Best smart home devices for pet owners

The Furbo 360° Dog Camera is the best way to both keep an eye on and entertain your pet while you’re away from home. It has several impressive smart features, like night vision, barking alerts, and a treat dispenser which can all be controlled via the app.

Being away from your dog doesn't mean you have to slack on their training. Little Fido’s treats can be scheduled or used as a training reward, so you can ask them to perform all of their regular tricks using the two-way audio. 

Our favourite thing about the Furbo 360° Dog Camera is that it uses AI technology to tell you exactly what your pet is doing. You’ll get alerts when your furry family member starts barking, howling, or whimpering, as the 1080p camera tracks them around the room. 

If you can do without the expensive subscription and treat throwing mechanism, the Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K Pan and Tilt is worth considering. While it doesn't have pet-specific sound alerts or a treat dispenser, it does have 2K video capture, automatic motion tracking, and two-way audio. You can also pan the lens 360° horizontally or 96° vertically to get a clearer view of where your mischievous little cat has run off to. 

Our favourite part of the Eufy Security Indoor Cam 2K Pan and Tilt is that it's smart home integrated, and can be used with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. Even though you do lose the ability to pan and tilt the camera in HomeKit, we still love that it’s an option. 

There are three main components every smart pet door should have:

• Microchip or smart pet detection to reduce the chance of stray visitors
• A corresponding app to monitor your pet’s activity 
• A pet memory feature so multiple pets can be registered

The SureFlap Microchip Connect Pet Door is fortunate enough to have all of the above. The microchip reader detects when your pet uses the door and sends a notification straight to your phone. It's compatible with most microchips, can store up to 32 pet identities, and can be remotely configured to ensure your pet can come inside but not go back out. You can even enforce a curfew and keep the door locked after a specific time using the Sure Petcare app. 

The Dogness Wide View Cam Pet Feeder is one of the best automatic pet feeders we’ve come across. With the free Dogness app, you can adjust your pet’s feeding times or create a personalised feeding plan. This is perfect if you’re leaving your pet(s) at home for a few days, and want to have the peace of mind they’ll be well-fed without forking out for a sitter.

The feeder, which can fit about 4L of dry food, can schedule up to 20 meals a day (not that you’ll need that many). A reminder will be sent to your phone when your pet’s food needs to be topped up or when you’ve scheduled a feeding.

At mealtime, your pets can be fed remotely or manually with the press of a button. You can also use the feeder to play a voice recording – which is ideal if your dog is one that’s trained to accept food after a command. 

The Tractive is the ideal GPS tracker for every pet. Tractive is durable, waterproof, and built to withstand whatever your adventurous pet throws at it. It not only tracks your pet’s location, but monitors their fitness and sleep stats, comparing their overall health to other pets of the same age and breed. 

It can last up to 10 days on a single charge, and the subscription service covers all fees with the built-in SIM card. The basic plan gives you access to regular location updates and wellness features like activity and sleep tracking. Expect to pay $20 per month when you choose monthly billing, or $12 a month billed yearly.

What we love about Tractive is that it's made specifically for cats and dogs alike. Some tracking collars or devices can be too bulky for pets that have slim bodies and necks, but this isn't the case with Tractive.

While having a tracker on your pet might be a bit annoying for them in the first place, Tractive makes it easy to get used to with its lightweight design.

The WellToBe Cat Water Fountain is perhaps one of the boujiest water fountains you could buy for your pet. It filters and purges your pet’s drinking water of any fur or outside debris, so you can ensure their water is as clean as yours. This debris is directed into the filter, which then needs to be rinsed out under running water. 

It’s made of BPA-free material and contains a 5,000mAh rechargeable battery so it be used wirelessly. At 25dB, it's incredibly quiet, which is ideal if you have a senior cat or dog that can get startled by loud noises. 

The fountain has three modes. A continuous mode, one that intermittently dispenses water, and a sensor mode, that detects when your pet approaches and dispenses water for them.