Pet cameras have been one of the best new pieces of tech dog owners could enjoy in the last decade. With the advancement of cameras and wireless technologies, these devices truly became convenient and useful. One of the most famous ones is the Furbo Dog Camera and in this review, I will walk you through some of its most important features, advantages, and potential disadvantages.
If you want to learn more about pet cameras in general, head over to my fully detailed buyer’s guide in which I’ve listed my favorite models for this year along with a few extra tips and curiosities!
Table of Contents
Overview & Features of Furbo Pet Camera
The thing that will define this camera though our discussion will be how well-rounded it is. Of course, its Achilles heel will always be the price tag but hopefully some of the features we will talk about will make your mind on whether or not this is worth it. Spoiler alert – it really is.
- Excellent camera quality
- Good wide-angle view
- Two-way audio capabilities
- Treat tossing function
- Sound quality is great
- Barking detection and alerts
- Smart activity alerts
- Good-looking design aesthetics
Design & Build Quality
The aesthetics of this device are a good selling point since it will complement almost any type of surface you put it on. Similar to modern smart speakers and assistants, it tries to look like a modern addition to your home, and, to be honest, it succeeds. The white-gloss body has a bamboo wood cover at the top which does make it blend with furniture better. At the bottom, there is a status indicator light that glows blue when the camera is on and yellow when it is put into sleep mode. The same goes for the treat tosser hole which also indicates that the camera is operational. Above it, you have the camera cutout which also houses the single mic and speaker combo. At the back, you have a single micro-USB used for charging. The whole pet camera is almost 9 inches tall and 4.7 inches wide.
You have a 3M adhesive tape at the bottom which will keep the Furbo literally glued to whichever surface you put it on. It is also spill-proof thanks to its bamboo cover, so your dog will have a hard time defeating it.
Functions
The number of functions this pet camera has truly made it shine compared to its competitors. Here is a list of everything it can do:
- Two-way audio
- Adjustable barking alerts
- Smart activity alerts
- Dog selfie alert
- Person Alert
- Treat tossing
- Live streaming and recording
- Night vision
Now, let’s dwell on those a little bit further, shall we?
The two-way audio is one of the standout features here thanks to its crisp quality. While it isn’t always very responsive and lag-free, it still provides decent back and forth communication options for you and your pup.
Next, there are various alert features on this pet camera. You have activity alerts when your pup gets too playful and starts jumping around. You also have selfie alerts when your dog comes close to the camera. Then you will be asked whether you want to take a picture. On top of all these, there is also a person alert in case someone enters (a pet trainer, someone to walk the dog, intruder, etc). The adjustable barking alerts give you the option for Furbo to notify you whenever things get noisy in there. That is good in case you want to know if someone’s at the door or your dog is acting up. You can then calm him down through the speaker and throw a treat once he’s calm and collected.
Camera & Microphone
The camera is a Full HD one, meaning it can record at 1080p (30fps) both during the day and the night. The 4x zoom is also applicable during both times of the day. The night mode works fairly well in dark conditions but is practically useless in pitch-black rooms, so if you’re leaving your dog alone overnight, make sure you leave some form of lighting on. The camera uses a wide-angle lens that captures a 160-degree picture. What this means is that the Furbo pet camera can easily cover a whole room if you put it in a corner.
Treat Tossing
The treat tossing is by far the best feature here. Not only will it help your pup cope with your absence during the day but it will allow you to give hi ma tasty reward from time to time until you come back. The fact that the camera doesn’t just drop the treat but tosses it in the air even gives the whole thing an extra layer of playfulness.
Furbo says that round-shaped treats with a diameter of around 0.4-0.5 inches work the best. Some of the recommended treats by the brand are Nutro Mini, Zuke’s Mini, Natural Balance Mini-rewards, and more.
Another thing that I absolutely love about the treat tossing feature is the clicker implemented in it. You can use it to train your dog or positively reinforce good behavior such as remaining calm during a storm or when the delivery man arrives.
Smart Alerts
Even though we already touched on the alert features, it is important to note that the Furbo pet camera uses an AI-powered recognition software that can distinguish between your dog and a person. That way, it can tell whether your dog is acting up or there is someone inside when it gives you an activity alert.
Alexa Integration
The Amazon Alexa integration is also quite a revolutionary feature that does require wireless connectivity. It will allow you to use voice commands on your pet camera such as “Alexa, ask Furbo to throw a treat”.
Regrettably, all those features that we went through have one very major downside – they make the model expensive. That is practically Furbo’s biggest weakness and makes a lot of pet owners look elsewhere at models that are sold for less than half the price… Either way, quality always comes at a price, and there are more than enough features here to make up for that, especially the next thing we will talk about…
It Can Save Your Dog’s Life
One of the most important features of this pet camera is that it can really protect your pet from bad scenarios. There are countless owners that still have their pups thanks to the automatic barking alert function which will keep notifying you if your dog is being abnormally loud. Furthermore, there are notifications if the camera detects an intruder or sudden movements. All these can help you act accordingly if something bad happens and that is one of the main reasons behind pet cameras in general. Now, let’s take a quick look at all of the pros and cons of this pet camera.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Furbo Camera
Pros
- Excellent camera quality
- Good wide-angle view
- Two-way audio capabilities
- Treat tossing function
- Sound quality is great
- Barking detection and alerts
- Smart activity alerts
- Good-looking design aesthetics
Cons
- Very expensive
- The treat tossing might jam occasionally depending on the treats that you’re using
- There are freezing and connectivity issues with Furbo’s mobile app
If you’re wondering what type of treats to put into the Furbo and what dog treats to avoid in general, I suggest checking out my detailed article on the topic!
Conclusion
Our Rating:
Few are the pet cameras out there that can deliver a good overall performance and have well-thought-out design and functionality. Despite the connectivity issues and the steep price tag, this particular camera is one of the safest bets if you want to get something long-lasting, durable, and fairly reliable. I hope this Furbo Dog Camera review has been helpful and, once again, if you need my advice on more of these cameras, hit me up and I will try to find the exact match for your home and pet needs!
