At the risk of stirring the pot with all the angry posters, my wife and I have had a security camera for years to watch our cats and tortoise when we travel
In part it is to check on the person we have who comes to feed them and also to just see them.
Have to look into these other features like treats and toys
Thank you Times for the article.
13
"Surely a pet cam was the answer."
Really? What was the question? There is nothing in the article that revealed how Rocket no longer chews pillows or gnaws on couches or drinks all the gin.
There really is one born every minute, and I'm not talking about the four-legged ones.
So you pay $300 and $10/month for a large drop in productivity while watching your dog act entirely predictably while trying to make it do tricks for a remote audience, usually unsuccessfully.
Sorry, there's no convincing spin that could make me see the value of this.
16
I don't think it would be kind to play audio that makes my dogs think I'm present when I'm not. I can't see that doing anything but unsettling them. They are used to the pattern of being walked, being left and to me coming back. From a dog viewpoint where does my disembodied voice come in?
Imagine regularly arriving home, standing outside the door, raising your voice to greet your dog then walking away without opening the door to let it see and smell you? How would that be a positive experience for the dog? What's the chance that it will improve its behaviour?
22
So if you leave something delectable too close to the edge this will let you know which of your two dogs is the (kitchen) counter terrorist and if the other is guilty after the fact.
6
Your labradoodle needs exercise! A good dog is a tired dog.
11
Don't get a pet cam. Get a life instead.
32
Amen...
7
Simply doesn't require much surveillance to know what my cats do during the day.
13
Not sure that I really want to know what the beagles are up to when I'm gone. Perhaps it is better that some things remain a mystery.
11
I can’t stop smiling from this! And unlike a lot of product reviews, I have no interest in it - even though I do have the most precious dog around.
It’s a terrific change from my usual frustration with the news of the day.
Rocket sounds like winner.
7
This is the weirdest combination of dog neglect and cloying dog obsession ever.
22
Most of my (enjoyable) conversation with my cats is about what they were doing while I was out. Why would I need a machine to make that unnecessary?
34
I've rescued dogs with terrible habits, including fear biting and separation anxiety. I work long hours, but still managed to take my rescues from crazy dogs to good dogs on one principle: a tired dog is a good dog. Two long walks, morning and night, plus agility class one night a week and every Saturday. It's like every relationship - are you willing to devote yourself or not?
48
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”
26
Dunno about you kids, but if I were home alone and a red laser dot appeared near me, I might also lose a little urine.
39
How much gadgetry and life rearrangement is necessary before people stop to reflect on whether they are even fit to have a pet in the first place?
28
What a waste! Helicopter parenting becoming helicopter pet owner. I have a dog and let the dog be a dog. Sure she doesn’t destroy my home but if it did I had the option of being a pet owner or not.
The moment I brought my poodle home I signed up for being a servant to my dog, and that was just fine. She’s a great master!
One thing is certain. I will never, ever, have Alexa or any other spying device inside my home, only for everything I do to become part of Amazon or Google or some hacker.
23
Dogs are social creatures, probably more so than people. If you want your dog to be happy when you're away I suggest you go to the nearest shelter and rescue a second dog as a companion.
45
For goodness sake, people, put this time, money, caring, and technology into helping people get off the streets. Please. I doubt they'd be any harder or your furniture and finances - and you wouldn't seem like such silly humans to your, uh, "pets."
9
Lasers are not good toys for dogs. There is evidence that dogs, particularly young dogs, engaging in light chasing games (flashlight, laser, reflections from metal or glass) can develop OCD behaviors.
Though I am unaware of a definitive study, the risk to your dog outweighs the benefit. It will be difficult for a controlled study to be done. Exposing a large number of dogs intentionally to something that will cause them to engage in a lifetime of repetitive behavior is ethically very questionable. However, the question “Has you dog ever engaged in light or laser chasing games” is asked if a dog is brought in for treatment of OCD behavior.
Claudia
Train This Dog
Georgia
7
Today’s feature in “white people problems”.... there are ways to get some help! Spend your money on dog daycare or find a reliable dog walker. And if you can’t fulfill the needs of large or active breeds, you can always try to find them a better home! I have two pit bulls and love dogs but some pockets of the “dog people” can be under-socialized and overbearing. What’s next - joint therapy sessions for both pets and owners? Maybe that’s where the money should be spent...
