Dog Pedometer: Where A Smart Dog Tracker Is Better
A smart dog tracker means a more comprehensive view of your dog's health & well-being. Here's where it goes beyond just counting their steps.
As a health-conscious dog parent, you’re likely taking them out for walks, never skipping on playtime, and filming them during zoomies. But does all that activity really mean your dog is living their healthiest and happiest life? Just as we track our own fitness, you might’ve wondered: is there a dog pedometer you could be using for them? Here’s what you might be missing out on if you’re stuck on just counting their steps.
Key Takeaways
A “people pedometer” might not accurately count a dog’s steps, nor do they tend to be built for a dog’s lifestyle.
You’re better off using a dedicated smart dog tracker, like Tractive, which provides more accurate and relevant health data.
Tractive’s Health Monitoring provides more valuable health metrics than simply step count. Including your dog’s active minutes, calories burned, distance covered, breed-specific information, and even vital signs monitoring. So you can monitor your dog’s overall health that much better, take informed decisions, and have a more productive conversation with your vet.
Always know your buddy is healthy & safe
Read moreWhat is a pedometer?
Simply put, a pedometer is a device designed to count steps. For us humans, it’s a popular tool to encourage us to get off our couches and get those steps in. Applied to our dogs, a pet pedometer aims to provide a similar measure. I.e., an estimation of how much your dog is moving throughout their day.
How many steps should a dog take a day?
Much like for humans, this really depends on your dog. Factors like your dog’s breed, age, size, energy level, and general health all play a role. For instance, an active Border Collie will naturally require more exercise than a senior Pug.
This is why, rather than just counting your dog’s steps, you’re better off aiming for a specific duration of exercise per day. Aka, active minutes. Generally, experts recommend that most adult dogs should get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. This could be two 15-minute walks, or playtime as your schedule allows.
Read more: How Much Exercise Does A Dog Need?
Can you put a pedometer on your dog?
Sure you can – but there are better alternatives to putting a “people pedometer” on your dog’s collar. While it might technically record some motion, it’s unlikely to give you accurate or meaningful data. Human pedometers are calibrated for bipedal movement and the unique gait of a human. A dog’s four-legged stride, different body mechanics, and varying gaits (walk, trot, run) mean a human device will often misinterpret their steps.
The result? An unreliable count, your dog most likely running your poor pedometer through a pond or mud, and you wasting your time and money. (Haven’t you ever started walking or running, only to find your pedometer hasn’t actually counted any steps? Frustrating, right?)
This is where a product specifically designed for dogs makes all the difference. Tractive smart dog trackers, for example, are designed to clip securely to your dog’s collar and stay put. If you’ve picked a Tractive DOG XL Adventure Edition, your tracker is also bite-proof, IP68 waterproof, and lightweight. Meant to withstand the worst of your rough and tumble adventures.
Where a smart dog tracker with Health Monitoring can step in
While a basic dog step tracker might give you a numerical count of steps, Tractive’s Health Monitoring features go significantly deeper. If you’re a health-conscious dog parent, you know that understanding your dog’s health and wellbeing doesn’t stop at their step count. Rather, strapped to your dog’s collar, here’s what you can expect from your Tractive smart dog tracker:
- Your dog’s active minutes
Instead of just steps, you can see the actual duration your dog spends in motion. (Whether they’re walking, running, or playing.) This gives you a more accurate gauge of how much energy they’ve spent. You can also set them activity goals and stick to hitting them daily. - How many calories your dog has burned
If you’re helping your dog gain or lose weight, this helps you portion out their food servings accordingly. Or get in a little extra exercise. - Your dog’s vital signs
Including their breathing and heart rate. This can help you take action quicker if you notice it’s higher or lower than their baseline. (Whether that’s getting in another workout – or heading over to the vet for a preventive checkup.)
- How active your dog is for their breed
From both your community leaderboard and Health Monitoring data. So you get a little healthy competition against other, similar dogs around the world. Your tracker also helps you understand what’s a normal level of activity for your dog based on their breed. - Spot potential health issues early
If there’s a weird change in your dog’s active minutes or even sleep quality – all potential health red flags – your tracker sends you a Health Alert. So you can catch a potential illness early and get your dog over for a checkup on time.
With these detailed metrics, you can make informed decisions about your dog’s overall health. Better yet, you’re also more likely to have a productive conversation with your vet.
How can I track how far my dog walks?
With Tractive’s Health Monitoring, tracking how far your dog walks (along with their runs, playful sprints, and all their adventures!) is incredibly straightforward. All the detailed activity data is firstly captured by the Tractive device. It’s also easily accessible right from your smartphone through your Tractive mobile app. You can review their daily routes, how fast they’re moving, and also the total distance they’ve covered. So you know whether they’ve done enough to be all tuckered out. (Or could do with one last game of fetch.)
💡Your Tractive device also includes real-time GPS tracking to help you find your dog wherever they roam. Plus, unlike an Apple AirTag, your tracker isn’t limited to a network of compatible devices to work. Nor is it limited by any range. Think of a whole sky full of satellites, helping you keep your buddy safe.
Help your dog live their happiest & healthiest life by your side
While the concept of a dog pedometer is a great starting point, just counting their steps might not give you enough information about their overall health and wellbeing. You also technically CAN use a people pedometer or fitness tracker on your dog. But it’s unlikely to give you much useful info. (Compared to, say, a smart dog tracker that’s actually built with dogs in mind.)
Tractive’s Health Monitoring features go further than just counting your dog’s steps. From detailed Activity Tracking with active minutes, calories burned, and distance covered, to vital signs monitoring, you’ll have all the info you need to help your dog live their happiest, healthiest, and most active life.
Help your dog stay fit and healthy
Get a complete overview of how much exercise and rest they’re getting. Compare their activity to that of similar dogs. Set daily goals. And find out if something might be off with Health Alerts.
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
