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6 Best Dog Apps to Make Your Life Easier

By Alina Jumabhoy

6 Best Dog Apps to Make Your Life Easier

Photo by Show 131/ CC

Need some help with training, nutrition, behavioral problems, or anything else? Or maybe you're looking for somewhere pet-friendly to stay, or eat at?

Well, these are the six best dog apps to help you do all of that and more!

1. Puppr

Do you remember Sara Carson and her collie Hero, from season 12 of America's Got Talent?

Sara is known for her incredible dog training skills, and this is something that you can now learn from too with the Puppr app.

Considered to be one of the best dog apps when it comes to dog training, Puppr features step-by-step instructions for a number of different tricks. Whether you want to go over basic obedience training, or try out something a little more complex, this app will help you to do it.

As you progress through the tricks featured in the app, you can track how well your pooch is doing by adding in a few details about his progress after each training session.

How many tricks does the app teach?

There are 40 tricks at the moment, but there are likely to be more added soon.

The app can be set to send you notifications three times a day. This will remind you to do a five or ten minute training session with your dog.

2. FitBark

You have probably heard of FitBit before...

Well, FitBark is basically the same thing, but for your dog!

This is one of the best dog apps for monitoring your pooch's health and activity levels. It also gives you the opportunity to compare this information with that of other dogs, even those that are the same age and breed as yours.

How does it all work?

You basically attach a small, bone-shaped monitor to your dog's collar.

This then allows you to monitor:

  • Your dog's daily activity levels, including how many steps have been done

  • Your dog's sleep activity

  • Stress and anxiety levels

  • Possible skin conditions that your dog may be experiencing symptoms of, such as itching and allergies

Want to improve your own fitness too?

FitBark can be connected to your own FitBit, or any other similar device you may use. This enables you to see your stats alongside your dog's stats, giving you both some extra motivation to get moving!

3. Dog Monitor

Ever wished you could see what your dog gets up to when you aren't at home? Or how about speak to your pooch?

Well, with the Dog Monitor app, you can!

Wondering how it works?

The app connects any two devices, enabling you to watch, listen in and even speak to your dog. It doesn't matter where you are, and you don't even need to have WiFi for this to work!

While the idea of being able to speak to your dog is definitely fun, this can actually make a huge difference for dogs who suffer from separation anxiety. Being able to calm your dog down whenever anxiety sets in can be a huge relief for the both of you.

The app also lets you pre-record certain commands. Therefore, if you see your dog getting upset or misbehaving, you can tell the app to play a specific command for your pooch.

What's even better is that the app will alert you if the noise in your house gets especially loud. Therefore, if your dog is barking a lot, you will be able to see why. 

4. Pet First Aid

If anything were to happen to your pet, would you know what to do?

The Pet First Aid app, which is run by the American Red Cross, will make sure that you are doing the right thing.

How?

It has a number of useful features, such as:

  • Step-by-step advice for 25 common problems

  • How-to videos for treating common problems

  • Information on how to administer different medications to your pet

  • Help with behavioral problems, such as anxiety and stress

Got an emergency?

If so, the app will help you locate your nearest animal hospital and then contact either them or your vet. They will also provide you with a list of early warning signs for the condition that your dog has, enabling you to check how serious the problem is.

With this app being completely free, it is one that every pet owner should have on their phone!

5. PetCoach

Have any questions about your pet that you want answered?

If you have a medical question, PetCoach will connect you to a vet. If you have a training question, PetCoach will connect you to a dog trainer. They even have a nutritionist on hand that will take a look at a photo of your pooch and tell you if your dog could do with a diet.

No matter the type of dog advice you are looking for, PetCoach will have the perfect professional to give you safe and solid advice.

You're probably thinking that this app costs quite a bit, right?

Wrong...

PetCoach is completely free, so get downloading now!

6. BringFido

Like taking your pooch out and about with you?

If so, the BringFido app will make your life so much easier.

