Owners Paying Money for iPad Classes for Dogs

There doesn’t seem to be anything that pet owners won’t do for their beloved four-legged family members, and some owners are now paying money for iPad classes for dogs. Yes, you heard that correctly! According to a new report by the Wall Street Journal, a growing group of Americans believe that pet-appropriate apps are worth the time and money needed to train a dog to use them.

But it’s not just dogs. Evidently, cats also have spawned a growing number of apps that are geared towards the very creatures who lack the most common digit used to unlock an iPad, the thumb. Nate Murray, a team member of “Games for Cats,” said, “I started off really early on thinking that it was ridiculous, but it ended up being something really meaningful for people.”

In addition to games for pets, many pet food companies are also cashing in on the idea of having pet-friendly apps. Friskies has a line of apps their customers can use, and one animal shelter has an app that is said to be used for drawing out shyer cats in order to socialize them prior to adoption.

But back to the dogs. In Manhattan, where no expense seems to outlandish for some residents, dog owners are ponying up big bucks for a class taught by dog trainer Anna Jane Grossman. She resorts to tricks like smearing peanut butter on the screen in order to keep dog’s attention. Grossman adds, “People always say, ‘Oh, can you have my dog do my online banking?’ In reality, dogs don’t “necessarily do very useful things on the iPad. But I don’t necessarily do very useful things on the iPad either.”

About 25 people have already signed-up their dogs for Grossman’s class, and she says she has plans to add a 90-minute iPad clinic for dogs as well. Here, they will learn to use their nose to activate apps on the iPad’s screen.

If you’re a St. Louis dog owner who is searching for assistance with your four-legged family member, please contact us. We specialize in dog daycare and boarding in addition to offering elite canine training programs in the St. Louis and St. Charles areas.