Planning an overnight holiday trip that doesn't include your fluffy friends? Pet separation anxiety works both ways — here are a couple tips to keep them safe and protected and you calm and collected while you're away from home.
Keep an eye on your pets while you're away with an indoor security camera
If you're going to be out and about this holiday season, having a way to check in on your pets can be invaluable. With the right indoor security camera you can both view what's going on in your home and talk to your pets. If they need to be talked down after a snowplow goes by, you can use an indoor security camera with a microphone and speaker to remind them how much you love them and that everything's OK.
To be clear, you should obviously choose being home with your pet if it's particularly sensitive to separation or loud noises, but this is a great way to help calm a pet that — in normal circumstances — is A-OK with being alone or hearing the occasional loud noise. If you've already got an indoor security camera, you're one step ahead! If you've not, you might consider picking one up. We've got a great guide for picking out the best indoor security camera, though I recommend the Nest Cam for most people.
Consider the Nest Cam
I have a Nest Cam ($170) in my home and I'm very happy with it. It automatically turns on when both my partner and I are away from home and alerts us to any motion and sound events that take place in the specified Activity Zones in our home.
The Nest Cam features a camera, microphone, and speaker, so you can watch, listen, and talk with the device.
You can also subscribe to Nest's cloud service, Nest Aware, to keep a log of your footage.
Track down a lost pet
God forbid your pet face enough anxiety that it somehow escapes your home and runs away, but in the event that happens you can use a pet tracker to help locate your lost pet. Some pet trackers make use of GPS technology and others use Bluetooth beacon technology. Choosing the right tracker depends on both your needs and the needs of your pet.
Whistle 3 Pet Tracker
Whistle combines GPS, cellular, and Wi-Fi connectivity to keep an eye on your pet.
Strap the waterproof Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker to your dog's collar and keep track of their movement within your Wi-Fi network and around the nation using GPS and cellular technology (you'll have to subscribe in order to take advantage of the cellular tracking tech). It also serves as an activity tracker, helping you keep tabs on your pet's activity and rest. The Whistle 3 is rechargeable and touts a 7-day battery life — the device will send you a notification when it needs to be charged.
The Whistle 3 Pet Tracker retails for $59.95.
Link AKC Smart Dog Collar
The Link AKC smart collar is pretty nifty. It's a good-looking collar that does a whole lot more than just help you find your missing pet.
Featuring a subscription based GPS service for tracking, the Link AKC Smart Collar comes in four sizes (S, M, L, XL). It's rechargeable and comes with a similarly designed base station. Along with activity monitoring for wellness (movement and rest), the device can warn you if your pet gets too hot or cold, features a built-in light so you can spot your pet from across the park, and can play a sound that'll help you train your pet. It's a pretty impressive piece of pet technology.
The Link AKC Smart Dog Collar retails for $179.
Poof Pet Tracker
Poof makes two Bluetooth LE lightweight pet activity trackers, the Pea and the Bean. The devices track and chart your pet's activity, calories, sleep, and rest. It'll also give you feeding recommendations based on your pet's activity.
The app and tracker rely on the community of Poof Pet users. If your little doggo (or cat) ever get lost you can mark them lost within the app. Then, any time your pet comes into range of another user's phone, you'll get a notification letting you know where your pupper (or kitten) was last spotted! Sure, it relies on a mesh network of Poof users, but it's a pretty nifty idea.
The Poof Pet Tracker retails for $39.99.
Stay home with your pets or bring 'em along
Let's be real, your pets deserve to celebrate the Howl-idays just as much as you do! If you can, you should totally bring your pet(s) along for the festivities — no one can resist an adorably festive pupper happily celebrating a holiday.
If you think your pet would be better off tagging along, do what you can to make that happen instead of futzing with security cameras and trackers. Your pet will thank you and you will thank you when you look down and see your pet smiling up at you.
What say you?
Do you have any other ideas for keeping your pet safe and secure this holiday season? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Updated December 2017: This post has been updated with new tips, products, and links to help you keep an eye on your fluffy pals. Happy Holidays!
