Fitness tracker for dogs?
One in three owners misjudges their pet's activity level. The Weenect study shows why tracking is becoming increasingly important for a healthy pet life.
People use fitness trackers and apps to optimize their exercise and health – but this no longer applies only to themselves. Pets are also increasingly being equipped with smart technology. GPS trackers like those from Weenect (www.weenect.com) can not only locate dogs and cats, but also provide valuable data on their activity levels. The Weenect study shows that this feature not only strikes a chord but is also used intensively. Likewise, knowledge about their pet's activity also influences owners' awareness of their own exercise.
Study basis: Survey and data analysis combined.
The study is based on a survey of 525 Weenect users from France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, who shared their assessments of their pets' activity. In addition, the movement data of 180 dogs and cats whose owners were particularly active users of the GPS tracking function were analyzed. This data was collected and evaluated over a period of two weeks. This combination enabled a precise comparison between the owners' subjective perceptions and the objective tracking data.
One in three owners misjudged their pet's activity level.
The survey shows that almost all respondents (94.5%) are confident they know their pet's activity level precisely. But the actual GPS data tells a different story.
One in three owners (37.7%) has a false perception of their pet's activity level. One in four (25.4%) notices that their pet is more active than expected. And 11.9 percent notice that their pet has been moving less. This discrepancy shows that even attentive owners don't always assess their pets correctly. Objective data helps to better understand exercise behavior and adjust it if necessary.
Dogs or cats: Who moves more?
GPS data shows clear differences between the animal species. Dogs cover an average of 5.9 kilometers per day—more than four times as much as cats, which only manage 1.4 kilometers per day. Cats, however, spend more time moving overall (13.5 hours per day), but they move in shorter, more intense bursts.
While dogs maintain a consistent exercise pattern through walks, cats are more spontaneously active. Especially for indoor cats, this can mean they get less exercise than is ideal for their health.
Activity tracking is already part of everyday life for many pet owners.
The study shows that the use of tracking technology has long been established. Seven out of ten pet owners use activity monitoring – whether regularly or occasionally. This means that three out of four use the data to keep an eye on their pet's movement behavior. These figures illustrate the growing desire for data-based insights into pet health.
How tracking also influences the behavior of owners
The study also shows that knowing about a pet's activity is not only important for the pet, but can also increase owners' awareness of their own exercise. One in two owners (50.7%) finds it interesting to compare their own activity with that of their pet. 15.6 percent state that their pet's activity data could motivate them to become more active themselves. The same number (15.2%) say that tracking could increase their own awareness of exercise. These results suggest that a pet's activity directly interacts with the owner's lifestyle.
Activity tracking – essential for a healthy life.
The study shows that monitoring animal activity is far more than just a technical gimmick. While many owners believe they have a good grasp of their pet's activity behavior, the data shows that this isn't always the case. GPS trackers provide objective data that help optimally adapt the animal's activity behavior to its needs – for a healthy and species-appropriate life.
About Weenect
Weenect was founded in January 2012 by Adrien Harmel, Bénédicte de Villemeur-Vieille, and Ferdinand Rousseau. It is a French company specializing in GPS trackers for dogs and cats. The trackers offer real-time tracking every second, historical analysis, activity tracking, and much more. More than 2,000 partner stores and platforms sell the products. To date, more than 250,000 pet owners already use the Weenect tracker.