Smart Snack Dispenser Will Give Your Dog *Just Enough* Treats When You're Away

I don't know about you, but I spend most of the time when I'm away from my dog feeling guilty that I'm not with him. No matter how many times you try to explain to your pupper that you'll always come back to them, they still look heartbroken every time you leave the house, and it's hard to enjoy hanging out with friends or seeing a movie knowing your best pal is just waiting for you. But Petcube's new smart dispenser can help you give your pet the royal treatment even when they're home alone, answering pet and pet owner prayers.

Any invested pet owner will know that treat dispensers aren't a new thing; a search for the product on Amazon turns up dozens of smart dispensers that let you watch over your little guy while you're not home. But Petcube's Bites 2 and Play 2 change the long distance pet owner game, thanks to 180 degree camera angles, built-in Alexa technology, and AI features built specifically for pets, as the company explained in a press release. The pet giant unveiled the new products at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), highlighting the new and improved features of the second iteration of both products.

The press release explains that there are all kind of improvements to each product, like a more compact design so the items don't take up so much room in your space, two-way audio, and new access to "over 50,000 Alexa skills" like playing music and checking the weather, essentially becoming "a smartphone for your pet" as Yaroslav Azynyuk, CEO and co-founder of Petcube explained.

The devices are also equipped to use the Petcube Care subscription service, which has AI additions that allow you to keep an even closer eye on your pet when you're not home. The program "understands what pets are doing, registering important events like cat, dog, or human movements, barks or meows, and helps to discover any abnormal behaviors."

All of the new additions will make your and your pet's lives easier, but the Bites 2 feature your furry friend will love most is the "updated treat flinging mechanism [that] allows users to better control treat portions and supports a greater variety of treat sizes." Basically, Bites 2 has gotten even better at giving your little guy snacks, making sure they get the right size yummy. The ability to specify how many snacks you want for your pet sets the Bites 2 apart from competitors, making it a must-have for busy dog or cat moms who want to make sure their pets aren't just gorging on treats all day.

Petcube hasn't released pricing or on-sale dates for the Bites 2 or Play 2 yet, so you can't add it to your Amazon cart quite yet. But the original Bites retails for $179 according to the company's website, so you can expect the new version to be a little pricier thanks to the improved features. Keep an eye out for the product release, and get excited about being able to leave your pet at home with less worry and guilt this year.