If you're like most pet owners, you worry about your companion animals when you're away from home. What are they doing? Are they barking or whining? Are they getting into things that they shouldn't be? Pet cameras, like the Petcube Bites 2, allow you to keep an eye on your pup when you're away for the day.
I use a pet camera to keep an eye on all of our furry family members while I'm not at home. I can check on them throughout the day to make sure they're not doing anything they shouldn't be. I also use the treat dispenser to get them up and moving a few times each day.
I checked out the previous Petcube Bites model already. You can find out what I thought in my full review. While the first model is a great option, I was really excited to try this newer model because it has a lot of fantastic upgrades!
Did the upgrades on Petcube Bites 2 work as anticipated? Are the updates worth the added cost? I'll tell you all about the features of this device in my latest Petcube review.
Petcube Bites 2 Pet Camera Review
The Petcube Bites 2 is a bit smaller than the original model. It measures 5.7″L x 10.6″H x 3″W. It's easy to place the device somewhere that works with your home's décor. It also comes with brackets that allow you to mount the unit on the wall if you wish.
This dog camera features a treat dispenser, which is a must-have option in my opinion. The bottom half (the silver part in the photo above) holds the camera and all the mechanical parts of the device. The top half (the black part) is the treat container.
The Petcube camera works in much the same way as other pet cameras. You plug the device into a power source and allow it to connect to your home’s WiFi. Yes, you have to have WiFi in your home for this camera to work.
Then, all you have to do is download the Petcube app. The app is free for Android and iOS devices. Once you download the app and turn the Bluetooth setting of your phone on, the camera will automatically connect to your smartphone.
Trust me, I’m not tech-savvy at all, but it was very simple to get this pet camera up and running.
The camera streams in 1080p HD video, which is better than the 720p you’ll find with some similar products. It also has a wide-angle view at 160°. The camera is even equipped with night vision, so you can still check on your canine companion after dark.
As I mentioned briefly above, the Petcube Bites allows you to hear what’s going on at home and send voice messages to your pets with its 2-way microphone. The device is equipped with a 4 microphone array and speaker bar! You’ll also set it so that you can receive sound and motion notifications when your pets are active.
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Now, let's talk about the best feature of this pet camera – the treat dispenser. Not only does the Petcube Bites 2 allow you to dispense treats while you're away from home, you can also vary the distance that the device flings the treats. You can also schedule specific times to dispense treats if you're going to be too busy to log into the app and do it yourself.
The high-capacity treat storage container holds up to 1.5 pounds of canine snacks. This is a much larger capacity than most similar products on the market, which is a great benefit for multi-pet households or owners of large breeds.
The detachable treat container is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, and the device is also equipped with a treat level sensor that will send a notification to your smartphone when it is running low on treats. You do need to use crunchy treats that are smaller than 1″ in diameter, so they don't jam the treat dispenser.
Better still, the Petcube Bites 2 has a built-in Amazon Alexa! It can play music, connect to your favorite devices, and even order dog treats when you're running low!
As you will also see in my video review above, Petcube treat cameras offer something that no other similar products do – the ability to play with shelter and rescue pets! Owners of Petcube devices (including rescue and shelter organizations that own the devices) can set their device to ‘public', which allows other app users to see and interact with their animals.
Don't want other people to access your camera? Don't worry. I didn't want anyone to be able to access my device either, and there is an option to set your Petcube to ‘private' so no one else can see inside your home.
So, this product sounds great, right? Well, yes it is. But, it's also not affordable for every pet owner. The Petcube Bites 2 is on sale on Amazon at the time of this review for $199.99. It's very comparable in price to other treat dispensing dog cameras with similar features, but I know it's still a lot of money to spend on an item that isn't a necessity.
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