In my last blog post, I talked about what dog monitors are, how they work, and why they are important. At the end of it, I promised that I would be discussing a few dog monitors in my next post, so here we are.
One of the most popular dog monitors is the Furbo Dog Monitor. They are so popular that they have appeared on big platforms like The Ellen Show, Wired, CNBC, Business Insider, BuzzFeed, POPSUGAR, and TechCrunch.
But what is a Furbo Dog Monitor, and what makes it so unique? Continue reading to learn all about and get three cheaper alternatives if the price tag is a bit too high for your budget.
I have gone through many reviews to bring you all of the information that you need to know about the Furbo Dog Monitor. Let us start by talking about the Furbo Dog Monitor’s features before we discuss why people like or dislike this innovative product.
Table of Contents
What are the features of the Furbo Dog Monitor?
The camera: This probably one of the most important things one should check out and read properly about before purchasing a dog monitor.
The camera of the Furbo dog monitor is a 1080p Full HD Camera that also has night vision, which means that you will be able to see your dog if the sun sets and you left no lights turned on before you left home.
This camera allows you to live stream video what’s happening at home, thus allowing you to monitor and check up on your four-legged best friend from your phone with a one hundred and sixty (160) degree wide-angle view. You can also zoom in up to four times (4x)!
The Audio: The Furbo dog monitor is capable of sending audio both ways. This means that not only can you listen to what is happening back home but also your dog can hear you if you choose to talk to them while you are away and they are home alone.
It has a barking alert feature, where Furbo’s barking sensor is capable of detecting your dog’s barking. The barking sensor is going to send you a push notification on your smartphone, allowing you to calm down your dog by just using the application on your phone.
Treat dispenser: One feature that makes Furbo’s Dog Monitor stand out from the majority of the competition in the world of pet monitoring is that it also doubles as a treat dispenser.
Yes, you can actually toss your dog a treat using the Furbo application, which is available for free on both Android and iOS.
You can toss them a treat and play with them during your lunch break, which is great for both of you.
One of the reviews I have read was from someone who purchased this specifically for their deployed girlfriend. They got the Furbo Dog camera so their girlfriend could talk to and play with their dog while she was living in a completely different continent
I guess this is a great tool to have for people who travel often and are forced to leave their beloved dogs with family members, friends, or dog sitters. This way, they can actually talk to and play with their dogs even when they are away.
You can fill the Furbo Dog Camera with over one hundred pieces (100 pieces) of treats that your furry friend love. The treats should be round shaped and have a diameter that is about 0.4 inches.
A few of the treats the Furbo recommends are the following:
- Natural Balance Mini-Rewards
- Zuke’s Mini
- Crazy Dog Train-Me Mini
- Nutro Mini
Setting up the Furbo Dog camera
Of course, a good Wifi signal and a stable internet connection are recommended, so the Furbo Dog Camera performs best.
Setting up the Furbo Dog Camera is pretty simple. All you have to do is the following:
- First, plug the Furbo Dog Camera to a power outlet via the USB cord.
- Next, download the free Furbo application on your smartphone.
- Then, connect it you your house’s wifi
That’s easy, right?
A huge selling point that the company is using to sell this dog camera product is that it is vet and dog training professional approved.
They claim that five thousand (5K) professionals combined approve of this specific dog monitoring device. A statement follows these claims that more than one hundred dogs’ ( 100 dogs’) lives were saved thanks to Furbo.
Usually, when I hear claims like “this product is approved by professionals”, I get a bit skeptical.
For example, some skincare products mention that their product is dermatologist tested or how toothpaste companies say that their toothpaste is the number one recommended toothpaste by dentists. Such claims are so vague and mind-boggling because how come everyone is number one?
Who exactly are those “professionals”, and should that be really something that makes us consumers feel a little bit more assured? In my opinion, the answer is no.
