Dogs are man’s best friend, but those friends can require a lot. Whether it’s health care, dog training, supplies, or more, all dog owners could use a helping hand when it comes to their pups. Lucky for us, the future is here, and it includes tons of apps (many for free!) that you can download to help out with your four-legged friend.
Sifting through all those apps to determine which are the best ones can be time-consuming, though. Now you don’t need to waste another minute trying to find what you desire because we have a list of the 10 best apps for dog owners! There’s a bit of everything here, from apps to help train your pup to ones that help you find pet-friendly hotels, so you’re sure to find the app you’ve been searching for.
The 10 Best Apps for Dog Owners
1. Pet Desk – Best Overall
| Rating: | 4.8 |
| Downloads: | 1M+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
Keeping your pet healthy is one of the most important aspects of being a pet parent, which is why Pet Desk is the best overall app for dog owners, as with it, you can manage your dog’s wellness all in one place. You can use the app to set up appointments if your vet offers Pet Desk. You can also add info for your vet, groomers, dog sitter, and more and access it whenever you need it (and you can do this for multiple pets). Pet Desk also allows you to keep track of vet appointments, when vaccinations are required, and more; plus, it will send you reminders when these are due. You can even integrate Pet Desk with your calendar and set up to-do lists! It’s a one-stop shop for everything wellness-related.
One complaint was that items such as lab results were a bit slow in showing up.
2. Chewy – Best Value
| Rating: | 4.8 |
| Downloads: | 10M+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
If you’re a pet owner, you’re likely familiar with Chewy. This online store allows you to get anything and everything you might need for your dog. What makes the Chewy app the best value for the money isn’t just that it’s free; it’s that the app makes ordering supplies from Chewy that much easier. With the Chewy app, you can not only place orders but manage auto-shipped items, track shipments, share products you love with friends, and locate the deals of the day. You can even order from Chewy’s pharmacy via the app!
The main complaint people had was that sometimes aspects of changing or holding an auto-ship order wouldn’t work through the app—apparently, it was about 50/50 on whether one could accomplish this or not. And, occasionally, product pages were slow in loading.
3. Dog Monitor – Premium Choice
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Downloads: | 10k+ |
| Free: | No |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS, MACOS, TVOS, AndroidTV |
If you’re looking for a premium app that lets you check on your dog when you’re away from home, Dog Monitor might be the one for you. You will need two devices to use this one, though; one device at home to set up as a camera and then your phone or tablet to set up wherever you are. Once you have those and the app set up, you can watch HD video of your pup when you’re out of the house. That’s not all, though! You can also record voice commands so you can tell your dog to “sit” or “stay” and speak to your pet live to reassure them when they seem upset. You can also hear what your pup is up to and keep up with what you missed in the activity log. And everyone in the family can use this app to keep an eye on your pet!
There were reports of occasional interruptions in the live stream due to the app freezing, and every now and then, the live stream or noise tracker was delayed in relaying info.
4. Tractive GPS
| Rating: | 4.7 |
| Downloads: | 1M+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
The app may be free, but it does require a Tractive tracker collar (and a subscription for that collar), so things might get a bit pricey. But if keeping up with your pet’s whereabouts is important, then this GPS app will satisfy you. With it, you can keep track of your dog in real-time with an unlimited range, check where your pet has been, set up virtual fences so you know if your pet is going somewhere it’s not allowed, let the whole family track your pet, and even monitor sleep activity and more. This app really does a lot!
This app may not work as well in rural areas with lots of trees, as the trees can block GPS availability. Pet owners also complained about the lack of response from customer service when they had issues.
5. Rover
| Rating: | 4.8 |
| Downloads: | 1M+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
Sometimes you simply can’t be there for your dog, which means hiring a dog sitter or walker or even boarding your pup. But how can you find help when you need it? With Rover! You can book these services through the Rover app, with all services being backed by 24/7 support and the Rover Guarantee. You can easily and securely pay through the app, and you can get updates on your dog while you’re away—updates such as a map of the route your dog walker took your pup on or notes from your dog sitter. The service you use can even send you photos and videos of your pet to keep you on top of things.
There were some complaints about the UX used in the app, stating that the search function could be difficult to use. And a couple of dog sitters/walkers said that sending videos to pet owners could be a slow process at times.
6. Bring Fido
| Rating: | 4.7 |
| Downloads: | 100k+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
We want to share everything with our dogs, but occasionally we run into difficulties when it comes to vacations—some hotels just aren’t pet-friendly. Bring Fido helps you with this issue as it allows you to not only seek out pet-friendly hotels where you’re headed, but also parks, beaches, trails, and restaurants! And searching for the right hotel is made simple with tons of filters you can sort by, including price, whether large dogs or multiple dogs are allowed, ratings, and whether a hotel charges a fee for pets. But not only does this app enable you to find the perfect hotel, it can also tell you what dog events, groomers, vets, and more are nearby where you’re staying. Bringing Fido along on trips has never been simpler.
