We should probably state right at the start at we at Wearable Tech Insider are not particularly dog people, although we totally respect those who are. And so it would be wrong for us to make fun of a product like Whistle, which is a fitness tracker for Fido (an uncommon name with an interesting history that you probably don’t know. But we digress…).
Whistle does what Fitbit does — track movement and activity — but for dogs. It syncs either through your own cell phone (dogs not being widely known for smartphone ownership) or through previously set-up WiFi networks, like at a kennel.
Owners can use the Whistle software to track their dog’s food intake and medication, and can add photos and take notes. For a pet being rehabbed, or one that’s simply overweight, this is a perfectly good idea. With Americans spending an estimated $55.5 Billion on their pets in 2013, this is not the worst market in the world, snarky blog posts aside.
But what this thing really needs is geofencing and geolocation — a “find My iPhone” or “Find Friends” for your pet. How much would it be worth to know when your pet has escaped where you expect it to be, and where it might have gotten itself to?
Whistle costs $129.99, and doesn’t include a collar.
