Väätäjä et al. (2018) explored how dog owners integrate activity monitoring technology into their daily lives. The research combined interviews with Finnish dog owners (N = 7) and an international online survey (N = 35) to examine motivations, benefits, and impacts of using these devices.
The study revealed that owners primarily used trackers to monitor health, behavior, and learning, as well as to ensure an appropriate balance of activity and rest. Importantly, the devices encouraged owners to be more attentive and to spend more quality time with their dogs. This increased awareness translated into improved care routines and a deeper emotional connection.
Interestingly, owners reported that keeping their dog happy also made them happier, highlighting the reciprocal nature of the dog–owner relationship. The study concluded that activity monitoring not only supports canine welfare but also contributes positively to human well-being by fostering engagement and shared happiness.
The findings emphasize that beyond health tracking, technology can play a meaningful role in enhancing human–animal interaction. The authors also note the need for future development of more user-friendly and comprehensive monitoring tools that could further support welfare and strengthen the emotional bond between dogs and their owners.
Source: Väätäjä, H., Majaranta, P., Isokoski, P., Gizatdinova, Y., Kujala, M. V., Somppi, S., Vehkaoja, A., Vainio, O., Juhlin, O., Ruohonen, M., & Surakka, V. (2018). Happy dogs and happy owners: using dog activity monitoring technology in everyday life. Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Animal-Computer Interaction. References: 51. Citations: 16.