One significant complaint people had, though, is that you have to start over with a new search after each hotel you click on to view, so the process seems like it could end up consuming a bit of time. You may also find fewer results in less populated areas.
7. iKibble
| Rating: | 4.9 |
| Downloads: | 100+ |
| Free: | No |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
We’ve all had our dogs get into some of our food at some point and gone through that moment of panic where we wonder, “Oh no, was that toxic?”. Well, the next time that scenario comes up, you can use iKibble to find out in mere moments whether what your pet just ate is safe or not. You can also use this app preemptively to search out what people foods are okay to give your pup in moderation. iKibble lists hundreds of foods you can browse by either health factor or food category. You can also search for specific foods by name. Each food comes with a rating on how healthy (or not) it is for your dog and advice on how to feed your dog these foods. The knowledge you gain with this app is certainly worth the low price.
The only complaint we saw about iKibble is that the food list could be more exhaustive.
8. Puppr
| Rating: | 4.8 |
| Downloads: | 500k+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
Training your puppy is vital, as skipping out on training your dog can lead to destructive behavior down the road. But you can’t always get your pet to training classes, and you might have some questions on how to train them on your own. That’s where Puppr comes in. Puppr contains step-by-step videos that will let you teach your pet everything from how to sit to how to fetch a leash. With 80+ lessons from celebrity trainer Sara Carson, a built-in clicker, ways to track your training progress, and more, Puppr simplifies the experience of dog training. You can even chat with trainers to get your questions answered—so long as you have a premium subscription at least. Plus, Puppr lets you train multiple dogs at once.
Other than the fact one needs a premium subscription for some features, other negatives were videos not loading every once in a blue moon and a lack of advice focusing on what to do if your dog isn’t learning commands.
9. DogLog
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Downloads: | 50k+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
DogLog is a bit of an amalgamation of several other apps on this list. With this app, you can keep track of your puppy’s training, when vaccinations are needed, symptoms if your pet is sick, medication reminders, and more. And you can form “packs” where your dog walker or dog sitter can share photos and record activities done with your pet while you’re away. There’s even a statistics page that tracks trends and gives you insight into your dog’s life and health. If you want an app with a bit of everything, DogLog is for you.
Be forewarned, though, that the app can sometimes be a bit glitchy and slow to open.
10. Whistle
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Downloads: | 100k+ |
| Free: | Yes |
| Platforms: | Android, IOS |
Though the Whistle app is free, it does require using a Whistle smart device; if you don’t already have one, you’ll need to purchase one. You’ll also have to choose a Whistle plan to be billed monthly, quarterly, or annually. So, overall, this app is a bit costly. However, it tracks everything from your dog’s location to how much activity it gets in a day to its health, so it could be well worth the price. The health tracking portion tracks sleeping, drinking, licking, scratching, and eating and notifies you of any changes and what they might mean. The GPS tracking enables you to set up Safe Places, so you can set boundaries for your pet and alerts you of escape attempts your dog makes. You can even connect straight to a vet via the app!
There have been recent complaints about the latest update to the app, though, with people stating the app won’t connect to the smart device and is unable to locate their pets.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Apps for Dog Owners
Clearly, you won’t need every app for dog owners on the market, so how do you decide which ones you really do need? Here’s what to consider.
Your Needs
What do you need an app to do for you in your daily life? If you have trouble remembering vet appointments or when to give your dog its meds, then an app that keeps track of health and wellness would be best for you. If you’re looking to train your puppy but need some help doing so, then a dog training app is what you need. If you want to keep track of where your pup is while you’re away from home, then you’ll need a GPS tracking app of some kind. You get the idea. There really is an app out there for almost everything, so decide what needs you want to be met and choose accordingly.
Pricing
Price is always a factor when deciding whether to get something or not. And with apps, it can get a bit tricky. Many apps on this list are free, but a few require you to purchase other items or subscriptions to work. Then there are apps that may need (or encourage) you to make in-app purchases. And finally, there are the apps you do have to pay for, which will come in a range of prices from super cheap to a few dollars. Look at what kind of app you need and compare different ones to get the best value.
Reviews
Reviews are always important to consider when deciding on a product. Always take the time to read reviews on the apps you’re taking into consideration, as they’ll give you a more honest and comprehensive insight into how well an app works.
Conclusion
To round off these reviews, we’re reiterating our top three app picks. The best overall app is Pet Desk, which lets you track your dog’s health and wellness. Chewy offers the best app for the money since it’s free and lets you order tons of dog supplies, track auto-ship orders, and more. Finally, our choice for a premium app comes in the form of Dog Monitor. as it enables you to keep an eye on your dog while you’re away from home and works on a number of platforms.
Featured Image Credit: Ivan Babydov, Pexels