15
first world top 1% problem
12
Spend real time with your pet. Nothing replaces that,ever.
22
No need for another device sold by the Amazon monopoly. Our dog (Husky) gets 3 walks a day, sleeps outside in her house all the time. She is the happiest dog I've ever known.
14
when i see heartbreaking pictures of children dying of starvation in parts of the world I am appalled at the ways we spend our money. in the US today it seems that certain political persuasions are eager to take away any healthcare protections from their fellow americans. i dearly love dogs and I say yours needs outdoor exercise. Walk your dog. Supply toys.Your animal will get very fat from all those treats. Cats normally sleep up to 20 hours a day. All of our gagetry contributes to global warning.
33
@sharon ehrhardt. Right. This is just another of a multitude of indications that there is an awful lot of money in the world, and a lot of it is squandered on stuff and monthly fees. It's no wonder the savings rate is so low, and people with otherwise healthy incomes are stressed about money.
1
I sure hope people have saved enough money to buy what really matters to a dog who's stuck home alone for 8 or 9 hours a day - a great dog walker!
33
Wyze cams are about $20, pretty easy to connect, give you sound and motion alerts and have a microphone feature so that you can speak to the dog(s) and stop them from destroying your home or your neighbors' sanity. Lifesavers with two feral rescues who'd never lived indoors. Even with four hours of active exercise a day, plenty of toys, attention and on hands training, there will be issues.
You folks being critical have never done dog rescue. When the choice is acclimate to a new home or be at a kill shelter, this is hardly a poor option for people. But it doesn't have to cost a fortune and it isn't entertainment or a substitute for training, exercise or attention.
The NYT doesn't have to recommend ridiculously expensive options and readers don't have to assume that everyone using a camera to monitor dogs is pathologically addicted to technology or the NSA.
Really.
26
@KKW
Very well said. I kept asking myself why no greater comparison was being done with the avalanche of home monitoring cameras already on the market.
Really, aren't they all the same?
8
More importantly people do this to their kids...I cannot imagine what that level of surveillance does to a young person.
On another note, Pet Owners, please note that if you have a solo pet at home they are profoundly lonely. You are at work all day. Get them a companion!
15
People get these designer dogs as a fashion accessory and sometimes have limited interest or appreciation for the dog as an actual sentient being with an emotional life and real intelligence. It’s so disconnected from what the animal-human bond can be. Yes, the dog (or cat) needs a companion, a fellow creature. Always adopt two!
13
Either me or my wife comes home to make sure my dog is never alone for more than 4 hours. We’ve been doing it for 15 great years. That’s what a responsible pet owner should do, or leave at some kind of doggy daycare.
10
I got one of those pet cams a few weeks ago to watch the cat when I am away.
Well I got really sad about what I saw - the cat sleeps for the most of the day, of course, but every evening, after waking up, he just sits there, looking at the door, patiently. It is the sweetest thing and the saddest- he can sit there for hours, just waiting for my return.
Sometimes I go out of town on weekends, that means I won’t be home after work like usual. Then I saw him, still sitting there, until he got tired and took a quick nap. then after that he first thing he does is to check my bed to see if i returned while he was sleeping. I started hiring cat sitters when I have to leave for more than a day. And every afternoon at work I worry about him and want to go home early just to hug him.
So, be warned before you push the buy button.
Also - if you are getting pet sitters, let them know you have a pet cam and they can turn it off when they arrive.
49
Please do not have a solitary cat if you are away all day and some weekends. Why not get your cat a cat friend?
14
It’s odd to see an old Yamaha receiver like that without a ton of wires coming out of the back. It’s at just the right height for the cat to spray too.
11
@John Doe That lovely Yamaha receiver is exactly where my eye went, too. In the 1980s, I had a Harmon Kardon -- that I miss sometimes.
3
Buy one on EBay and enjoy music again
1
@John Doe That caught my eye right away, as well. I still have my Fisher (sounds wonderful) & my husband still has his McIntosh (even better).
1
I can see how these devices would be enjoyable for people living with cats and dogs, especially if they work long hours or when away on vacations, but the two-way communication option might not be much of a thrill for dogs, whose sense of smell is far more interesting to them than sight.
16
Answer: YES!
Why everything has to be vicarious escapes me!
3
@The HouseDog. Haven't your heard? Virtual is "awesome."
All these "just download the app" reviews should include the product's privacy policy so you know how much information about your life is being peddled to anyone and everyone.
