If your two most constant companions are your smartphone and your dog, you’re not alone! Most of us here at Brit + Co. are tech and puppy obsessed, too—that’s basically why we decided to dedicate an entire section of our website to our furry friends and the cool gadgets made exclusively for them. So we’re throwing our fellow man a bone today with these 8 must-have apps made just for you: the tech-savvy dog owner. Now with just the swipe of a paw—uh, we mean a finger—you can ace the fundamentals of puppy parenting, find pet-friendly places nearby, and much more!
1. Puppy Coach 101 ($2.99 on iPhone): Puppy Coach 101 takes the headache out of training your new pup by breaking it down into nine easy-to-follow topics, like crate training and teaching sits, each with its own set of bite-sized, trainer-led instructional videos. You can keep track of your progress as you go by checking off successful topics—just don’t forget to print out your personalized diploma once your pooch passes the entire course!
2. MapMyDogwalk (Free for iPhone and Android): As one of MapMyWalk’s many activity tracking apps, MapMyDogwalk encourages both you and Fido to get a-movin’. Besides logging your route, the app tracks and displays time, distance, pace, speed, and elevation in real-time and calculates the calories you’ve burned on your walk. Since it has options to manually enter your workout data from other indoor activities, MapMyDogwalk might just be your new fave fitness app.
3. DoggyDatez (Free for iPhone and Android): Want to make new friends while you’re taking your pup for a walk? The location-based app DoggyDatez will help you socialize with other dog walkers who are also out and about. Keep it casual by marking your location within the app to see other nearby users, or get really aggro with its competitive “SkyJacking” feature that lets you virtually take over other users’ territories, making your daily walk more adventurous than you could’ve ever imagined.
4. Dog Park Finder Plus ($1.99 for iPhone): Dog Park Finder Plus is like the Yelp for dog owners searching for the perfect nearby puppy play place. View more than 6,000 dog-friendly parks, beaches, and interstate rest stops across the U.S. in map or list form, the latter of which shows vital stats like hours of operation, how much it costs to enter, and if it’s fenced-in or not. User-submitted photos and reviews make sure you get the inside scoop before you let your pooch set his paws inside the park.
5. BringFido (Free for iPhone): Travel easy with BringFido, an app that lets you search for pet-friendly hotels and lets you book your accommodations right then and there. Besides letting you filter your search by distance, popularity, rating, and price, the app also lays out each hotel’s pet policy so there are no last minute surprises at check-in (though if any problems pop up, BringFido’s customer service agents are just an email away). Once you’ve sorted your stay, search for dog-friendly restaurants, parks, and even dog-related events happening nearby.
6. The Fat Dog Diet (Free for iPhone): Make monitoring your pet’s diet less of a struggle with The Fat Dog Diet app, which acts like a digital food log for your dog. Once you’ve consulted your vet about your pooch’s weight loss goals, keep target numbers like food amounts and exercise times in one convenient place so you can help your companion safely shed those extra pounds.
7. Tagg (Free for iPhone and Android): We continue to gush over Tagg—and for good reason! In case your pet may ever dash away, the gadget and app work in tandem to locate your pet via GPS and direct you to its exact location. Lost dog freak outs are officially a thing of the past! The app also lets you monitor your dog’s everyday activity so you can make sure he’s as active as he needs to be.
8. Pet First Aid ($3.99 for iPhone and $2.99 for Android): Pet First Aid is like having a vet in your pocket. The app is rich with life-saving information, including detailed articles, video, and illustrations on how to effectively take care of everything from your pet’s mild cuts and sprains to more severe situations, like what to do if your dog is drowning or has eaten something poisonous. Whether you’re looking to brush up on the fundamentals of pet care or you’re caught in the midst of an emergency, you’ll be glad you have robust backup at your fingertips.
What are your go-to pet apps? Are there any must-haves we left off the list? Tell us in the comments below!