Fitbark 2 Review: All You Need to Know

Fitbark 2 are for dog owners who want to know if their dogs are getting enough sleep or exercise, along with interesting insights like what the normal level of activity is for similar dogs.

What you can do with the Fitbark 2

You can monitor your dog’s sleep and activity round the clock. You get minute-to-minute data about how active your dog is, as well as how good its sleep quality is.

You can also see your health data with that of your dog’s. You can link your Apple HealthKit, Google Fit, or Fitbit device with the Fitbark 2 so that you can see your progress alongside your dog’s own progress.

You can closely monitor medical conditions, too. Fitbark 2 can help you know if your dog has issues with anxiety or mobility. You can also monitor skin diseases. All of these are indicated by changes in sleep and behavior patterns.

You can rest assured that your dog is getting enough exercise and perhaps even more than other dogs of the same kind.

Features of the Fitbark 2

The features of the Fitbark 2 include:

User-friendly

Attach the Fitbark 2 to your dog’s collar and it will start tracking your dog’s activities. The Fitbark 2 is protected by a polycarbonate housing, making it more impervious to your dog’s biting, while also making it waterproof and more durable. The device has a waterproof rating of IP67, which means that it will be safe under water one meter deep for half an hour. The bone shaped device measures 1.6 inches wide, 1.1 inches high and half an inch thick. It is very light at only 10 grams.

Metrics measurement

The Fitbark 2 comes with a three-axis accelerometer that allows it to measure different metrics. The device will be able to measure sleep quality and activity for your beloved dogs. With round-the-clock data on what your dog is doing and how well it is sleeping, you can get more insights into your pet’s behavior and health. You can also monitor behavioral changes and even have a good set of data to share with the vet. Fitbark 2 can track and measure activity in the form of BarkPoints. You will be able to know how long your dog was active, playing, or resting. You also know how much calories have been burned, the distance traveled, as well as the sleep score, nocturnal sleep score, and its overall health score.

Long battery life

The Fitbark 2 uses a lithium-ion polymer battery that lasts up to six months on a single full charge. And if you do need to recharge the battery, it is very convenient that you can do so while it is still attached to the collar.

Data storage

The Fitbark 2 allows you to store up to 100 days of data. This means that you would know what your dog was doing for every minute of the day.

Works anywhere and in any weather. The Fitbark 2 works wherever you live. Plus it can withstand any weather condition with an operating temperature range of -20 °C to 50 °C. What’s more, the Fitbark 2 fits any dog, no matter how big or small and what breed they are.

Fitbark 2 Explore: Health data and baselines for your dogs

Fitbark has created baselines and norms that would tell you whether the changes in your dog’s behavior and sleep patterns are normal or not. The company has taken the input of researchers from at least 45 research institutions and universities around the world. Furthermore, data from Fitbark 2 users are also added over time. According to the company, their user base includes dogs from more than 250 breeds coming from at least 125 countries.

Among other things, the amount of data available to you will help you:

• Learn how your dog’s weight and age would affect their lifestyle and activity.
• Learn more about the lifestyle, sleep efficiency, health, and activity trends according to your dog’s breed.
• See a histogram detailing your dog’s activity percentile.
• See how activity or the lack of it correlates to cancer, osteoarthritis, and heart disease.
• Know how much to feed your dogs, depending on the level of activity that they have.
• Learn what medical conditions will limit your dog’s activity and disrupt sleep.

Some insights that the Fitbark Explore has unearthed includes:

• Puppies require only 11 to 13 hours of sleep. This means that they need less sleep than newly born human babies.
• Maltese dogs are especially nervous during fireworks, while beagles and golden retrievers usually do not mind them.
• Puppies are more active than adult dogs but expect those that are three to six months old to be especially active. They also have trouble sleeping at night.
• Some dog breeds such as terriers and spaniels need more activities than others.
• People all over the world usually walk their dogs at 6:00 PM.
• Osteoarthritis will slow your dog down by 30%.
• Among the states in the U.S., Massachusetts has the most active dogs. Dogs in Pennsylvania and Florida tend to be lazier. Switzerland has the most active dogs around the globe.
• Older dogs are equally active.
• If you have trouble sleeping at night, you should envy golden retrievers because they enjoy deep, high-quality sleep.

What’s in the box?

