There are some people who take their dog for a walk, and then there are dogs who walk their owner. Leash Mate is a safe way for the owner to maintain control without using a retractable leash. The round add-on is available for both flat and round leashes, which means it will work with the leash the user already owns. It’s lightweight, strong, and can be used as a tether when walking more than one dog. For those who love to hike, it can be used to secure the leash around the user’s waist while hiking with their dog. While it seems that it may be less convenient than a retractable leash, Leash Mate also appears to be a safer option for both pet and owner. Those who like to walk at night might like to check out The Watchdog light up leash campaign. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 CAD (~$22,000 USD) by December 8, 2014. For $10 CAD (~$9 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.
Category: Pets
Here’s an idea that looks like it may have been inspired at least in part by the movie “Bruce Almighty.” One scene in the movie includes a dog that has been trained to use the toilet, and even flush when he is done. While Clean Paws doesn’t flush, it does allow pet owners to avoid using their hands when cleaning up after their dog. A plastic bag gets placed inside the container, Fido takes care of his business, and dog and pet owner walk on happily into the sunset and nearest trash can for deposit – if Fido can be convinced to aim his backside in the right place. Those with smaller dogs who are looking for a respite from walking their pet in the wee hours may want to check out the Katio & Dogio campaign. This campaign seeks to raise $35,000 by December 5. 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $25, and an expected delivery of March 2015.
After reaching half of their goal in September of this year, the British-made Avo canceled its funding on Kickstarter. But why?! Now they’re back on Kickstarter (and Backerjack) with a smaller goal, but still tons of supporters.
Avo is a self-cleaning fish tank. The fish’s waste along with uneaten food feed the plants, keeping the tank and water fresh. In addition, Avo comes equipped with an LED programmed light that not only gives the plants enough light, but also keeps the water warm enough for tropical fish. A donation of £200 (~$320) will get backers the Avo kit which includes the tank, food, lights and plant pods for estimated delivery in July 2015. This time around, Avo is looking for £60,000 (~$96,000), cutting down on their original goal due to the discovery of better-value tools.
Not much has changed about Avo since the original campaign. The idea of a self-cleaning tank is certainly tantalizing to most fish-enthusiasts. Imagine a self-cleaning cat! Wait, well, still Avo is a very cool way to provide a stylish, easy home for beta fish.
It’s an horrid feeling leaving pets home because of the demands of daily life. They have to spend long stretches of time alone, an obvious detriment to their mental and physical health. Fortunately, there have been a surge of products that promise to feed or even entertain your pet while you’re away. Now you can add Droppi to that list.
Droppi is a gadget designed with a tray that drops small treats or toys at a pre-determined time from above. You can attach to the wall anywhere in your home. With the help of speakers, users can always be sure the reward will be found with the use of pre-recorded sound messages to lead the way. Stretch goals include features that should already be baked into the product, including a night light and a backlit display. Ultimately, though, it simply doesn’t do enough especially considering it’s limited to one drop a day. Other products like the Odin or Pawly add puzzle and remote play aspects to the device instead of limiting it simply to whatever happens to be on the tray. Knowing how fickle most pets are, they’ll still end up being bored! There are other products that do much more, better. One Droppi is going for $45AUD (~$40USD) with a delivery date of June 2015. The campaign is seeking $40,000 to make this product a reality.
For those who don’t live in a palatial house with ample space for beloved pets, here is a space-saving idea that may just solve the question of where to put the kitty liter box. Katio and Dogio allows owners to discretely stow the kitty liter box in the window. At least it’s pretty discrete on the inside. On the outside, not so much. And for those who don’t like to be bothered with walking the dog at odd hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning, there is also a version for the family dog that comes with a ramp – provided Fido can fit in a space slightly smaller than the size of a window. For older cats that don’t jump so well anymore, a ramp can be purchased separately. This campaign seeks to raise $250,000 by November 24, 2014. For $250, backers can get a cat unit, or $300 for a dog unit. This is a $50 savings off of anticipated retail. Expected delivery is April 2015.