We do not really know the names of the vets and professional dog trainers who approve Turbo; however, the client stories regarding how this device save over one hundred dogs’ lives
If you go to their websites, you will be able to read some of the stories on how this dog camera managed to save the lives of many furry friends whether it was a dog chewing on a choking hazard or a dog barking because of the fire alarm going off.
This definitely makes this dog monitoring tool seem essential, but does it have to be this specific one? Would not the other dog monitoring gadgets be able to do the same thing?
Maybe, but apparently, what makes Furbo really stand out is that it has an adjustable barking alert, as well as the two-way audio feature. In fact, it has three different real-time smart alerts. These real-time smart alerts are the following:
- The Person Alert
- The Dog Activity Alert
- The Dog Selfie Alert
The Person Alert: If a person comes into the view of the camera, you will get notified on your phone. Many intruders were caught on the Furbo Dog Camera, so that is a very unique feature.
A regular security camera will be able to record the intruders coming in, but while you are away from home, are you really going to spend all of your time keeping an eye on what is happening back at your home?
Of course not. So the fact that you get a notification on your phone when something as alerting as an intruder coming into the frame is very innovative and helpful!
PS: If you have left your dog with someone at home, then the majority of the notification you are going to get are probably not that alarming since it is just your friend, partner, dog sitter, or family member.
The Dog Activity Alert: This is an alert that you are going to receive when Furbo detects your dog’s movements, whether they are jumping on the couch or chewing on something that is considered to be a choking hazard.
Not only does this feature allow you to see whether or not your dog is safe, but it is also great because it allows you to notice if your dog is suffering from separation anxiety.
If you want to learn more about separation anxiety in dogs and how to deal with that, then make sure you check out my Rescue Dog Separation Anxiety Training blog post.
The Dog Selfie Alert: This is not as useful as the previous two alert features, but it is still a cute touch. Furbo is capable of detecting when your dog’s precious face is facing the camera, and it actually takes a couple of cute selfies for you to swoon over.
Depending on what alerts you are interested in, you can choose which alerts to keep turned on and which ones you would like to turn off.
Unfortunately, these Smart alert services are not free; as in, you have to pay for these fantastic services on a subscription basis. The subscription also includes other things like cloud recording and a daily doggy diary.
When you first purchase the Furbo Camera, you get a free ninety-day (90 days) trial. But after that, you have to pay for the subscription, which is called the Furbo Dog Nanny.
The monthly and annual subscription vary depending on whether you are in the United States or Canada.
If you are living in the United States, then you will have to pay six dollars and ninety-nine cents (6.99 dollars) per month. Or, you can pay sixty-nine dollars for the entire year, which saves you about fourteen dollars and eighty-eight cents (14.88 dollars).
If you are living in Canada, then you will have to pay eight Canadian dollars and ninety-nine cents (8.99 CDN dollars) per month. Or, you can pay eighty-nine Canadian dollars for the entire year, which saves you about eighteen Canadian dollars and eighty-eight cents (18.88 Canadian dollars).
The Furbo Dog Nanny subscription is optional. Without it, in case you decided to forgo purchasing the subscription once the trial is over, you will still be able to talk to and see your dogs, toss them some treats, and receive the Barking Alerts.
However, I honestly feel like if you do not intend on paying for the subscription, then you are better off buying another dog camera because the Furbo Dog Nanny is what makes this product so unique.
Yes, the product should not be so expensive if you have to pay for monthly subscriptions, but this is not Utopia, and the founders of this company are smart business people.
Nevertheless, you are paying for a monthly subscription that is cheaper than hiring an actual dog sitter, and most importantly, you are keeping your pooch safe.
The Furbo Dog Nanny is always progressing and developing new features that are going to ensure that your dog is safe when they are home alone.
They have recently added a significant feature, which is the Home Emergency Alerts. This includes carbon monoxide alert, fire alert, and so much more.
They are currently working on a Dog Emergency Alert, so as you can see, they are always expanding their services that ensure your pooch’s safety.