This app will tell you about:

  • Dog-friendly hotels and other accommodation, with more than 25,000 places currently listed

  • Pet-friendly restaurants and bars

  • Dog-friendly attractions, such as museums, walks, parks and more

  • Dog walkers and sitters

  • Dog groomers

  • Veterinarians and animal hospitals

  • Pet stores and other dog-friendly stores

This is one of the best dog apps for seeking out dog-friendly places. You can even make bookings for hotels and more through the app itself.

Worried about the rates you would pay?

The app has a Best Rate Guarantee, so you can be sure that you are only paying the lowest of prices for anything you book through it.

These six apps are definitely some of the best dog apps out there. Whether you are looking for help or support when it comes to training, feeding, medical conditions, or anything else, these apps will have you covered. Many of them are free, and even the ones that have premium options will usually let you try them out for free first, so take a look at each of them to see how they could make your life easier!

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Stop Puppy Biting: The Why And The How

By Beth Frumkin

Stop Puppy Biting: The Why And The How

Photo by Show 131/ CC

If a tiny little puppy starts nipping at your ankles or fingers, it might be kind of cute at first. But the older (and bigger!) he gets, the more likely this is to be a nuisance—or even a danger. Some puppies have a tendency to bite because of their breed, while others just pick it up as a habit. Although biting is certainly a problem related to the age of your pup, if you don’t stop him early on then he’ll believe that it’s okay and eventually turn into a biting dog.
 
Why Puppies Bite
Typically, puppies bit from one of two reasons: either they can’t contain their excitement, or they are teething. Since they have no self-control, puppies often become overstimulated which means they are excited and tired at the same time. At this point, they easily give into their instinct to bite. As your pup ages, he will likely learn to control himself a bit but will still probably need some help.
 
Teething puppies bite simply to relieve the discomfort that comes from new teeth cutting through. Timing may vary depending on the breed, but this process of teething typically begins around the age of three months and last until 6-8 months of age. Dogs who are teething will naturally stop on their own when the discomfort subsides. In the meantime, offer your pup toys or rawhide to chew on rather than your hands.
 
How to Stop Puppy Biting
These five tips provide you with actionable steps to take toward stopping puppy biting:
 

  1. Use a toy. For a puppy who is teething, as mentioned above, a bone or chew toy should be made available. If your pup tries to bite your hand, give him a firm “no”, and replace it with an appropriate toy. (Soft, squeaky toys are not as likely to be satisfying so go for a harder chew toy to begin with. Then test it out to see what your pup likes best.) Once he has taken the toy, praise him with encouraging words and pat him or scratch his ears. This positive reinforcement is critical for his development and training in puppy biting as well as other habits.

 

  1. Walk away. Nothing upsets a pup more than losing attention! If you are playing together and he won’t stop biting, simply get up and leave. This sends him the message that play time ends when he bites. Otherwise, if you keep playing, he may misunderstand that biting is a fun game and try to continue.

 

  1. Try cradling. This method works not only for puppy biting but also for other times you want him to be calm. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Put your pup upside down on your legs, with his head near your belly and legs inside your legs. Form a circle around his front legs, with your index finger and thumb. Keep your hands near his “underarms”. At this point, use your thighs to brace him if he is trying to wriggle away. While it may be uncomfortable for both of you at first, this cradle hold will begin to signal to your dog that it’s time to calm down.Keep your pup in this position long enough for him to calm down. Once he is calm, you may praise him and let him go. Of course, some puppies become so comfortable in this hold that they fall asleep!

 

  1. Divert your puppy's attenion. Diverting your puppy’s attention may be the only way to get him to stop biting. In this case, introduce something else for him to focus on or something to do. Try putting a leash on him and practice some obedience training. Use treats if he works on his tricks calmly. Once you’ve gotten him to think about something else, your pup may move on from the biting.

 

  1. Remove him. As a last resort, if your puppy is biting and won’t stop then you can remove him from the situation. Put him in his crate or outside with a toy that he is allowed to chew on. Use this as a sort of “time out” for your puppy. This helps to calm him, giving him a chance to relax and stop biting people. Once he is able to calm down and control himself, you can praise him and bring him back inside.

 
Here are some more puppy training challenges.

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