Dog owners can't always be home to entertain their pet, but a new product is designed to keep their four-legged friends occupied, even in an empty house.
Furbo, developed by Seattle-based Tomofun, is the latest tech toy made specifically with dogs — and treats — in mind. The product's presale launch began on April 26.
"As a dog parent, the hardest part of my day used to be the moment I would leave for work and hear my dog crying," said Furbo co-founder Maggie Cheung. "Other solutions allowed me to watch what he was doing remotely, but didn't allow me to truly interact with him or to help keep him occupied during the day when he was lonely. We created Furbo out of our personal need as dog parents, and we can't wait to give other dog moms and dads the same ability to stay close with their furry loved ones from anywhere."
Furbo looks more like a canister you would keep on your kitchen counter. However, it's designed to hold dog treats, and it's embedded with a smart camera, making it more than your average pet toy. Furbo's camera can live-stream what's going on at home in high-definition, and pet owners can interact with their pet through the device's two-way microphone. When owners want to reward good behavior, they can direct Furbo to pop out a treat.
All of the device's features are controlled with the Furbo app. Pet owners simply load the device up with treats, and everything else is done via smartphone. Unlike other treat dispensers on the market, Furbo is designed to "pop" the food into the air, making for a fetch-like experience for the dog. Furbo also has flashing lights and sounds to let the pet know that food is about to be dispensed.
"Pet technology is an emerging industry, and we're proud to be introducing a new kind of product that not only is the first of its kind, but truly changes the way we interact with our pets when we're away from them," said Victor Chang, CEO of Tomofun. "We're very excited to get this product into the hands and paws of our users, and are well-positioned at the forefront of this growing industry."
Interested buyers can donate $99 to the Furbo campaign on Indiegogo to reserve a device. Furbos will begin shipping out this summer.
Here's how the Furbo works:
