Best Dog Cameras in the UK

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Being alone at home is hard for many dogs; when separated from owners many of them can become more anxious than usual. Many pets can actually suffer from a separation anxiety disorder (or SAD for short). And despite this disorder may seem something not serious enough to pay attention to, if not taken care of, it may pose a real threat to your dog's mental and even physical health. Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety disorder tend to chew objects that still have your scent, bark a lot, howl, dig (if left in the yard), and may even try to escape. All of these actions may result in self-injuries such as damaged nails, cut front paws and even broken teeth should your pet try to break loose. If the dog is too anxious it will try to do so by scratching and chewing through doors and even windows that are low enough.

Many researchers believe that the loss of an important person and other less dramatic events in a dog’s life may lead to separation anxiety. Such events as a change of an owner or family or being surrendered to a shelter may also be connected with SAD. Other reasons that may cause this disorder include an abrupt change in schedule (when you leave the dog alone longer than usual), and a change in residence (moving to a new home can trigger the development of the disorder). Although there is no clear answer to what causes separation anxiety all you can do is to train your dog restraint and be nice and patient to your furry friend since your kindness and positive emotions are the key factors that can help your pet to fight stress. 

The Importance of Dog Training

One of the most important aspects of raising a dog is training. An untrained and disobedient dog may pose threat not only to you and your family but also to your property, your neighbourhood and other dogs living nearby.  Dog training may seem like a tiresome and tedious task but in the end, you will be rewarded with an obedient pet that you will be able to proudly call your family member and friend. 

If you decide to train your dog on your own without the help of cynologists or other canine experts, remember about patience, consistency, and positive mindset during the training. To encourage your furry friend to do what you want it to do, it's best to involve some reward system. The reward is usually food - dry food or pet treats. The rule here is to give pet treats only to compliment your pet for good behaviour and not to give them after the dog has done something bad or unwanted. Do not put your hands in pockets or hold the bag with treats while giving commands to your dog. The variety of rewards is important and can benefit the teaching process. Going outside for a walk, tossing a frisbee (or other toys), a game of tug of war or hide and seek are also good examples of rewards.

As we all know, the dogs are creatures of habit that is why it is important to be consistent with training. Using this knowledge you can basically “program” your pet to do certain things at set times of the day. For example, you can steadily teach your dog patience if you go for a walk at the exact same time every day. This way your pet will be patient since it will know that it is hard to intimidate you to go for a walk an hour earlier.

If you plan to get a dog, remember that it is still an animal and that, without proper training, it will behave like an animal. A well-behaved dog is definitely better than a poor socialized one. You can rely on the obedient and well-mannered dog and not be concerned about any misbehaviour when it is spending time with your family members or friends, as well as with other dogs.

Q: Can I use a mobile app with my Android phone?

A: Yes, you can. Most of the pet camera models that allow for syncing with phones support Android OS. However, to utilise the app, you will first need to download it from the Play Store. Also, you will need to make sure that you have a stable Internet connection 'cause these apps do not work offline.

Q: How do I know that nobody else beside me is watching a stream via the dog camera?

A: As any other security camera pet cameras use encryption to prevent hackers and other criminals from accessing your personal video stream. If you are concerned about security, never show or give your login data and password to anyone you don’t trust. This way you will be sure that nobody else uses the live stream. For additional security, make sure to use a secure connection when you try to reach the video stream using a mobile app.

Q: Can I use any kind of wet food with this camera instead of dry treats?

A: No, you can’t. The pet cameras were designed specifically for dry food since wet food deteriorates faster and would eventually damage the food dispenser owing to leaks. Not to mention the fact that it would also be extremely harder to clean the food tray from food chunks soaked and stuck in nooks and crannies.

Q: Can I use a dog camera to feed my cat?

A: Yes, you can! As long as you fill the treat dispenser with dry food the device can also be used to toss treats for cats. Please note that it's important to fill the device with treats of the proper size so that they won't block its distribution and cause the unit's malfunction.

Q: Will I need to reset the treat dispenser every day?

A: No. As a rule, the majority of food dispensers are needed to be reset only when the food tray is empty. Some more advanced models can be used to schedule the timings and portions of each meal, though.

Q: Will the camera notify me in case of danger at my house?

A: This feature is dependent on your camera model. If your dog camera has a bark alert it will go off and notify you via the mobile app when your dog is barking. Likewise, it is able to go off in case of any loud sound such as smoke alert, carbon monoxide alert, etc. In case your camera has a motion detector it will go off every time when sensors spot abnormal activity in front of the device.

Q: Do I need Wi-Fi to be able to watch live stream from the camera?

A: No. You will be able to watch video stream and use features of the mobile app using the 3G/4G connection as long as it is stable. Nonetheless, you will need to have a decent Wi-Fi connection of at least 512 Kbps at home in order for the camera to operate.

Q: Can I mount the camera on the ceiling?

A: Yes, you can, although we do not recommend you to do that unless you buy a camera without a food dispenser function. If your camera has this function, placing it on the ceiling will restrict you from using it. Furthermore, it will also limit the angle of the field view compared to positioning the camera on the tabletop or even on the wall. So unless absolutely necessary, it's best to avoid mounting it on the ceiling.