LAS VEGAS - Gadgets galore are letting dog lovers stay connected to their pets even when they can't take canine companions with them on the go.
Wonderwoof bow-tie shaped activity trackers for dogs were among the innovations at the Consumer Electronics Show virtually tethering people to their canine companions as seen on January 7, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada
"Everybody loves their pets," said Mike Jander of Trackimo, one of several companies showing off tracking devices that can be affixed to collars and reveal where animals run off to.
A Trackimo clip-on device, which was on display at CES, can send an alert to an owner's smartphone if a dog ventures past a geo-fence -- a designated virtual barrier -- and then track the pet's whereabouts by satellite, according to Jander.
Applications tailored for mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software come free with the $95 Wonderwoof bow tie.
The apps let users see if other Wonderwoof-wearing dogs are out and about. Wondermento plans to add features allowing those owners to connect with each other while out.
The company is working on an enhanced indoor version that will use location sensing to let people know if pets are pining at a door or making unusually frequent trips to water bowls.
People don't want to feel they are abandoning their dogs while off at work, he said, and technology is letting them stay virtually tethered.
A Petcube camera that links to wireless internet in homes lets people not only look in on pets but play with them remotely. Owners can use a smartphone app to make a point of laser light appear and flit about in the house while a cat or dog pursues it.
Petcube also has a speaker and microphone so people can talk to pets, whether to comfort them or to stop them from nosing into trash or hopping onto counters.
Petnet was at CES with a SmartBowl that incorporates scales and nutritional information to make sure dogs get just the right amount of food.
The California company also has a SmartFeeder that lets people remotely monitor eating habits and dispense meals.