Close-up view of young woman browsing pet website on her mobile phone
Source: McLittle Stock/Shutterstock.com

Canstar runs through some great apps for pet owners to help make life easier, from finding dog sitters and walkers to home monitoring.

If you're a pet owner, there are apps that can help you care for your furry friend. Whether you're in need of a dog walker, or are unsure whether or not certain leftovers are pet-appropriate, the following apps can help.

Pawshake

Pawshake is an excellent app that offers access to services such as pet boarding, doggy daycare, sitting and walking.

All Pawshake dog and pet sitters undergo police checks and are vetted by Pawshake's expert Trust and Safety team (only 15% of applicants are accepted).

Also every booking includes free veterinary insurance, which covers medical emergencies and veterinary care for your pet while in the pet sitter's care

Price and availability

Pawshake is free to use and can be accessed via the Pawshake website or through its app (available for both Android and iOS).

iKibble

iKibble is a simple and easy-to-use app that allows you to check which foods are pet friendly. Browse foods in categories including dairy, fruit, vegetables and grains, or search for specific foods to find out whether they are safe for your dog.

The app also gives general descriptions of the healthiness of some foods, advice on how often you can feed them to your dog, and how to prepare them.

Price and availability

You can download iKibble for free from the iOS App Store and Android Google Play.

Dog Monitor

If you're wondering what your dog is getting up to while you're out of the house, then Dog Monitor is a way to check in. The app allows you to turn any two iOS or Android devices – including phones, tablets, smartwatches or TVs – into a full-featured dog monitor, allowing you to check in with your dog from anywhere. You simply need one device at home to do the monitoring, and one device with you to view what's being monitored, receive notifications and send commands.

If you're worried about your dog barking through the day, for example, you can monitor for this and have the app send you alerts for noise. You can use the app to talk to your pup remotely throughout the day, and to play a series of pre-recorded commands like “sit” and “stay” using your voice. The app also allows you to check in with a live video stream of your pup, in case you're missing them.

Price and availability

Dog Monitor is available from both the iOS App Store ($12.99) and Android Google Play ($16.99).

Bruce Pitchers is Canstar's NZ Editor. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the DrivenStuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.


Important Information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.