It seems that pet lovers are not going to get enough when it comes to their beloved pets. It does not come as a surprise that more and more pet parents are buying pet cameras that allow them to see and interact with their furry babies when they are not home.
There are a lot of pet cameras out there that also have a treat dispenser thrown in. Two of these are Furbo Dog Camera and Petzi Treat Cam.
Bottom Line Up Front: If you are a dog owner exclusively, I’d definitely recommend the Furbo.
However, if you are looking for cats or other friends, the Petzi available here is a more versatile “pet monitor”.
About the Furbo Dog Camera
Furbo allows you to check in on your dogs, talk to them, and toss them treats. It doesn’t just drop the treats, but it tosses them, thereby adding an element of fun for your furry friends. The Furbo Dog Camera has included the many inputs of veterinarians and professional dog trainers, making it an ideal product for dog lovers.
Features of the Furbo
The Furbo Dog Camera offers the following features:
- HD camera. Furbo uses a high-definition camera that gives you videos with a 720-pixel resolution
- Treat dispenser. Furbo distinguishes itself from other pet cameras through a treat dispenser that tosses the treats instead of just dropping them. Your dogs can run after and catch the tossed treat. Furbo also allows you to record a message to your dog, commanding it to catch the treats.
- Night vision. Furbo has night vision LEDs that help you see things in the dark. You can check in even with the curtains closed or even at night.
- Bark alerts. The moment your dog barks, the Furbo Dog Camera will notify you on your smartphone. This can help you identify if something is wrong, like an intruder coming in.
- Wi-Fi support and mobile app. Furbo connects to your Wi-Fi network and allows you to control and see things from your smartphone. You can use the mobile app to talk to your dog or to offer it soothing words when it is anxious. Then you can launch a treat to reward your dog for doing something good. Using the mobile app, you can share captured photos and videos on Facebook, Line, and Whatsapp, or attach them to an SMS or to an e-mail message.
- Designed for dogs. While you can probably use Furbo for cats and other pets, too, its design and functionality are mainly intended for dogs. The device can detect barks, and the cool blue light attracts your dog’s attention and trains it to pay attention.
- Train your dogs. Furbo Dog Camera has several features that are included to help you train your dog. The color of the LED lights is blue, which makes it very noticeable to your dogs. The treat launcher also has a very audible clicking sound that mimics the sound of the clicking devices that professional dog trainers use.
- Automatic shutdown. If you are worried about privacy, you can stop the Furbo Dog Camera from monitoring your pet when you get home. Using Bluetooth technology on your smartphone, the camera will sense if you are home and can turn itself off.
Good things about the Furbo Dog Camera
The Furbo Dog Camera features a very modern design that is easy on the eyes. The sleek design has a glossy finish and an expensive looking wood top, while the LED lights are not only functional but are nice to look at, as well. Also, the Furbo Dog Camera is meant to be left standing on its own. The manufacturers have included double sided tapes to make it more stable.
While it does not have a game, the treat launcher is enough if you want to play with your dog. For additional security, you would appreciate the bark alerts. When your dog is barking, you get notifications on your phone allowing you to check in. And if you have a picky eater for a pet, you do not have to worry because Furbo Dog Camera works with other treats.
Some complaints about the Furbo Dog Camera
For a dog camera slash treat dispenser that offers two-way communication, the sound quality is a bit poor. However, quality is not the biggest drawback. The mobile app does not offer the capability to mute the audio coming from your home. If you need things to be quiet where you are, you would need to exit the app and then launch it again if you want to check in on your pets.
Also, Furbo does not offer multi-user support. The camera is paired with an e-mail address. If you want to give access to somebody, then you would need to use the same e-mail address that you registered for the camera.
Further, while Furbo does allow you to use your own treats, the treat launcher jams easily.  Plus, there is no way for you to record videos using your Furbo Dog Camera. That means you would need to constantly view the live stream in order to monitor your home.
Final say on the Furbo Dog Camera
Furbo offers you a pet camera that is designed to work well with dogs. As a pet camera, it gives you clear and crisp live streaming videos even at night. However, you cannot use it as a security camera because you cannot record videos unless you are watching the live stream.
