Whistles, Clickers, and Slickers: Top Apps for Helping Today’s Active Dog Owners
There is something very primeval about our relationship with dogs. Humans and canines have been a team for thousands of years and, although the techniques have developed, the technology of dealing with dogs has changed little through the centuries. But not even the ancient art of looking after a dog is immune to the app revolution of the 21st century. Whatever you need to do with your pooch, you will find an app that claims to help you do it better.
Welfare
An owner’s first responsibility is to the pet’s welfare, and most people have a well-developed system for looking after their animal friends. But perhaps an app can help.
Is your dog not feeling well? A trip to the vet can be expensive if it’s not really needed, so how about checking out an animal health app? Pet First Aid (from the Red Cross) has advice on how to recognize a range of common conditions and how to respond to them. If you are away from home it can locate a veterinary surgery for you. It even stores you vet records for each animal.
PupTox provides a simple way to check for things in your environment that might be poisonous to your dog, along with a quick dial facility to a poison helpline in emergencies.
Exercise
The daily walk is essential for the health of both dog and owner.
If you don’t have a confident whistle yourself, your can get your phone to do the whistling for you. There are plenty of dog whistle apps available, but the deceptively simple sounding Whistle takes it a step further—the app works with a GPS device fitted to the collar so that you always know exactly where your dog is. It’s a great help to anyone who has a problem with a wandering dog.
When you have to go out whatever the weather, it’s always good to be prepared. Equip yourself with an Android weather app and you can always be confident that you are setting out dressed for what the day may deliver.
Training
Most of the whistle apps claim to be good for training, but clickers are probably the training accessory of choice for most owners. You may go out without your clicker, but rarely without your phone, so a clicker on the phone is always there when you need it. The app can take you through the basics of clicker training, and provide you with a reliable sound that the dog will always recognize.
If you want more general advice on training, there is no shortage of apps available. Dog Training is just one of a range of apps that can guide you through the basic commands and a few tricks.
Best Friends
For countless generations, the dog has been ‘man’s best friend’, but in our time that role has been rather usurped by the smartphone. However, the apps available now make it possible for these two rivals for our affections to work together in a happy partnership.
Liam Wyatt uses his smartphone in all aspects of his life. He shares some of his favorite apps with others through his writing.
