The Premise. Dog owners know that part of having a pooch entails taking them for several walks daily so that they can do their business. Those up north have trouble with this when the snow and ice settle in for almost half of the year. For dogs that are unwilling to brave the cold, most opt to use smelly, gross pee pads in their house for their pets to go on.
The Product. FIDO stands for the Fully Integrated Dog Omni-Trainer. It is basically a pee pad on steroids. This product features a large grassy square of turf that dogs can “go” on. Underneath the grass there are several other layers designed to guide all the “ick” onto a pee pad below. It comes with drawers that hold the replacement pee pads, the current pad as well as scent strips to cut down on nasty odor. An added treat dispenser helps to reward and train dogs with the FIDO even includes the option for a prerecorded message from the owner. Can smartphone notification be far behind?
The Pitch. The campaign video shows the sibling creators of FIDO taking about how their elderly parents who live in the cold inspired their product. It also shows dogs actually using the product with ease. The rest of the campaign goes into their long prototyping process and details each attachment of FIDO separately. This product hopes to raise $30,000 in a 45-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. FIDO itself will cost backers a donation of $50 with delivery expected in November 2014. Lower reward tiers offer a medication for dogs with hip and joint issues. Reward levels go all the way up to $1,000.
The Potential. FIDO seems like well-considered approach to get your dog to pee inside. The campaign doesn’t say much about number two, but for number one, FIDO is the way to go. Regular old pee pads are kind of disgusting and smelly. Other products in this arena that also feature turf, like the aptly named Tinkle Turf, are extremely messy and collect the urine in a large, sloshy tray making it difficult to clean up. All in all, FIDO gives dogs and owners alike the chance to remain indoors when the snow and ice are too much to bear, or pee on.