But the Furbo Dog Camera is not really designed to replace security cameras around the house, so it remains a recommended product for dog lovers, especially if you consider the clicking sounds of the launcher, the blue LED lights, and other features that make it perfect for Fido.
About the Petzi Treat Cam
Petzi Tream Cam is another Wi-Fi-connected pet camera that can dispense treats, much like Furbo Dog Camera.
HD camera. Petzi Tream Cam has a 720p camera. While the camera does not have true night vision, it does a good job even in low lighting conditions.
Mobile app. Using the Petzi mobile app, you can see what’s happening at home. The live stream screen has several icons that you could tap in order to give your pets a treat, take a snapshot, or talk to your furry friends. You can also share the snapshots on social media.
What you’d like about the Petzi Treat Cam
You can leave the Petzi Treat Cam standing on your kitchen floor; you do not have to mount it on to your walls, thus making it a good choice if you are one of those pet lovers who rent an apartment or who move around a lot.
However, the camera unit is prone to being knocked over, especially by more curious pets. If that is the case, the package includes mounting screws or velcros to prevent it from knocking over.
What could be better with the Petzi Treat Cam
While the camera allows you to take a snapshot of your pet, it does not record videos. Also for an HD camera with a 720p resolution, you might find that the image quality is a bit grainy.
The final say on Petzi Treat Camera
Petzi Treat Camera has a good-enough camera that allows you to see your pets while you are away. However, compared to Furbo and other pet cameras now available, it is a little thin on features that would help it stand out.
What to buy: Furbo Dog Camera vs. Petzi Treat Cam
If you have a pet cat, then you would be better off with a Petzi Treat Cam. For dogs, however, you might find the Furbo perfect.
If aesthetics are important to you, you should leaning more towards the Furbo Dog Camera than the Petzi Treat Cam. While Furbo has a sleek, cutting-edge design that looks very elegant and expensive, Petzi has a plastic build and looks like those plastic tissue dispensers you see in restrooms.
Looks aside, the cameras on both the Petzi Treat Cam and the Furbo Dog Camera pretty much offer the same crisp videos and can handle low-light conditions. Furbo, however, gives you better resolutions at night.
Both pet camera systems have easy-to-use and intuitive mobile apps, and offer only one-way video streaming. That means that, while you can see your pets, they cannot see you. They can hear you, however, because both camera systems are able to transmit sound coming from the mobile app to the unit.
“But then, Furbo allows you to hear your pets and their surroundings. With Petzi, you can’t hear your pets.”
Not only that, Furbo also features motion and sound alerts and video recording that Petzi does not.
Furbo Dog Camera vs Petzi Treat Cam Features Comparison
Petzi Treat Cam | Furbo Dog Camera | |
Dimensions (in inches) | 7.3 x 4.5 x 3.3 | 5.9 x 4.7 x 8.9 |
Weight | 3.6 | 1.8 |
For use with dogs and cats | X | Designed for dogs |
Wi-Fi connectivity | X | X |
Video streaming | One-way | One-way |
Has sound | One-way | Two-way |
Snapshots taken | X | X |
Treat dispenser | X | X |
Video recording | X | |
Ringtones | X | |
Motion and sound alerts | X | |
Video resolution | 720p | 720p |
Night vision camera | Low light | X |
Wide angle camera | X | X |
IoS and Android app | X | X |
Warranty | 1-year | 1-year |
Price | Check here for latest price | Check here for latest price |
Before you buy
From this comparison, it is very easy to see that Furbo Dog Camera is the better choice especially if you have dogs. It has a better camera with better captured images and it has more features. In short, for just about the same price, you are getting more value for your money with Furbo. Check this listing for the latest pricing on the Furbo.
However, if you want to buy a pet camera system that offers you more interactions with your pets, video recording, interactive games, comfort scents, and the option to let your pets “call” you, then check out PetChatz HD.
How does Furbo compare to Petcube Play here? Read here!
Leave a Reply