Last month, a group of rambunctious New Yorkers descended upon Tekserve, an electronics store on 23rd Street, to learn to use iPads and iPhones. They pawed at the screens, poked them with their noses. These weren’t your average pupils: This was an iPad class for the canine kind taught by Anna Jane Grossman, a trainer and co-owner of School for the Dogs.
“Dogs that learn tricks, whatever the trick is, have lower instances of aggression and anxiety,” Grossman says. “You don’t need to use an iPhone or iPad, but the fact is people are on these things all the time and have them around, and they can be used as training tools.”
Getting a dog interested in a digital device is easy: just add food. Grossman often starts by putting a dollop of peanut butter on a plastic dummy iPhone, or rewarding dogs with treats every time they touch the screen on command.
Vets and behaviorists agree that using modern tech to train and entertain dogs has few downsides. In fact, they say it can be good for pups.
“They can definitely be beneficial because it keeps them active and focused on what we want them focused on, rather than looking for ways to get into trouble,” says Dr. Michael Farber, a veterinarian with West Chelsea Veterinary. “Anything that keeps a dog busy and entertained and stimulated … is a positive thing.”
For anyone worried about the the damage Fido’s teeth and claws could do to such expensive devices, Grossman says that none of her pupils have ever broken an iPad or iPhone, even without any special protective casing.
But, she warns, “the devices do get dirty, so you’ve gotta wipe your screen off a lot.”
Here, a closer look at three popular apps for Fido:
App for Dog ($0.99 on iPhone and iPad)
What it is: A training app that offers several functionalities: A painting tool lets pups create colorful pictures by touching the screen with their paws and noses. A clicker tool mimics those used in classic dog training. And “Yes/No” buttons can be changed to display any text.
“It’s a chance for [my dog] to learn how to do things and participate in things,” says Sharon Marine, who lives in Chelsea and is a fund-raiser for Cornell University. Her 11-month-old Shih Tzu, Violet, regularly uses the app to create her own little masterpieces. Marine, 46, rewards Violet with every splash of digital paint. “It’s a cool trick, too,” she says. “It impresses people.”
What the experts say: The app teaches dogs to touch things on command, which is a stepping stone to more complex tricks. “I think any training for a dog is good, whether you wanna use the iPad to train them or not,” says Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, staff veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center. The app’s maker, Laura Tallardy, says, “It’s a way to interact more with your pet, where you might have shut them out before.” Bonus: You can save and frame the pictures created by your “Pup-casso.”
Game for Dogs (Free on iPhone and iPad, $0.99 for add-ons like “Couple o’ Cats”)
What it is: A digital “squeaky toy” made to distract and entertain dogs. In the free version, a Dalmatian named Squeaky Spot darts quickly across the screen. Pets rack up points by using their paws to catch the toy, which lets out a high-pitched squeak.
What the experts say: This app probably provides a dog “about 30 seconds of stimulation before they lose interest,” says Dr. Farber. “It sounds like a fun thing to try and see how they respond, but I can’t see that being a long-term pacifier.” iTunes reviewers seem to agree. “My dog has no interest in this, however my cat is really into it,” one user laments.
Big Words ($0.99 on iPhone and iPad)
What it is: Originally made for humans, this app lets you type any word or phrase and display it in giant text across your device’s entire screen. Grossman uses the app to teach dogs to “read” commands like “sit” by holding the iPad in front of the dog and rewarding it with food when the correct action is performed. Eventually the dog learns the meaning of specific letters and words. “You’re bettering their ability to learn what it is you want them to do,” Grossman says. “You’re sort of teaching them to speak our language.”
What the experts say: “There is no question you can train dogs with visual cues,” says Dr. Hohenhaus. “There are dogs that are deaf and the owners can teach them sign language, so what’s the difference?” Dr. Farber is a bit more skeptical. “There’s no downside to it, but I think most of us will take an app like that home and get frustrated because our pets aren’t responding to it.”