimed towards the heartstrings and pockets of their owners.
A dog owner would typically have the basic necessities for their canine companion such as a water bowl, a dry food bowl, a biscuit bowl, collar and lead, and possibly a toy or two. Accommodation arrangements like a kennel or basket are also often available. Dogs don’t actually need any of these things – they’re happy enough to eat off the floor as long as food is available and they don’t need a collar and lead to go for a walk, they can easily take themselves; however, all these accessories are important to the owner to show that the dog is theirs and that they are willing to spend money on their beloved pooch.
Now, there are regular, pet store-bought dog collars that have space for name engraving and then there are extravagant, techie collars such as the wireless dog collar that will soon be available in American stores.
With most Americans already connected to each other via their mobile phones, it was only a matter of time before they were able to also be connected to their pets using the same technology, which is exactly what the wireless dog collar does. If a pet wearing this collar walks away from its owner the collar will send a text message or email to alert the owner that their pet has wandered. It can also be used to continuously track a pet – could this be a new form of cyber-stalking emerging? Whilst the dog collar is set to go on sale shortly, there’s no word as to how much being constantly in touch with your pet will set you back.
However, if knowing your pet’s location at all times isn’t detailed enough for you, then the Pets Eye View Camera could satisfy your voyeuristic tendencies. This digital collar camera is small and durable with a 640 x 480 resolution for 4″ x 6″ prints of all your pet sees during its escapades. With a storage capacity of 35 photos the results are likely to be floor tiles and anything no higher than a few inches; however, you’ll definitely feel like you’re a greater part of your pawed-friend’s world.
If you’re more of a cat lover and dog collars just don’t do it for you, don’t despair because feline-related gadgets are also available and could just be what you’re after. Take, for example, the Control-a-Cat Remote Control which allows you to do just that – control your cat. The animals that are renowned for being stand-offish and masters of their house are about to experience a dramatic role-reversal with these gadgets as, by pointing the remote control at them they can supposedly be made to “Stop Scratching”, “Show Affection” and “Remain Aloof” amongst others – there are 21 novelty buttons available. For those dog owners who believe that the previously mentioned wireless collar isn’t quite enough to keep their dog in check, there is also a Control-a-Dog Remote Control available with commands such as ‘Guard House’, ‘Attack’, ‘Stop That’ and ‘Come Back’. Apparently these devices only work with a lot of wishful thinking, or well-behaved pre-trained dogs.
If you’re a regular Dr. Doolittle surrounded by animals, taking them around together can be something of a headache; however, the solution is readily available for $269.95 plus shipping charges of $38.00 – the Double Decker Pet Stroller. Styled just like a baby stroller, the pet stroller is designed as two netted carrier sections positioned above each other to push along different pets in a comfortable manner without the chance of them getting at each other. With many people considering their pet to be their child, the thought process behind this carrier isn’t all that unbelievable.
And if you’re a true techie and want your dog to have the full interactive Apple experience, then you’ll want to buy it the iBone – yes, the iBone, a squeaky toy that’s bigger than the iPhone though smaller than the iPad and that will give your pup hours of squeaky, noisy fun, without the need for top-up vouchers or the App store. A regular squeaky ball would produce the same effect; it’s just not as cool.
So what’s next in line for pet technology? Perhaps an online chat room for pets which they’ll access from their specially designed laptops that will have different animal ‘languages’ with pre-set words like ‘Woof’ and ‘Growl’ or ‘Miaow’ and ‘Purr’ – far-fetched? Well, is anything nowadays?
Whilst your pet would probably appreciate an extra bag of treats more than a camera around their neck, pet gizmos are likely to increase in popularity as people become more gadget-oriented and obsessed with owning the latest tech trends. Just don’t forget the food and water for them.
![shutterstock_48368068[1]](http://www.contentforsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/shutterstock_483680681-300x200.jpg "Pet Gadgets")
‘Love me, love my dog’… or cat, iguana, pot-bellied pig – people’s affections towards their pets are often deep and sometimes oddly obsessive with everything in their lives revolving around their furry/feathered/scaly friends. And retailers are aware of this as a whole array of gadgets and gizmos are hitting the shelves, manufactured for pets yet aimed towards the heartstrings and pockets of their owners.
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Our current obsessions with the environment, the world ending and the ozone layer having as many holes in it as our kitchen sieve leads to several terms and jargon being bounced around, which we may not always understand. One of these terms is carbon footprint.
![shutterstock_18751375[1]](http://www.contentforsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/shutterstock_187513751-300x199.jpg "Beach Gadgets")
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a sandy beach on a hot summer’s day where you’d find a suitable area halfway between the shore and the ice-cream van, not too close to that noisy family; erect your umbrella, lay out the deck chairs and place the cooler strategically in the shade. Once that was done it was either go straight into the sea or sunbathe listening to the accompanying beach sounds of chatting, laughing and the waves lapping on the shore. At a certain time you’d get out your small radio to listen to the Sunday football results – the only gadget that you needed to take with you.
You’re lying on your comfortable sun lounger looking at an inviting sparkling blue sea as a light breeze drifts through the air making the bright sunshine comfortable to relax in; you’ve got a long, cool drink in one hand, while the other rests behind your head, you’re feeling totally relaxed and you think “This is the best vacation that I’ve ever been on.” In reality, your work deadlines, kids’ school exams and ash cloud, not to mention your fear of flying, are all keeping you grounded and the closest that you’re getting to a sparkling blue sea is a Saturday afternoon at Mellieha Bay before the tourists hit the scene.