20
WYZE cam... $20 a pop... Not perfect but at this price... Wireless, Has IR, Movement detection, Sound detection. HD video. Newer versions swivel.
Thanks fer investigating hi-lo options...
3
@Tim
absolutely, i got the $30 version which pans,tilts, zooms and, i believe, has two way comms as well (never used it)
2
Why can’t the dogs call their buddies on these devices?
13
What I'm seeing in the comments is that so many owners are subordinate to their pets. Just like children, animals are not born with good manners and social skills. they need to be trained. That said, I don't need a pet-cam, I know what my cats do all day-- they sleep!
4
Why do I feel that I have to check the bedroom, etc. of any Airbnb I stay at so the weirdo owners aren’t spying on me or anyone whose house I am in...come on, no one has thought about that?
22
Thinking about outsourcing your life? now there's an app for that ...
5
Maybe the author should consider getting Rocket trained? Maybe Rocket's owners need some training?
11
If the cat is listening to the vintage 70s era receiver, that’s cool! If he’s using it as a litter box? NOT COOL!
3
@Michael FREMER I noticed the old receiver first. But that cat really needs a turntable to go along with that Yamaha. ;-)
5
If Rocket is actually (and not just for purposes of this article) spending so much time indoors that cameras are needed to monitor and entertain him, a better name choice for the sedentary behavior you wish he had is "Potato" - or jazz it up Quayle-style and say "Potatoe".
3
The comments are at least as amusing as the products described. All readers owned by pets have many treats for thought.
6
"Ever since our labradoodle, Rocket, arrived on the scene earlier this year, our furniture has taken a beating. Sofa corners have been gnawed, throw pillows have been destroyed and sisal baskets have become chew toys. And this all happened while someone was at home to supervise him."
Good grief, if these acts occurred while someone was at home supposedly supervising Rocket, the best move was sacking that person. The money saved from that decision could easily make any of the suggested spy cameras/devices affordable.
I don't know about Rocket, but I do know my Fred (the cat). He is not only smarter than my husband and me, combined, he is also more creative when it comes to finding things to do and destroy. We have (or should I say "had") that silly Alexa. After Fred heard her "meow" just once, he promptly walked over to it and knocked it off the shelf and unto the floor. . . where he then began to play hockey with the scattered pieces on the floor.
My husband and I are doomed. But on the bright side, anything really valuable and/or breakable are in a locked glass cabinet. We hid the key so Fred doesn't find and use it as an additional hockey puck. We love our Fred. He makes us laugh, he cuddles and purrs and melts our heart. What's a few "broken in" pieces of furniture in the grand scheme of things?
Most home furnishings are replaceable. Fred is not.
60
@Marge Keller Now I see what happened to our first cat when he died. He was reincarnated as Fred.
30
@Bob R
Nice to meet a relative of Fred. He is in exquisite hands with more love than any animal has ever been showered with.
9
I wish they had tested these devices on cats. They behave very differently.
8
I thank the universe every day for granting me telework so I can be home every day with my cats. But were I still working an hour's drive away, I would seriously consider the PetCube.
6
I know most of the people commenting think these products are silly but as a single person, living in a shared residence, this is something that I have been considering recently. My dog has difficulty controlling his barking and often doesn't stop until I tell him to do so. It worries me that he is driving everyone crazy while I'm out a work. I have a dog walker come periodically through the week but I think one of these products will fill the gap and provide peace of mind. I appreciate the reviews and think my elderly dog will appreciate the attention and treats.
14
@Jennie
A bark training collar would be a better investment!
3
Rocket needs more mental and physical activity. He's bored. I work full time and have two rescues. The best thing I ever did was have a dog walker come every day. They get exercise, interaction and my domicile remains intact. They love the dog walker and I don't need more tech to frustrate me.
78
I agree 100%! Dogs are social animals who need a fair amount of contact with other animals, including their people. Anyone who can afford a dog walker should hire one because it greatly improves the dog’s life. If a walker is not affordable, then perhaps you can barter with someone for walks, or even work it out to leave your dog at a friend’s while you go to work. I did that in NYC and it was great for both dogs. The friend lived in my building and dropped off her dog every day on her way to work.
Cats, in spite of jokes about aloofness, need contact, too!
13
My friends Rotti is obsessed with shadows because his kids teased him with laser pointer when he was a puppy. Laser pointers should NEVER be used with animals.
