The 8 Most Useful Apps For Dog Owners

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Calling all helicopter dog moms and dads! We get it, keeping constant tabs on your pup and spoiling him or her rotten is hard when you live a busy life. But these eight apps will make it easier for you to fill your dog’s every desire without driving yourself crazy. The list includes everything from apps that help you find dog-friendly establishments to ones that provide instant emergency pet care. The time that it takes for you to download these apps is the only time that your pup will be okay with you paying more attention to your phone.

1. If you’re too busy to walk your dog — Wag!

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Are you a busy bee with a dog that requires a lot of daily exercise? The Wag! app lets you book one of their dog walkers near you either on demand, in advance or as a reoccurring service. While your pup’s being walked, you can track his or her journey with the app’s custom GPS tracking system. You’ll also receive a report card for your dog via the app at the end of the walk. The report will detail how long the walk was, how many miles your dog walked (as well as his or her bowel movements during the walk). The report will be complete with an adorable picture of your pup that will make you that much more excited to see him or her at the end of the day. We love this app because it conveniently helps you find a dog walker near you, no matter your location, and you don’t need to book the service far in advance.

2. If your pup eats a lot of weird things — PupTox

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Does your dog double as a vacuum cleaner that eats everything and anything in sight? Then you’ll want to download the PupTox app. This app lets you figure out if what your dog just ate is toxic or completely harmless. It lists over 250 human foods and household items that are toxic for both pups and cats. Now you’ll know when it’s necessary to call the vet after your dog’s eaten something that he or she shouldn’t have and when you can keep calm and carry on. You can find the PupTox app on iTunes and download it for 99 cents.

3. If you can’t stand leaving your dog at home — BringFido 

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We get it, leaving your pup at home isn’t easy — those puppy dog eyes that beg you not to leave break your heart every time. But instead of becoming a hermit and never leaving your house, download the BringFido app to find hotels, restaurant, stores and other venues for recreational activities that are 100 percent dog-friendly. You can even read reviews from dog owners that have already been to the venues to make sure that your pup will get treated with the utmost respect. This app lets you keep your social life with your pup by your side!

4. If you’re new to dog training — Pooch

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Okay, you’ve got your new puppy. But he’s pretty unruly and you’re a new dog parent who doesn’t know the first thing about training a dog, so what do you do? The Pooch app — available for free download on iTunes — gives you step-by-step instructions with pictures to teach your pup basic tricks like sit, stay, lay down and come, as well as more complex commands for extra-skilled doggies. The app teaches you the basics of effective training principles (like positive reinforcement, for example) that will help you better communicate with your pup.

5. If you’re looking for some playmates — Twindog

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Maybe you’re new to your neighborhood or you’re a new pawrent — whatever the case, the Twindog app lets you and your pup find new friends in your area. It’s basically Tinder for dog owners and pups. Browse through countless profiles of potential playmates to find a pair that you and your dog can both enjoy spending time with. The app lets you learn more about the temperament of other doggies so that you can pick one that has a similar energy level to your pup. You can then message dog owners from the app to set up future playdates. Download the app for free on Apple’s App Store or on Google Play.

6. If last-minute business trips are the norm for you — Rover

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Do you frequently take trips that aren’t dog-friendly and your friends are sick of being asked to dog sit, but you just can’t stand the thought of leaving your precious puppy at a kennel? That’s where Rover comes in. The app lets you find reliable dog sitters in your area that will welcome your pup into their home when you’re out of town. You can read reviews about potential sitters on the app and contact the ones that you like. Your dog will get one-on-one care instead of being grouped in a pool of countless pooches. The app also offers house-sitting services for those spoiled-rotten doggies who can’t sleep anywhere but their own home. Dog sitters on the app set their own rate, but many charge between $30 and $60 per night.

7. If you notoriously lose track of important papers — Pawprint

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This app is a must-have for those of us who are a little scatterbrained. Pawprint lets you store your pup’s official medical records all in one place so you can conveniently locate them when you need to show proof of vaccination at a hotel or at the groomer’s. The app will retrieve your pup’s official medical records from your vet and it’ll even allow you to share that info with your friends and pet sitters. Pawprint can also help you set up reoccurring reminders for anything from your pup’s next vet visit to his or her daily pills. You can download the app for free on iTunes or the App Store.

8. If you’re a proud senior dog owner — Pet First Aid 

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This app is sponsored by the American Red Cross, so you know it’s legit. Pet First Aid tell you what to do in canine emergencies, like when your pup swallows something scary or he or she is experiencing an allergic reaction. The app lets you chat with an on-call vet 24/7 even when your pup’s regular vet is unavailable. It lets you locate nearby emergency vet hospitals and teaches you how to identify symptoms and early-warning sign for common canine illnesses. Download it for free on iTunes or Google Play.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Rover allows you to find last-minute dog sitters for your pup, not DogVacay, which was acquired by Rover.

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