• Fitbark 2 Dog Activity Monitor.
• Black Cover.
• 8 Zip Ties.
• Charging cable.
• Quick start guide.

What you would like about the Fitbark 2

Fitbark 2 works rather well and can be used on dogs no matter what their breeds and sizes are. Plus, it makes activity tracking and sleep monitoring very simple for pet owners. Fitbark 2 is very small and light, your dog would probably not know it is there. What’s more, there are accessories that you can buy for your Fitbark 2. The Fitbark Base Station is an always-on Wi-Fi hub that synchronizes all Fitbark devices that are near it. You can also get different colors for your Fitbark for only $6!

The best thing about Fitbark 2 is that it gives you the ability to measure your dog’s health, activity, and sleep quality, and you will get an idea of whether these numbers are normal or not by looking at the data, norms and standards from other dogs. These data come from tons of research, and you get to access all these by paying $69.95 for the Fitbark 2.

What could be better

The Fitbark 2 can fit any dog of any size and breed. However, you need to make sure that the collars you use are 1.5 inches wide or less. Also, you use zip ties to attach the device to your dog’s collar. While this helps make the Fitbark 2 more flexible so that you could affix it to a wide variety of collars, it cheapens the look and aesthetics of the device. Also, the device is waterproof, but you would still need to make sure that the charging pins are dry.

While it is marketed for dogs, you can use the Fitbark 2 on other animals. You can fit it on cats, zebras, falcon, rabbits, sheep, falcon, penguin, and other animals, even humans. However, part of the Fitbark 2’s functionality is that it allows you to compare your dog with other dogs of the same breed and canines in general. Even if you put it on cats, the data you get would not be of much use because there is not much in the way of baselines and norms to compare that data to.

The biggest drawback of the Fitbark 2 is that it does not have a GPS sensor. This is a really big omission considering that you already have a device on your dog’s collar, yet it cannot tell you your pet’s location. If you want to be able to keep track of where your dog is, you would need to fit in another device onto its collar. What’s more, it only includes an accelerometer. For a tracker that promises to track your dog’s overall health, it does not measure your dog’s heart rate.

Alternatives to the Fitbark 2

If you are not impressed with the Fitbark 2 for some reason, here are other activity trackers for dogs that you can check out:

PitPat 2

PitPat 2 keeps it simple. If you only need to track your dog’s activity, this is a good option for you. Unlike the tie wires that the FitBark 2 uses, PitPat 2 uses Velcro. But the beauty of PitPat 2 is that it gives you doable advice on how to make your dog more active. For example, it will recommend shorter but more frequent walks for older dogs. Or more exercises for those dogs that are getting a bit heavy.

PoochPlay

PoochPlay is another activity tracker that you can choose, and like PitPat 2, it is more affordable than the Fitbark 2. PoochPlay is very light at only 6 grams, which makes it perfect for small dogs. What you would love about PoochPlay is that it does not stop at just tracking activity, it will also recommend how much dog food to feed your dogs every day. It also helps keep your dogs safe, with options to remind you about vaccinations and deworming.

Kippy Vita

If you feel that cats are getting neglected in this list, then you should appreciate Kippy Vita. You can use Kippy Vita to track your cat’s or dog’s activity and sleep. It also has GPS for location tracking. There are some downsides to this tracker, however. For one, it is very heavy at 50 grams, making it less ideal for smaller dogs. It is also not waterproof. It can withstand rain, water splashes, and quick dips in the water. But you cannot put it in water for too long. Lastly, if you are buying this for the GPS location tracking, you should know that you will need to pay £4 per month. Coverage for Kippy Vita is also limited, it works only in a number of select countries, most of them are in Europe. It does not work in the U.S.

Whistle 3

If you like the location, activity and sleep tracking that Kippy Vita offers, but you live in the United States, then you could get the Whistle. Whistle comes in three colors and helps you track your pet’s location as well as activity and rest. It is also waterproof and scratchproof. However, you would need to pay $10 monthly to use Whistle.

Side by side comparison of these dog activity trackers

Final say

The Fitbark 2 is not the most affordable dog activity tracker out there. It does not even have a GPS sensor on board for location tracking. But it does give you a good level of insight into your dog’s health, sleep and activity, without requiring you to pay recurring fees. Plus, you get a tremendous amount of data that is backed by research and crowdsourced information, letting you know if there are areas for concern when it comes to your pet’s activity and sleep.

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