So many of us count our dogs as a core part of the family. Not only are they our much-loved companions, they also really bring a home to life with their unique personalities! Keeping our furry friends happy and healthy both when we’re hanging out at home and when we’re out and about is a top priority, which is where smart tech can step in to help.
NHS worker and interior stylist Ellie Lawrence shares her home with Barney, her energetic cavapoo, and these are the clever gadgets she uses to help care for him.
Smart home helpers
With her EE package, Ellie has broadband and my mobile data in one, which means she’s able to keep her smart tech connected both at home and on the go, which includes the smart pet water bowl Ellie for Barney. Not only does it look chic and modern (perfect for a style-savvy space), but it also connects to the wifi and gives her a notification on her phone when the water level runs low. ‘It’s really important to keep your dog hydrated, especially over the summer,’ says Ellie, and this smart device makes easy work of this essential task.
Peace of mind
We naturally want to avoid letting our pets feel stressed when we leave them home alone, and also swerve stressed pets causing damage to furniture or other belongings, or excessive barking or howling while we’re not with them.
Barney is used to having Ellie at home with him, so he doesn’t love being left on his own. ‘Barney can get a bit anxious when I'm not around,’ Ellie says. To make Barney (and Ellie!) feel more at ease, Ellie has a Furbo dog camera set up in her house, which means she can check up on him at any time via the app and see what he’s up to. ‘It's great because I can fire out a treat from the camera, which he loves,’ says Ellie.
Out and about
Smart tech also comes in handy when Ellie and Barney are out and about together. A clever Tractive collar uses GPS to track your pet (you can view the location via mobile data in the app). ‘The activity collar is so useful,’ says Ellie. ‘Barney is really food driven, so there's always the chance that he might wander off to find some.’ Thanks to the GPS feature, Ellie always knows where Barney is.
The collar also has health monitoring features and can track resting heart rate and respiratory rate so it’s easy to see if your pet is stressed or under the weather.
There's so much clever smart tech for pets these days, and with an EE One package you can keep your devices connected both at home and on the go. ‘Honestly, it gives me real peace of mind,’ says Ellie. ‘When your dog's a diva, anything that makes life easier is a win.’