RSPCA partners with dog tech firm

RSPCA dog welfare expert Lisa Richards said: “Our dogs are social and active and need regular exercise and interaction with us to help keep them happy and healthy.

“The PitPat monitor gives you an estimated exercise goal for your dog and allows you to automatically track what activity your dog is doing each day, and how much. It’s a great way of helping you make sure that you’re making time each day to exercise and play with your four legged friend.”

PitPat founder Andrew Nowell said: “We created PitPat to help ensure the health and happiness of dogs by giving owners a fun and interactive way to better understand their exercise needs.

“We’re delighted to embark on this exciting partnership with the RSPCA and hope that together we can continue to improve the lives of dogs through technology.”

As well as helping owners record how much activity their dog is doing and how many calories they’re burning, the gadget also stores a host of data which helps to paint a picture of dog ownership trends across the country which will be hugely helpful for the RSPCA.

Richards added: “It will be really interesting to see the trends and patterns in dog ownership behaviour and how time of the year, time of the day and weather affects the time people spend out with their dogs. This will help us identify if there are areas where owners may need some help with making sure their dogs are getting enough exercise and playtime.”

This month, the RSPCA is supporting the launch of PitPat’s Movement For More play campaign - reminding dog owners just how great, and important, it is to play with your pet.

The campaign, launching this week, is also being supported by MORE TH>N Pet Insurance which has been working together with the RSPCA for healthier pets since 2013.

Richards added: “It’s important to remember that all dogs are individuals and will need different levels or exercise and enjoy different types of play. However, we’re really pleased to support this campaign and encourage owners to spend more time with their dogs - and to have more fun.

Not only is regular play really important for bonding with your dog, it’s also great exercise, great for training and great for getting your dog’s brain working.

“You don’t need any special equipment to start a game and you can play games either inside or outside - although it’s important to remember that you’ll still need to go out on your daily walks.

“What’s important is that you get into a regular habit of spending time engaging and playing with your pet, and take time each day to play games that you both enjoy.

“Frequent play helps keeps your pooch healthy, happy and renews their relationship as man’s best friend.”

And as part of our partnership, the team - and all of the dogs and owners who make up the PitPat Pack - will be supporting us in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming more animals into loving (and playful) new homes.

The lightweight PitPat attaches to the collar and has a year long battery life and waterproof design meaning it can stay on for all activities to keep track of walking, running, playing and resting.

It’s suitable for dogs of any breed, type or size, and, once synced with the phone app, allows owners to find out what your pet has been up to while you’ve been apart - while he’s at home alone for short periods, with a dog walker or in kennels. It compares the activity to a daily guideline based on the dog’s age, breed and weight, giving hints and tips on responsible dog ownership.