Article updated May 2019!
Have you ever wanted to know if it’s okay that your dog just ate the guacamole off the counter? Or maybe it’s 4am and your dog is throwing up and you wish you could speak to a vet ASAP? Well, like everything else, there’s an app for that! We’ve rounded up the best dog-related apps that every pup parent needs.
1. Because nothing says, “Happy Birthday/ Christmas/ Tuesday!” like your dog in a filter.
A post shared by BarkBox (@barkbox) on Dec 10, 2018 at 7:12pm PST
Price: Free
Why You Need It: Do the filters on social media apps fail to capture your pup’s beauty and quirk? Is your dog the muse of your holiday card every year? Then it’s time for a photo/video app made especially for dogs! With Say BARK! you can create and send the best (and cutest!) greetings. This app lets you create and share animated cards starring your furry friend. It’s easy as 1-2-3: take a photo of your pup, add one of our fun filters and lip synced audio, then share your personalized message with the world! Whether you’re trying to send season’s greetings to your parents or make your pup a social media sensation, Say BARK! is a must for every pup parent!
2. Because you need to train your puppy (or your adult dog gets a little rusty).
Price: 7 day free trial
Why You Need It: This app is like having a pocket-sized pup trainer! Dogo has a customizable clicker for clicker training and step-by-step instructions for over 60 tricks and commands! With Dogo, you can track your dog’s progress every day. Plus, if you feel like you need some extra help, Dogo experts are available daily to answer your tricky training questions!
Android user? Find it here! iOS is here!
3. Because your pup and the neighborhood raccoon got in a tussle.
Pet First Aid by American Red Cross
Price: $0.99
Why You Need It: At $0.99, it’s cheaper than a lot of the other pet first aid apps but still manages to have all the tools you might need in case an emergency strikes. You can locate the nearest vet hospital, learn to treat everything from allergic reactions to bleeding, and find out what’s just normal, crazy, puppy behavior.
4. Because you need to talk to a trainer about how to use that virtual clicker.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: This app lets you talk to a vet, pet trainer, or whatever other pet professional you might need to talk to, anywhere, anytime. Is your pup looking chubby? Send a pet nutritionist a photo to find out if you need to get him onto a diet pronto. Also did I mention this app is free? It’s free.
5. Because you need to map your dog walk .
Price: Free
Why You Need It: The TractiveDogWalk app is a great way to keep track of how much exercise your dog is really getting, although don’t be as bummed as I was when your “long walk” turns out to only be a mile and a half.
6. Because you’re out-of-town and need a responsible dog walker and dog sitter.
Rover – Dog Sitters and Walkers
Price: Free
Why You Need It: Rover handles all your pet care needs by connecting users to local pet sitters and dog walkers. Services represented through Rover include pet boarding, house sitting, day care, drop-in visits, and dog walking. Plus, Rover takes the headache out of arranging responsible pet care. Through the app, you get adorable photo updates, GPS tracking of your dog’s walk, an easy way to message sitters/walkers, and a secure way to book and pay. Arranging dog walks is a cake walk with Rover!
7. Because your dog got sick of all those selfies and ran away.
Price: Free for the app, tracker and monthly subscription is extra
Why You Need It: In order for this app to be of any use you have to buy the tracker ($99.95) annnnd pay a monthly subscription fee. However, if your canine is a runner this seems incredibly worthwhile. You get an alert when your dog leaves the house and can track your dog in real time as they cavort around the neighborhood.
8. Because your dog might go missing and you’ll need help finding them.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: Hopefully, you’ll never have to know what it’s like to lose your dog. But assuming you don’t have the above Tagg tracker (or an equivalent piece of hardware), it’s not outside the realm of possibility. If your dog goes missing, the FindShadow community will be there to help you find them with pre-made fliers, a database of lost and found dog photos, photo-matching technology, and more. Plus, you can help other people reunite with their dogs through the app and sometimes watch them reunite in adorable reunion videos.
9. Because you’re dying to know what your dog is up to when you’re not around.
Price: Free (app requires a Furbo camera for $199)
Why You Need It: Furbo answers the age-old question, “What do our dogs do when we’re no there!?” Unlike other pet monitors, Furbo is an interactive pet camera, so you can engage with your dog from across the pond or down the street. With its live HD video streaming, two-way audio, and app-controlled treat dispenser, you can see, talk, and even give treats to your dog when you’re away. The app will even send instant notifications when your dog barks! With Furbo, your furry friend will always be a click away.
10. Because your dog likes to eat things that may or may not be edible.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: Questioning the edibility of whatever your dog just ate off the floor? Just whip out the iKibble, look up what she ate, and find out just how healthy it really is for her.
11. Because you’re more interested in scrolling through adoptable dogs than “datable” humans.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: He’s smiley, a bit hairy, and really can’t wait to go home with you, and no it’s not that weird guy who just asked you if it hurt when you fell from heaven… it’s a fluffy puppy! BarkBuddy lets you find single puppies near you who need a good home. Browse through thousands of pup profiles and find your pawfect match. And it’s ridiculously, adorably, addicting!
12. Because your pup is the only vacation buddy that won’t stress you out.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: BringFido allows you to find pet friendly hotels, restaurants, parks, beaches, and tons more. You can also book your hotel, look up their pet policy, and use filters to find the hotels that would best fit your dog. Super useful if you have a large dog, or are in a new town and want to grab dinner with your best furry friend.
13. Because you’re on that vacation and your dog needs a place to burn off energy.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: Find a dog park at anytime! From anywhere! And other dog-friendly venues! Choose from over 20,000 dog parks and other places, get directions, and most importantly find out if that dog park has hooman bathrooms as well.
14. Because you’ve been worried your dog might be lonely.
Price: Free
Why You’ll Need It: Meet My Dog helps you find furends to have playdates with near you. There’s also a foursquare-like function that allows you to “mark your territory” so other dogs and their owners know who the boss is in your area.
15. Because you want an easy way to be an A+ dog parent and secretary.
Price: Free
Why You Need It: PetDiary is an easy, visual, way to monitor your dogs weight, medications, and whatever else comes to mind. You can also use it to jot down when your dog does something so adorable, you just want to remember it forever! Or at least until you get a new phone.
No iOS version available.
16. Because you’re a concerned pet parent…
Price: Free for 2 weeks, $25/month after that
Why you need it: This app makes it a breeze to communicate with your dog walker or pet sitter. Manage your schedule, get notified when your walker or sitter arrives and leaves, view photos from your visit, see where your pet walked and much more. It’s great for you and even better for your sitter!
For more, check out these articles!
15 Gifts For The Tech-Obsessed Friend Who Never Unplugs
8 Of The Best Podcasts For Dog Lovers
7 Stellar Books That Dog Lovers Won’t Be Able To Put Down
101 Hipster Inspired Dog Names
21 Etsy Gifts For People Who Like Dogs More Than Humans
