Is your dog getting enough exercise?

Health and wellness have become a focal point for many consumers. They are buying healthier food, exercise equipment and gym memberships more than ever before. In recent years there has been much research on the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. It’s not that we didn’t understand their importance before, but now we’re finally starting to do something about.

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Technology is helping with this obsession with fitness. Activity trackers for humans are becoming increasingly popular, and now you can equip your dog with a similar device. PitPat keeps track of your dog’s activity and fitness during the day, and you can see what he’s been up to via an app on your smartphone.

The app is free for iPhone and Android users. When you first purchase the product there will be instructions for downloading the app. Users will be prompted to enter key information about their dog the first time they use PitPat, including his age and breed.

Video: Is your dog getting enough exercise?

Securing the activity tracking device to your pet’s collar is simple. It attaches quickly and easily to any collar of your choosing. After a brief monitoring period, PitPat will suggest an exercise guideline for your dog based on the information you entered about him and the measured activity. You’ll be able to see his stats on your phone so you can track his progress.

There are over 200 breeds recognized by the system, and it allows you to set goals for your pet and measure the results. The monitoring device is small and lightweight, yet durable. It’s comfortable to wear and waterproof.

It is equipped with a strong Velcro strap that quickly wraps around the collar to secure it in place, and the battery life is more than one year. That’s much better than other similar products that require charging or changing the batteries frequently.

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When it is time to change the battery, the device takes a coin cell battery (similar to a watch battery) that can easily be found in most electronic or department stores. Another difference between PitPat and other similar products is that it is subscription free – a huge bonus for pet parents!

Right now PitPat is only available in the UK, but the company plans to launch internationally early this year. The device uses standard Bluetooth technology, so it’s perfectly safe for your pet and you don’t need to worry about radiation emissions. Because it uses Bluetooth, you do have to be with your dog for the activity information to sync from the collar to your smartphone.

This is a bit inconvenient, as most pet parents would like to see what their pet is up to during the day while they are gone. When you want to sync information you push the button on the PitPat device and the data that it has collected will transfer to your phone via Bluetooth.

It can store more than a week’s worth of data at a time, and the app keeps a record of all the data you transfer to it over time so you can consistently track your pet’s progress. The app can support up to three PitPat devices, so you can equip multiple dogs and have the information displayed all in the same place. Each dog will need their own device though.

It’s important to keep your pet healthy and active. A low activity level can lead to boredom and laziness, which may result in weight gain or depression. I really like the way PitPat allows you to set goals and then encourages you to meet them. Once you get into a routine exercising is much easier, but it’s nice to have an app that will hold you accountable until your goals become routine.

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