We at Womypetdidthat.com, are all about the love and affection dogs can give. Fuzzy paw shakes; wet noses; enthusiastic greetings when you arrive home; boundless desire for play or walks; their desire to safeguard you and your home in return for daily meals, neck scritches and occasional car rides; and the uniqueness of each canine’s personality are only some aspects of dogs we find endearing and irreplaceable.
But what if you love pets yet can’t have one where you live? Or, what about those who suffer from dementia or other illnesses who can’t care for a real pet but can benefit from interactions with a somewhat lifelike creature?
And, admittedly, sometimes robot pets are just fun toys to play with for young, old and anywhere in between.
Whatever the reason, according to a recently released market report, robot dogs are rising in popularity.
According to Global Robotic Pet Dogs Market: Overview, “They (robot dogs) are designed in a way that they can mimic most of the activities that live dogs do. This will lead to the expansion of the global robotic pet dogs’ market at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of almost 21% during the forecast period.”
The report also states benefits of robotic pet dogs, including:
•”The efficiency of robotic pet dogs in entertaining aged population,”
•”Robotic pet dogs have emerged as an effective way to alleviate anxiety, distress, loneliness, and depression,”
•Helping to decrease stress and anxiety when interacting with them “at least thrice in a week.”
Also considered in the overview:
•”The efficiency of robotic pet dogs in entertaining an aged population,”
•”evolving middle class and increasing disposable income,”
•and the introduction of more eco-friendly robotic pet dogs.
Yes, you read that last item correctly. The report states, “The growing demand for robotic pet dogs among children has also raised various safety and health issues associated with the raw materials used in their production. Therefore, parents and educators are opting for eco-friendly robotic pet dogs, which are made of eco-friendly materials. This development is expected to have a positive impact on the overall market growth.”
According to the report, the global robotic pet dogs’ market is concentrated, with a handful of leading robotic pet dogs manufacturers, that include:
• Hasbro Inc.,
• Sony Corp.,
Curious about some of the different options available? We decided to look into some robot dogs currently on the market:
Joy for all:
First up is Hasbro’s Ageless Innovation, Joy for All interactive golden puppy (retail $119.99). The video below shows the pup being petted and then interacting with some somewhat confused real dogs. According to the Joyforall.com website, “JOY FOR ALL Companion Pets are designed to bring comfort, companionship, and fun to elder loved ones.”
Walkalots:
Up next are the Walkalots dogs from Hasbro’s furReal collection. These toys are relatively inexpensive. We found them for $20 and under on Amazon. You can see a short review of these large-eyed, pint-sized pups in the video below:
AIBO:
The most dog-like robot dog we came across, even if it doesn’t have fur, is AIBO. It’s also the most expensive, with a pricetag of $2,899. And, if you have any money left over, you can purchase bones or ball-like toys, which AIBO can fetch.
According to https://direct.sony.com/aibo/, “As aibo learns its environment and develops relationships with people, its identity takes on more and more layers.”
You can find out more about AIBO in this CNET report:
Zoomer:
SpinMaster has a variety of robot dogs available under the Zoomer name. The Zoomer Playful Pup, for kids 5 and up, is, like AIBO, sans fur. Also, like AIBO, Zoomer has some very doglike qualities, which you can view in the video below. Unlike AIBO, Zoomer is relatively inexpensive. We found him for $57.76 on Amazon.
TEKNO:
Tekno Robotics offers robotic pets of all types, including, apparently a scorpion. Their Tekno dog is available for $35.99 on Amazon, which seems pretty reasonable given everything it can do based on its description on the Tekno Robotics website:
“Tekno 4.0 is a life-like robotic puppy that responds to your voice, hand gestures, lights, and sounds! Tekno barks, cries, pants, and has expressive eyes, just like a real puppy! Using hand gesture technology, you can command your puppy to stop, sit, and even do a back flip! With over 100 physical and interactive play features, Tekno will excite and inspire children of all ages.”
Here’s a video from the company itself showing Tekno in action:
More about the Global Products Pet Market Report:
The report considers sales of the from both offline and online channels in APAC, Europe, North America, South America and MEA.
“In 2018, the offline segment had a significant market share, and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. Factors such as better pricing strategies and wider assortments will play a significant role in the offline segment to maintain its market position,” states the report.
Also looked at are factors that may hamper the robotic pet industory, such as “the high price for advanced robotic pet dogs, increased number of pet ownerships, (and) presence of counterfeit robotic pet dogs.
The full report can be accessed at: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05807387/?utm_source=PRN
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Primary source for this article: “The global robotic pet dogs’ market at a CAGR of almost 21% during the forecast period “
Featured image from: Spin Master Press Release