26
Thank you for pointing this out
3
If you think it's ok to lock a dog in a crate for 8 hours a day then I guess it's ok to lock your kid in the closet while you're out. If you can't take care of a animal properly don't get one.
79
I can’t believe this ever needs to be said, but here we are: PETS AND KIDS ARE NOT EQUALS.
5
My SimpliSafe camera does this for $100 for the camera. Monitoring for the alarm system is under $25 a month without a contract.
2
I like the cat but I am so in love with that vintage Yamaha receiver!
9
Back when that receiver was made, manufacturers made ‘dummy’ or empty units for store display, and people who do promotional photo shoots continue to use them as props, along with theoretically appropriate furniture, stacks of books, etc. Just hope that white cat isn’t taxidermy.
There is, though, a Japanese robot cat that looks pretty much like that, in heavy use in homes for the aged. Talking to your robot pet over the ‘net...that’s forward thinking.
2
@Marat 1784
Thanks ,yes I remember those HiFi props and you may be correct that" my Yamaha" ,might be just that. I still use my old hand wired Dynaco' Amps'.
I also still prefer my animal's be real and unlike music non reproducible as the real thing.
1
Those amps were and are great. A “re-cap” can make them even better!
If your dog is tearing things up it is because he is bored. How about addressing the problem.
73
I spent less than $40 on my Faleemi HD WiFi IP Camera. Works just fine. I tap it on my phone and can watch and listen - and join in - as my dog tears the condo apart.
5
Just ordered it! Thanks!
1
All those gadgets are a great example of money and human creativity going to the dogs. We are one sick society.
16
Since dogs often care more about what they smell than what they see, I think a device that could dispense different odors might be of greater interest. Their favorite might be garbage odor.
25
@David
I read somewhere that dogs take in more information through their noses than we do with our eyes.
5
That’s right. Dogs have about 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans.
I wish there was something like this (or at least a spy camera) to see what housecoats are up to.
3
Product is named ‘Cloak and Dogger’
15
We need one of these in the White House, the one that dispenses treats for good behavior! Things are regularly getting destroyed there too.
154
It's bad enough that there are people (well men mostly) who are secretly watching porn at work, thus not being very productive. Add to that a new group of people obsessing over their pets at work or school.
At least you might finally have proof that "the dog ate my homework"!
5
@Ron Brown
That is a very...specific...concern, Ron.
6
I'd rather spend the money on doggie daycare or mid-day walkers for a younger active dog. Using technology to interact with a pet seems cruel to me. My two mutts are now small and old; whole days go by occupied by naps on the couch interrupted periodically by barkfests for deliveries, etc.
But then I also had zero interest in web cam access to monitor my kids in day care back in the day.
44
@Tamara
I don't know why but your comment was my favorite. I spit my coffee out when I read the line, "naps on the couch [are] interrupted periodically by barkfests for deliveries, etc." I recall (not fondly nor heartwarmingly) the howl and yelp of our dogs whenever the doorbell rang.
11
I don't know what is more dumbfounding, the obsessive behavior of pet owners , or the escalation of technology to accommodate this obsession.
I guess the bottom line is: The desires of people with disposable income will stimulate the development of products to provide objects to purchase with that disposable income.
Marketing 101.
52
@elained
Yeah, it's so beyond the pale to be curious about what your pets do while you're not home.
It's the end of civilization, the sky is falling the sky is falling!
20
@elained There are perfectly good reasons for non-obsessive pet owners to use cameras much less expensive that what the NYT recommends to safely care for dogs as they're trained to acclimate to a new environment. I don't have unlimited means, I rescue feral and abused adult dogs and having the ability to be alerted to barking, danger or anxiety enables me to calm dogs down with my voice or correct problems. When the choice is monitoring via camera while acclimating dogs or them ending up on death row, it isn't being a victim of marketing. It's being kind, compassionate and improving the life of animals that otherwise haven't had a very good life.
14
These (we have a Furbo) all suffer from one issue: great for a single room with no furniture, but literally useless otherwise. So, for these to be useful, one would need to keep the pet in a single room with line of sight availability from all angles.
4
Oh brave new world that has such devices in it!
9
I guess my main question is if you see your pet starting to chew on the corner of your oriental, for instance, does your voice telling your dog to stop it right now have any effect? Other than perhaps momentarily distracting him? I’m serious.
