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Need to talk to a vet or trainer after business hours? Are you searching for pet sitters or pet-friendly hotels for your next vacation? There are apps for that — and much more! Smartphone apps aren’t just for humans. There are dozens of dog and pet apps out there to help you manage your responsibilities as a devoted dog parent.
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Can Dog Apps Save You Money?
In 2019-2020, the average American household spent more than $1,300 on pet expenses. From pet budgeting and proactive health tips. Free training tools to how to save on pet-friendly hotels. Dog apps give you necessary resources at your fingertips — and most apps are entirely free (or close to it)!
Best Dog Apps By Category
Below are the categories of apps and our top pick for each.
- Dog Sitting
- Save On Vet Expenses
- Doggie Activity Monitor
- Health & Wellness
- Puppy Schedule App
- Potential Poisons
- Dog Training Tool
- Find It Local
- Pet-Friendly Hotels
Dog Sitting: Rover App
Visit Website | View iOS App | View Android App
Do you hate leaving your dog at a kennel when you have to be away? Rover is an excellent resource to help you find pet sitters near you. Rover connects pet owners with trusted pet sitters across the country, who will either care for your pup in their own home or come to yours. You even get photo updates of your furry friends during their stay.
Features
- Excellent search features, pet sitter profiles, and reviews
- Schedule a meet-and-greet with a potential sitter
- Use the app to make a reservation and payment
- Tips for common ailments, training, and other topics
- Rover Guarantee reimburses you for vet care injuries to a pet in a sitter’s care caused by a Rover sitter, vet care injuries to the sitter’s pets caused by a “Rover Dog,” and physical damages to a pet owner’s personal property caused by the sitter.
App Pricing
- App: Free
- Service: Price varies for owners depending on what the sitter charges
Read Our Full Review of Dog Sitting Sites
To Save On Vet Expenses: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance App
View iOS App | View Android App
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is the first in the industry to create an easy-to-use mobile app where you can send your claims in with your smartphone and have them handled quickly. All you have to do is take a photo of your invoice and send it on. But if you don’t have pet insurance or are unhappy with what you have, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance could be a good choice.
See our article on Healthy Paws to learn more.
App Pricing
- App: Free
- Service: Varies based on pet age, breed, and location
Dog Schedule App: Whistle — The Pet Tracker App
View iOS App | View Android App
Keep tabs on your pup 24/7 with the Whistle app, our pick for the best dog monitor app. The app is free, but you have to purchase what is essentially a GPS monitor that fits onto his collar. With Whistle, you’ll be able to track your dog’s activity and behavior. And Whistle also serves as a daily timeline so you can add notes and photos, as well as log food and medications.
See more dog monitor recommendations in our Best Dog Activity Monitor Review.
Main Features
- Set daily activity goals
- Monitor your dog’s activity level on a daily basis
App Pricing
Health & Wellness: Pet First Aid App
View iOS App | View Android App
The American Red Cross Pet First Aid app gives you vet advice in case of emergencies right at your fingertips. It’s easy to use and has a ton of features, step-by-step advice, videos, interactive quizzes, and more. And it comes highly rated by consumers, animal organizations, and news outlets. This is a great app for any pet owner to have on hand.
Main Features
- Easily toggle between dog and cat content
- Emergency tools include a vet hospital locator, contact your vet, and early warning signs checker
- Pet first aid step-by-step tips for more than 25 common pet ailments, including “how-to” videos
- Advice on how to administer medication and behavioral help
- Create multiple pet profiles and store all your vet records so they’re in the palm of your hand at all times
- Set vet appointments and reminders
App Pricing
- Free
Potty Training App: Puddle & Pile
Potty training can be a chore. It helps if you have a schedule for your puppy. It’s $3.99, but for about the same price as a dog bone, you can save yourself lots of clean-ups from accidents. Put in your puppy’s age and name, and use the app to note when your pup eats, drinks, and has a puddle (pee) or pile (poop). It predicts bowel movements and sends reminders and tips so you don’t forget. And you can even see the stats and history for the times of day your pup is most likely to use the bathroom and have mealtime.
App Pricing
- $3.99
Read more reviews of dog training apps
Potential Poisons: PupTox App
Want to buy a new houseplant but not sure if it’s dog friendly? The PupTox app is an excellent reference tool, including more than 250 things that are toxic to dogs and cats. If you ever need to determine if your dog ate something poisonous quickly, PupTox is your go-to guide.
Main Features
- Built-in chocolate toxicity calculator
- Easily search by categories: beverages & liquids, foods, garden or house plants, chemicals, etc.
- Program your vet’s number into the app
- Quick call the Pet Poison Helpline or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
App Pricing
- $0.99
Best Dog Training App: iClicker
View iOS App | Android app not available
Professional dog trainers use them around the world. But who needs to buy a clicker when there’s a free clicker app that you can have on you at all times? You can teach your dog basic and advanced behavior, how to do tricks, and more with this dog training app.
Main Features
- Virtual clicker with a volume-controlled clicking sound
- The Noise Box — 48 distinct sounds you can use to train your dog and desensitize him from bothersome noises (fireworks, doorbell, cat meowing…you get the idea)
- More than 30 in-depth clicker how-to training videos — using the iClicker, training your dog obedience, solving behavior problems, and much more
App Pricing
- Free
Find it Local: Pet Care Services Finder App
View iOS App | Android app not available
Need a dog groomer? Doggie daycare? Local vet recommendations? The Pet Care Services Finder app is at your service. It’s the best app we’ve seen that searches and finds many of your pet-related needs based on your location.
Main Features
- Great category search features for a variety of local pet services — pet sitters, walkers, daycare, dog parks, trainers, groomers, clinics, hospitals, and more
- The app targets your search by your location and provides local results by business, location, mobile map, contact information, and driving directions to your desired service
App Pricing
- Free
Find Pet-Friendly Hotels: BringFido App
View iOS App | View Android App
Want to take your furry friend with you when you travel? The BringFido app is a perfect resource. Search for pet-friendly hotels and get the lowdown on hotels based on location, price, and reviews by fellow dog parents. BringFido also lets you search for pet-friendly area attractions, restaurants, parks, beaches, and more.
Main Features
- Hotel search filters include large dogs, multiple pets, no pet fees, etc
- Book reservations with BringFido’s Best Rate Guarantee
- Locate nearby pet-friendly attractions and upcoming dog events
- Find local resources, including sitters, groomers, veterinarians, and more
App Pricing
- Free
What About Gaming Apps For Dogs?
Yep, there actually are a number of gaming apps for your dogs and cats, too. Watch the following video to see how our furry friends get their game on.
Dog Cam Apps
If you struggle to get through the day without seeing your pup’s furry face, you may want to consider purchasing a doggy camera. Pet cams let you peak on your dog through an app, and some even let you give treats to your pooch too.