Let us some up the features of the Furbo Dog Nanny Subscription:
- You get real-time smart alerts, which means that unlike the dog cameras that mostly only send your motion and sound alerts, you only get important notifications related to your dog’s safety.
- You get the event-triggered cloud recording feature, which allows you to go back and see what you have missed while you were gone or even help you figure out what caused your dog to bark or panic.
- You get the Doggie Diary feature, which shows you your four-legged best friend’s highlights in only one minute. You also get the option to download and save that diary entry in your photo album.
In my opinion, real-time smart alerts are the reason why people should get the subscription. The other features are still helpful, but definitely not worth spending that much money to get them.
You know what, the event-triggered cloud recording is quite helpful as well, especially if your dog suffers from anxiety.
Overall, from what I have read, the Turbo Dog Monitor sounds like a significant investment and is worth the hype it is receiving. If you are interested in purchasing it, then click here.
However, I understand how this could be a costly purchase, especially since the price does not include the Furbo Dog Nanny Subscription. That is why I have decided to look for cheaper alternatives to this innovative dog camera!
Three cheaper alternatives to the Furbo Dog Monitor
The Turbo Dog Monitor though great, is a bit too pricey. So, here are three more affordable options that you could purchase instead of it:
The VINSION HD 1080p Pet Camera
Similarly to the Furbo Dog Camera, the VINSION HD 1080p Pet Camera is a 1080p Full HD Camera with night vision, has the two-way audio feature, has the smart motion detection feature, and is easy to setup.
Unlike the Furbo Dog Camera, the VINSION HD 1080p Pet Camera does not double as a treat dispenser. On the other hand, this dog camera has a three hundred and sixty panoramic view (360 degrees), unlike the Furbo Dog Camera that only has a one hundred and sixty degrees (160 degrees) view.
If you are not interested in having a treat dispenser for your pet to play with them when you are gone for long periods, and you are not considering paying for the Furbo Dog Nanny subscription, then getting the VINSIONHD 1080p Pet Camera would be a great, cheaper alternative.
If you are interested in getting the VINSION HD 1080p Pet Camera for your four-legged best friend, then click here.
The TOOGE Pet Camera
Similarly to the Furbo Dog Camera, the TOOGE Pet Camera has night vision, has the motion detection feature, the two-way audio feature, a mobile app that is available for iOS phones and Androids, and the ability to zoom in four times (4x)!
Unlike the Furbo Dog Camera, the TOOGE Pet Camera does not double as a treat dispenser. However, the TOOGE Pet Camera has horizontal three hundred and fifty degrees (350 degrees) and vertical eighty degrees (80 degrees )rotation features!
If you are not interested in having a treat dispenser for your pet to play with them when you are gone for long periods of time, and you are not considering paying for the Furbo Dog Nanny subscription, then getting the TOOGE Pet Camera would be another great and cheaper alternative.
If you are interested in purchasing the TOOGE Pet Camera, then click here.
The WOPET Smart Pet Camera
Similarly to the Furbo Dog Camera, the WopetSmart Pet Camera has a full HD Camera with night vision, a two-way audio feature, doubles as a treat dispenser, has a free iOS and android app, and is easy to set up.
Now, this smart dog camera is more expensive than the other two cheaper Furbo alternatives, but it is still cheaper than the Furbo Dog Camera. It is an excellent dupe of you do not intend on paying for the Furbo Dog Nanny Subscription.
Please note that that the app is compatible with Android 5.0 or iOS 7.0 and above. Your house’s wifi must have a 2.4 GHz frequency for it to work. Unfortunately, the 5 GHz won’t work.
If you are interested in getting this for your four-legged best friend, then click here.
That’s it for today’s post. You should now know the features of the four dog monitors that I have mentioned in this blog post.
Which dog monitor do you prefer, and do you believe that the Furbo dog monitor is overpriced? Would you pay for the Furbo Dog Nanny subscription?