It's not always easy to determine whether a dog has had adequate exercise - just because it is out of breath does not necessarily mean it is tired. But pet owners can now better gauge an animal's activity levels with numerous hi-tech products that track and record the periods when a dog is active and when it is at rest.
Rose Tang, a certified professional animal trainer and behaviour counsellor, puts a few of these activity monitors to the test, to help dog owners choose the product that's best for them.
This product, which is also suitable for cats, is attached to an animal's collar, and transfers the data it records to a smartphone. It categorises the pet's activity into categories including "lazy", "active" and "dynamic", then recommends whether the pet needs to be more active.
"You can set a daily goal and see the progress on your phone," Tang says.
In addition to a motion-detection sensor, the product also has temperature and brightness gauges that monitor a pet's behaviour in various environments. "It has a screen - it's the only product I tested that [has one] - and for some users this might be an advantage, as the data can be read directly from the device," says Tang. "Other pros include it being ultralight, at seven grams, and the battery lasts up to seven days. I liked it because it gives you a weekly and monthly summary, providing an informative status of your dog's health and activity."