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About 8 months ago, one of my neighbors mentioned that she often heard my dog barking during the day when no one was home. Knowing that there is rarely a long period of time when the dog is alone, I was concerned about a couple of things. First and foremost was that my dog was in some kind of distress, second was that my dog was upsetting my neighbors and third, that this neighbor wasn’t much of a dog person (is that even possible??) and was trying to make waves with property management to have the dogs removed from the complex. I wanted to find a way to see what was happening in my home without resorting to a full home security system. I discovered the Furbo.
How I learned about the Furbo Camera
One of my former coworkers had purchased one when she upgraded her puppy from crate to pen and loved it. I couldn’t agree more. As a dog walker and dog parent, I feel that everyone who leaves their pet, even for a short time, would benefit from being able to check in. The peace of mind has been immeasurable. If you are in training, you will be able to interact with your dog by giving commands and rewarding with treats via the microphone and treat dispensing icon on your screen. You can use any treats you want, as long as they are about 1 cm diameter (less than ½ inch) or smaller so that they fit through the opening.
I was out waking one of my clients one day, when I was alerted that Furbo had spotted a person. I immediately looked to see who it was. Fortunately, it was a family member who was supposed to be out, but had come back to get something. This made me realize that I had even more security. I keep it on at night, even when I am home, in case of an intruder. I have since read that Furbo is responsible for identifying and convicting people of breaking and entering.
Furbo Keeps my Family Safe Too
I was cooking a few nights ago, and there was something on the element that caused the smoke alarm to go off briefly. I received an alert from Furbo seconds later, informing me that there may be an emergency in my home. Fortunately, I was home. Had I not been, the ability to check in to see if my pup and family members were in some kind of danger was very reassuring!
Is it Expensive?
The initial cost of the camera is not very expensive, given the cost of a home security system. It comes with Furbo Dog Nanny service for only 99 cents for the first 90 days. After that the service costs less than $10.00 monthly. This is very affordable. I can even send my dog treats to reward him or just because I think he would like one whenever I please. No home security system does that!
What about the appearance?
The camera is not bulky or intrusive looking so having it my living area is not an eyesore. It has a wide-angle lens that covers 120 degrees to allow you to see a large area. If your dog stays in a main area while you are out, this camera will allow you to view the whole room. If you can’t see him/her, you can use the microphone feature to call your dog to the area where he/she will be visible. It has night vision as well, so you can keep an eye on your pet at any time. The camera runs on Wi-Fi. The Furbo App can easily downloaded to your phone or tablet. The entire set up takes only a few minutes. It doesn’t use a lot of data to check in periodically.
How many people can get notifications?
As Furbo’s notification system is based on an email address, multiple members of the household can receive alerts. Two at a time can actually be viewing what is happening in your home. The number of alerts and personal preferences are set accordingly to your needs.
What have I learned?
1) My dog rarely barks.
2) My neighbor isn’t “anti-dog”. She was actually hearing another dog down the hall and thought it was mine. She was genuinely concerned. (The other dog is fine too.)
3) Furbo has changed the level of worry when I have to leave my pup at home. I still hate to leave him. In a perfect world, I could take him everywhere with me. When I have to leave him, the Furbo gives me total peace of mind. I know that I will be notified of any activity, barking, whining, people or alarms that occur in my home while he is alone.
The Furbo Dog Camera is definitely a 10/10!
