14 DAY TRIAL // You'd think that dogs wouldn't have an exercise problem, especially since they don't sweat (well, they do, but only on the pads of their feet), but while this holds true for most pooches, those kept as house pets do tend to grow lazy.
A new device will let you know if your dog gets enough exercise, and will also tell you how much more you should have it perform.
Called Whistle, the device is essentially a fitness tracker that you wrap around your dog's collar. The tracker syncs with a smartphone app and relays data that way.
The data is pretty straightforward, divided into how much rest the dog has and how much activity. That way, you'll know if you need to take it for longer walks, or if you should play ball with it more.
The Whistle app is available for both Android and Apple iOS devices, and it isn't even a one-person tool.
If there are more people taking care of your dog (like dog walkers, family members, veterinarians), all of them can download the app and see the same data through the same account.
In addition to how much rest the dog gets in a day, you can have the item record what the animal eats, what medication it receives and other data, even photos. You even get a Facebook timeline.
Unfortunately, if your dog's weight isn't of at least 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms), you'll want to skip buying the device. That's what Whistle Lab cautions everyone about anyhow.
The Whistle is also waterproof, because while sweat might not be an issue, water is, like rain, rivers, the sea (your pet might want to go for a swim after all, however unlikely).
Moving on, the battery can last for around a week without recharge, which is actually pretty decent when you consider the communication capabilities.
Not only is Bluetooth supported, but so is Wi-Fi, so you can check the status and progress of your dog even when it's away with family members or employed dog walkers.
And when the battery does deplete, you can restore its charge via Universal Serial Bus (USB). No charger outlet is included though, only a cable you have to link to your PC. You can use the wall chargers of your other devices though, like the one that your smartphone or tablet shipped with.
Unfortunately, for all its assets, the Whistle does have a pitfall: the price. It's as high as the one on high-end human fitness trackers, $129 / €129.