15
@Nancy
That depends on whether you trained your dog or not, doesn't it? Or was that a rhetorical question meant to highlight your failure to train your dog?
1
@asdjf, snarkiness aside, even if one has trained their pet, Nancy's question is still a good one! Dogs may respond well in person to their owner, but whether they will respond to an Internet, aural or video feed or command is an entirely different matter!
17
@asdfj, see Linda's comment below. Her dog was FREAKED out hearing her voice over one of these devices!
3
Does this device share all sorts of my personal information with eager businesses ? Does it monitor my conversations ? Will it turn out my dog is a Russian spy and will testify before congress. The more of these things we bring into our homes the more of our privacy we give away. Little "Blue" will be just fine while you are out.
22
I have a few plain old cameras around the house to watch my pets. Mostly, as others pointed out, they sleep.
I realize this has nothing to do with them and it's my problem. They are perfectly fine whether I watch them or I don't. They don't need special treat times or me talking to them when I'm not there.
I'd rather they associate fun time with human interaction, not a machine.
38
We are cat staff and have a different product: Pawbo. It does everything the other products do. Pawbo also has a chirping sound that can (but doesn't always) attract one or both of our cats to the camera's location.
What none of these cameras can do, of course, is to convince cats to do anything they don't want to do at any specific point in time.
54
I fail to see how being able to watch your dog destroy your furniture when you're not home gives you "peace of mind"!
98
Joan, LOL! I nominate your post as the most wry one of the day!
16
Well, at least you're not surprised when you come home.
6
reminds me of an English TV show where they attached GPS sensors to cats to track their movements - and found many were putting on weight because they'd step next door or to other houses for second or third mealtimes - meow !
and that some roamed wide - alpha cats - and one did not stray outside their yard because another alpha cat patrolled the borders ... ooh scary
one was a thief - going out at night and stealing ladies underwear or whatever - to bring back to deposit as 'gifts' to their owners front door or such - ah - lovely - now STOP DOING THAT !
33
I liked the way they seemed to have a timeshare going on. “Oh, 4pm, time to patrol the neighbourhood, eat the food and scentmark everything now Mr Sprinkles from No.5 has finished his shift. Better hurry if I’m to finish by the 6pm handover to Moriarty in No.2”.
18
Say, your neighbors do NOT appreciate your letting your cats roam the neighborhood! They dig up plants, do their business in other people's yards and gardens, stalk birds at our bird feeders, get into loud noisy fights with other cats in the middle of the night, etc.
Plus, they bring back diseases, fleas, and pests into your own home, so, for gosh sakes, keep them indoors! We've also seen them shivering on the front stoops of their homes, or rain soaked, meowing and no one lets them in.
So, letting your cats roam free is a travesty, unneighborly, and even cruel.
22
@Frank
You’ve trained them well!
I have a Nest, which I use to monitor my dogs while I'm at work. Though they get out a couple of times a day with their dog walker, it's comforting to know that I can look in on them to ensure they are ok.
However, I NEVER use the talking option - I tried that once when my male was a young adult and it FREAKED him out.
14
The article left out an important feature of Furbo- it allows you to play a recording of your voice before it pops out treats. My Furbo says to my dog "Good girl Bella, here are some treats!" She loves Furbo and it comes in handy when run an errand in the neighborhood or go to the gym and pitch her treats to keep her from getting anxious. It works great
16
The Petcam has been great to check on our cats when we are away and for the kids when they miss them in college. I completely agree with Kelli on the laser pointer and I would add the voice feature. Both were very upsetting for the kitties.
6
My dogs don't want to be watched unless I am in the same room with them. Then they can either compete with each other for affection or both demand it from me.
1
Laser pointers can cause behavioral issues for dogs, including frustration and anxiety. PetCube seems interesting, but the laser pointer is not a great feature for one’s pet.
28
@Kelli Frostad Hi Kelli! This is Anna from Petcube Team. Petcube is not about the laser alone and it can be easily disabled in the settings. Your pet needs some physical feedback to feel accomplished in catching the prey so it is strongly recommended to use various physical toys apart from the laser toy. You can always check what's going on in your place, talk to your pet, take cute photos and share them with your pet lovers community.
I'm speechless! Hard to believe. I can imagine a few places for these cameras that must be in the plans but I will refrain from mentioning them. The technology addiction spreads!
26