Information technology has had an impact on our dogs on many levels.
In 2017, a British company announced that its drones could walk your dog and unveiled a video that went viral.
These drone walkers did not last long, however. They were way too expensive and dangerous.
The hype included claims of a retractable leash attached to the drone, hands-free piloting and an “auto altitude,” which probably meant the drone was at a height that the dog could not reach. Great Danes and chihuahuas would have vastly different drone altitudes.
The product is no longer offered as the drone could not prevent a dog from being hit by a car, or getting distracted by a squirrel, other dogs or kids on bikes.
There was no way to tell the drone that the dog had to go to the bathroom, and the drone could not pick up the poop anyway.
Dogs typically do not like the sound of buzzing drones. Their sound is loud and persistent, and the flight patterns are irregular and unpredictable, which can cause a dog to be aggressive toward the drone as it perceives the device as a threat.
Thermal-imaging drones have revolutionized pet recovery, as demonstrated by North Country Drone Search & Recovery in New York’s Adirondack Mountains.
The company, run by a retired state police investigator, spots lost animals as bright red-and-yellow dots against blue-green backgrounds.
In just over a year, it has successfully located 42 lost dogs and 11 other animals, including horses and cattle.
In police situations, drones help K-9 units locate suspects and/or evidence, and the drone’s overhead watch helps with their overall safety. These K-9s are conditioned to drone sounds and activity.
The drones can cover more territory than the dogs on the ground and can prevent the K-9s from running off a cliff or landing in a ditch while in pursuit.
Heat-sensing drones help find people buried in the snow, and avalanche dogs are an essential component of this search and rescue.
As they search in the snow, the dogs use their noses to find hidden human scent. The heat-seeking drones help guide them to the spot.
IT and dogs go well beyond drones. There are smart collars that have a FitBark monitor, which measures activity levels and sleep quality. There are wearable monitoring collars, such as the PetPace device that monitors vital signs like heart rate, temperature and respiration rate.
There are remote monitoring devices that allow owners to check on their dogs when they’re not at home, automatic feeders and water dispensers, interactive toys and games, GPS on collars, live tracking with cameras with two-way audio, virtual fencing, enhanced remote training collars, microchipped doggy doors (preventing unwanted animals from coming in your home and giving access to only your own dog), and laser therapy coats (using cold laser therapy to promote healing and pain relief).
Various companies like Petcube make a camera and treat dispenser in one with Alexa built in (full video and night vision to check on your pal), and some even have microphones and a speaker to talk to and listen to your pal and an interactive video timeline that records your its activity when triggered by sound and motion, and microchips.
Finally, artificial intelligence robotic dogs, such as one used by the Marines named Spot. The 160-pound robo dog performs many of the same tasks as a live K-9. Spot enters secure buildings before the Marines and carries equipment across various terrains.
Other AI dogs have been developed for search and rescue, inspection and other military support.
AI-powered canines for the public can learn new tricks, recognize individual family members, and provide companionship and comfort to individuals with mental health challenges and those in cognitive decline.
AI robo dogs can also offer companionship and emotional support for individuals who may not be able to care for a real dog.
And this is just the beginning!