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We’re pretty sure you’ve heard of fitness trackers for humans – and chances are you’re wearing one on your wrist right now! – but did you know that there are similar devices for pets? Yup, you and your dog can track your steps together. Pet fitness trackers usually attach to a collar and can track activity level and – depending on the brand – compare your pet’s activity level with those of the same breed, monitor caloric intake, and give stats on overall health. (Bonus: Many include GPS trackers, so if your pet gets separated from you while wearing their collar, you can easily find them.)
That’s a lot of information, but is it really helpful? Considering the statistics regarding just how many dogs and cats are obese – data from the Association for Pet Obesity Protection reports more than half of all cats and dogs in America are obese! – knowing just how active (or inactive) your pet actually is can be truly eye-opening.
Most devices track varied intensity throughout your pet’s day – from aerobic ball chasing to a resting snooze on the couch. The surprise can come when you see just how little exercise your dog gets hanging out in the backyard. Most of the time, they’re relaxing, not running around.
Also helpful can be long-term data trends. If your cat used to race around the house for 10 minutes every morning, and now isn’t moving much at all, or your dog used to chase the ball for 20 minutes before getting tired, and now it’s only five, you should probably see your veterinarian.
Bottom line? Almost all of us could use more exercise –even our pets. And a fitness tracker can certainly provide the hard data to back up whether your pet is getting – and staying – fit.
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