Buddy is an LED dog collar with GPS and Bluetooth technology that keeps dogs safe while tracking and organising your pets daily activity. Designed by Melbourne-based team, Squeaker Dogs, these Aussies are known in the pet industry for creating some of the most exclusive, innovative products since their launch in May 2014.
We first heard of the concept in mid-August, and following an unsuccessful round on Kickstarter this September, they’ve just reached their fundraising target of $100,000 USD on Indiegogo. Lucky for them, as there’s still 17 days to go.
Release timeline for the Buddy LED dog collar. Source
What’s so great about this dog collar?
With so many products available on the market nowadays it can be hard to decipher between the good, the bad, and the over-hyped. It’s hard for us to say what we really think about these dog collars, as they’re not yet in production stages. Plus, they won’t be delivered until October 2016 (see above for the timeline).
What we can report, however, is that the press seem pretty hyped about it, as Mashable’s quoted as saying it’s “The Apple watch of dog collars” and The Independent claims it’s “A FitBit for your dog”. Pretty strong statements from just a concept.
What does the Buddy dog collar do?
- The Buddy dog collar allows dog owners to track their dog via real-time GPS, allowing daily activities to be monitored, even when spending time with a dog sitter.
- There’s only so much visibility a light reflective strip can provide during these dark nights. The Buddy LED RGB light is bright enough to illuminate your pooch to other dog walkers, cars and cyclists. It’s also handy if your dog has a tendency to run far away from you when walking off-leash!
The above points are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to features. Here’s the full run-down:
Buddy Dog Collar Product Features. Source
Whether you own a Chihuahua or American Bulldog, the dog collar will be available in the following three sizes:
Small
13 – 18″ / 35 – 45 cm
Medium
18 – 21.5″ / 45 – 55 cm
Large
21.5 – 25.5″ / 55 – 65 cm
Pretty impressive. What’s the Buddy dog collar going to cost me?
Let’s face it. Having a waterproof dog collar with the hardware listed above, plus software coding capabilities for all those developers out there, isn’t going to be cheap.
Squeaker Dogs have announced that the Buddy dog collar will set you back at £180USD (approximately £120). Whilst many will think this is an eye-watering amount to spend on a dog collar, we can’t help but agree that you can’t put a price on dog safety.
The LED light is ideal for night time dog walking. Source
What do you think about the Buddy dog collar? Let me know if you’d be tempted to buy one for your pooch in the comments below.