Despite this, the momentum for owning a cute companion, and investing in their well-being reached new heights - notoriously accelerating during the 2020 lockdown. Investing in our animals didn’t plateau there, this surge had a knock-on effect and the market continued to grow in 2021 and 2022 - with Global Market Insights, projecting the global pet market to have a value of a colossal $550 billion by 2032. Unsurprisingly it’s those loyal canines that continue to dominate the popularity stakes and a service that’s proving indispensable for new and existing pet parents is the advancement of pet tech - so much so that it’s estimated to be a $5 billion industry in the US alone. 

What have been key drivers for bolstering this ever-expanding industry? Pets have earned their place as highly valued members of the family - this is reflected in the significant investment in their well-being; ranging from comfort and health to leisure and grooming. The humanisation of dogs is echoed by Pet Keen who’ve estimated that owners in the US are expected to spend $490 million dollars on their Halloween costumes alone this year. Then we have the influencer-effect. Our four-legged friends have enjoyed internet-fame for years - astonishingly, The Handbook’s research suggests that the adorable exploits and personalities of around 4 million pet influencers in the UK are earning their owners money through lucrative collaboration, leading to hoards of followers emulating the lifestyle of these social media stars for their own dogs.

Perhaps the biggest impact on tech advancement has been the huge social shifts brought about by the pandemic. The lockdown not only propelled the possibility of dog ownership and the subsequent inability to socialise new pets due to the measures in place - but brought about a new set of dilemmas with the eventual return to a semblance of ‘normal life’, which meant for some dog-owners, heading back to the office. Pet tech developers have speedily helped answer the prayers of new parents of puppies and adopted dogs alike - from tracking to training and maybe most importantly of all, establishing healthy relationships with your newest house guest.

Gismart, a global developer and publisher who’ve previously focused on entertainment apps, was quick to identify the burgeoning need for such resources - going on to launch the Woofz app in November 2020. It wasn’t just an entrepreneurial and digitally-savvy spirit that led to this reactive expansion into the arena of pet tech as Woofz CMO, Natalia Shahmetova explains - “Until 2020, our company focused on music applications, but we started to probe different topics, other markets. There has always been a special love for pets in our team. As a child, I even planned to open a pet shelter!” With an impressive three million downloads and counting since launch, Woofz didn’t only hit upon the immediate needs of lockdown’s new pet parents but its mission to improve the connection with our dogs has found longevity in the fundamental desire for today’s dog owners to establish healthy, long-term relationships with their hounds.

What started out as an app with three courses has evolved in just over two years to become  a one-stop pet hub featuring over 70 training videos, a tracker functionality and puppy journal. This has armed a digitally-savvy generation hungry for information, not only with a bible of knowledge but functionalities that make the hectic everyday a little less hectic (when it comes to dog-care anyway!) In a domain where there is plenty of conflicting advice, Woofz seeks to cut through the contradictions by placing cynologists at the heart of content. With animal safety a priority, Lead Project Manager Diana Aladina shares the company’s approach - “The biggest problem is the huge number of sources that contradict each other…This is because a lot of content is produced by people without specialised knowledge. We decided to approach this expertly and began to work with a cynologist (a trained specialist in the fields of dogs.) They did not release materials that they did not compose or check. There are different approaches to raising dogs - the main one is positive reinforcement. It is necessary for the dog to show that they have done well.” 

With the VIP status of pets here to stay and the projected growth for their tech looking buoyant - how might the future of apps and intelligence further advance? The team at Woofz plan to remain dog-centric - continuing its mission to help establish meaningful connections by placing well-being front and centre by quickly responding to training needs in an ever-changing world. With pet pandemic parents returning to busier lives than ever, Forbes shines a spotlight on  safety with developments in GPS tracking solutions, whilst Verdict flags the rise of smart devices to self-monitor data for your animal’s health. One thing’s for certain, with the wealth of solutions waiting to be explored on their smartphones, current and future pet owners have the opportunity to be better equipped than ever before.