Every cat lover knows that cats are watchers. Especially when they can find a sunny window that overlooks a high activity area outside. Unfortunately, that can also mean that they bend, break or chew on blinds to hone out their coveted seat. That’s why WindowKitty was created. It fits up to a 36 inch wide window, is collapsible with pushbutton technology, and is portable so it can be moved from window to window or easily stored when not in use. There is a lip on top to keep blinds from falling over the product and a carpeted ledge for kitty’s comfort, as well as a place to hang a toy to add to kitty’s enjoyment. It’s not clear what the product is made of overall, whether a heavy-duty plastic or some other sturdy material. And speaking of pet enjoyment, backers might also like to check out the Pawly interactive pet toy. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by November 22, 2014. Backers get one product for $75 with an expected delivery of June 2015.
Giving dogs an opportunity to exercise helps to keep them healthy and trim. While this is something that owner and pet can do together, on those occasions when Fido’s alone, he can also be motivated to do it himself with dog toys such as the Odin. And dogs are often best motivated with treats. This toy comes with built in compartments that allow owners to hide the treats, creating a situation whereby their canine pal must push, paw, and sniff their way to enjoyment. This toy seems like one that can grow with one’s pet in that it is modular, and designed with the intent of additional pieces for the future if proper backing can be obtained. For a solution to pets who tend toward sneaking away with their treats, owners might like to check out the Pawda GPS tracking device. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by November 13. Early bird backers can get one toy for $25 with an estimated delivery of April 2015.
Categories
The Watchdog lights up the leash
It doesn’t take long for savvy parents to refrain from asking, “Whose turn is it to walk the dog?” and just draft one of the kids to do it. The Watchdog may very well change all of that. With flexible, cable light technology exclusive to the company, The Watchdog is a strong, illuminated leash that also offers functioning as a steady or flashing stream of light, which makes night walks safer for pet and owner. The principle behind the 360º cable light technology is similar to neon, except that cable is very flexible. The item must be kept charged in order to function properly, but this is done easily enough with the included USB cord. Pet owners will likely rejoice at their new disco leash, but may be a little halted by the price tag. Backers get one product for $100 with expected delivery in March 2014. This campaign seeks to raise $70,000 on Kickstarter for the chance to give pet owners more enthusiasm to walk their dogs.
When a pet goes missing, it creates a tense situation full of nerves and panic as the family members try and locate a living being that could be absolutely anywhere and is unable to pick up a phone or write.
Pod is a GPS tracker that can be clipped onto a pet’s collar that provides a mixture of tracking and social features to push notifications to phones when a dog or cat goes wandering off unsupervised. In addition to being able to simply locate a pet, Pod functions as a sort of local social network for pet owners to compare running speeds or area explored. The tracker is lightweight and waterproof, so it won’t risk shorting out and won’t weigh the pet down or make it uncomfortable. Pod needs $50,000 to do its part in preventing lost pets. At the $149 pledge level, supporters can get this real time tracker and attach it to their beloved pets.
Anything that can prevent a lost or endangered pet is a great tool to have, although a lot of the core design is built around letting pets run free. That kind of attitude is not global, and owners will still be responsible for their pet’s behavior, so buyers beware.
Categories
PawSpa helps clean Fido’s feet without fuss
It’s kind of like a little vacuum cleaner – only for dog paws. PawSpa is absolutely a step up, maybe even several steps up, from a spray bottle and towels, and seems to be far more pleasant for both owner and his or her furry friend. All components of the paw cleaning system are contained in one box, which includes a wet/dry vacuum, clean water reservoir/submersible pump and a patent-pending wand applicator. These are stored in a unit that looks something like an ottoman. The system is apparently easy enough that even young family members can use it, based on what the video says. PawSpa only requires pet that is cooperative and well-behaved enough to sit still while some lucky chosen family member gets to slide Fido’s legs into the cleaning mechanism – one paw at a time, of course. While a cool idea, PawSpa’s huge $200,000 goal by November 14, 2014 may prove difficult to reach. Early bird backers can get their very own PawSpa for $99 with an expected delivery of April 2015.