20 Must-Have Apps for Pet Parents Include Training, Tracking, and Dog Sitting

a woman looks at her phone with a golden doodle-type dog sitting in her lab
a woman looks at her phone with a golden doodle-type dog sitting in her lab

Oscar Wong / Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. On This Page

    • Pet Sitting and Walking Apps

    • Pet Training Apps

    • Pet Health Apps 

    • Pet Travel Apps

    • Pet Tracking Apps

    • Miscellaneous Pet Apps

Technology has helped make our lives a lot easier—and that includes the many pet apps that simplify our lives as pet parents. Whether it's virtually training your dog from the comfort of your living room or using a GPS tracker to find your kitty who got out—technology is a game-changer when it comes to our pets.

No matter your pet parenting style—these pet-based apps are must-haves.

Pet Sitting and Walking Apps

Whether you're heading out of town and looking for a pet sitter or just looking for someone to walk your pup while you're at work—these apps make it easy to find the perfect person to watch your pets.

Wag!

Wag! is a versatile pet sitting and walking app that offers a variety of services. Through the app, users can book traditional dog walking, where "vetted pet caregivers" will come and take your dog for a 20-, 30-, or 60-minute walk. Wag! also offers pet sitting services as well as one-on-one virtual training sessions. If you have a senior dog who may not be fit for longer walks but doesn't want to be home alone all day, it also offers a "drop-in" visit in which a caregiver will come to your home for 20 minutes to feed, let out, or play with your pet.

Download Wag! for iOS or Android

Rover

Rover is another pet-sitting and dog walking-app that offers multiple services. Along with house sitting (pet sitter stays at your house) and boarding (pet stays overnight in a sitter's house), Rover also offers a "doggy day care" service, allowing your dog to stay at a sitter's home for the day before being picked up at night. It also provides drop-in walks and visits and virtual training sessions.

Download Rover for iOS or Android

TrustedHousesitters

TrustedHousesitters provides subscription-based pet sitting plans. With the purchase of one of its three plans (basic, standard, or premium) you earn unlimited access to its "verified pet sitters." Once you purchase a plan, you can create and post a listing with information about your pet and when you need a sitter. Then you sort through applications to find the best fit.

Download TrustedHousesitters for iOS or Android

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Pet Training Apps

These apps make it convenient and easy to train your pet from the comfort of your home.

Puppr

Puppr was designed so you can train your dog whenever and wherever you want. The app features over 100 step-by-step videos on both beginner and advanced skills. Aside from the training videos, Puppr also has a live-chat feature, allowing users to message one-on-one with a dog trainer to get personalized advice.

Download Puppr for iOS or Android.

Dogo

If you're looking for a more personalized training regimen for your pooch, check out Dogo. When you sign up, Dogo suggests a training program it determines best suits your dog's needs after you complete a short quiz. Once you have your program, you'll gain access to videos and lessons, and you can even send videos of your pup to certified trainers for feedback within 24 hours.

Download Dogo for iOS or Android

GoodPup

GoodPup is a great option for dog parents who want convenient, virtual training but also face-to-face contact with a trainer. With GoodPup, your dog will get a weekly one-on-one lesson with a trainer and will have "daily goals" to work on outside of the weekly lessons. Pet parents can also message their trainer if they have questions during the week.

Download GoodPup for iOS or Android

iTrainer

Rather than a training app itself, iTrainer is more of an accompaniment to training. The app features a virtual clicker, allowing you to clicker train your dog or cat even when you don't have a physical clicker on hand. The app is currently only available for iOS, however many pet training apps (including Puppr and Dogo) also have clickers.

Download iTrainer for iOS

Pet Health Apps

Keeping your pet healthy is a priority—and these pet health and care apps allow you to do so easily.

Pet First Aid: American Red Cross

In case of emergency, the Pet First Aid app by the Red Cross is essential. With instructions and videos on how to navigate both dog and cat health emergencies, the app is a great resource should anything happen to your pet.

Download Pet First Aid for iOS or Android

Airvet

If you're in need of immediate veterinary advice, Airvet, the 24/7 veterinary telehealth service, can help. With no appointment necessary and unlimited access to video calls and chats with licensed vets with a membership, Airvet makes it quick and easy to consult a professional.

Download Airvet for iOS or Android.

VitusVet

VitusVet allows you to store your pet's medical information right in the app—making your pet's medical records easily accessible for when you need them. You can also use the app to set reminders for your pet so you never forget a vet appointment again.

Download VitusVet for iOS or Android

iKibble

If you're ever wondering whether some food is safe for your dog to eat—iKibble makes it easy to find out. With hundreds of different foods, the app allows you to easily search and find out if a specific food is safe to feed to your pup or not.

Download iKibble for iOS or Android.

Buddies

With Buddies, tracking your pet's appointments, medications, and more is easy with their timeline feature. You can also connect with other pet parents using the community feature, where you can share updates with other users.

Download Buddies for iOS or Android

Pet Travel Apps

Just because you're going on vacation doesn't mean your pet has to miss out on the fun—these apps make it easy to find dog-friendly attractions anywhere in the world.

BringFido

As the name suggests, BringFido helps you find dog-friendly places around the world so you can bring your pet wherever you go. BringFido has recommendations for pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, and activities. The best part? The app is free.

Download BringFido for iOS or Android

AllTrails

While AllTrails is technically an app for humans to find hiking trails, you can also use it to find dog-friendly trails near you.

Download AllTrails for iOS or Android

Pet Tracking Apps

With a GPS collar or other tracking device, these apps allow you to track your pet right from your phone should they ever go missing.

Tractive

With a GPS tracker that clips on to your dog's or cat's collar and one of its subscription plans, Tractive tracks your pet from anywhere on your phone. Not only can you track their location with the app, but you can also track your pet's sleep and activity.

Download Tractive for iOS or Android

Whistle

With one of Whistle's GPS collars and a subscription plan, you can track your pet and get insightful health information about your pet. One of Whistle's unique features is a "wellness score," which tracks sleeping, eating, and drinking, and it can alert you to any potential health issues if these behaviors change.

Download Whistle for iOS or Android

NOSEiD

NOSEiD reunites missing pets with their loved ones thanks to the use of nose scans. Dog's noses are the equivalent of a human fingerprint, and with NOSEiD, dog parents can use them to find their missing pup. To create a profile, users put in a physical description of their dog along with a scan of their nose. If the dog ever goes missing, fellow app users in the area who find a stray dog can scan their nose to see if it matches a missing dog.

Download NOSEiD for iOS or Android

Miscellaneous Pet Apps

These apps are sure to bring some joy to both you and your pet.

Cat Scanner

With Cat Scanner, you can (possibly) discover your cat's breed within seconds. Take a photo of your feline friend and upload it to the app, and Cat Scanner will tell you what breed it thinks yours might be.

Download Cat Scanner for iOS or Android

Wooftrax

You're already walking your dog everyday—so why not give back while doing so?  When you use the Wooftrax app to track your daily walk with your pup, it'll give back to a local rescue organization of your choice.

Download Wooftrax for iOS or Android

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Sniffspot

Sniffspot is a great alternative to traditional dog parks. If your pup prefers individual play, the Sniffspot app allows dog parents to book nearby "private dog parks'' right from the app. The "dog parks" include land rented out from Sniffspot's hosts—anything from fenced-in backyards to agility courses for training.

Download Sniffspot for iOS or Android