FitBark 2 Review: The Lightest Pet’s Fitness Tracker

FitBark is a Kansas-based company specializing in developing pet wearables devices and software for tracking activity levels, sleep patterns, and overall health. Their most popular product is the FitBark 2, a lightweight fitness tracker that attaches to your pet’s collar and offers a glimpse into their activity and health metrics. 

My dog Mickey has been using this product for over two months now, and these are our takeaways. 

What’s included?

• FitBark 2 Pet Health Monitor
• 2 Black Covers
• 8 Zip Ties
• Charging Cable
• Quick Start Guide

Setup Process

The first time, you need to charge the FitBark for 90 minutes. To do this, clamp the charging cable to the device and connect the other end to a USB port– either on your computer or in an outlet, as I did. When the charging cable’s LED light turns solid, the device is fully charged. 

While charging, you can download the app, set up an account, and start the pairing process. 

The device connects with your phone using Bluetooth, which is convenient because it uses less energy and the battery lasts longer. 

The downside of this technology is that you (or anyone with access to your dog’s account) must be close to your pet to download the data on the app. If you plan on being away for a week, for example, and you have a pet sitter, they will need to download the app and receive an invitation to your dog’s profile, to sync the data.

Alternatively, FitBark offers another device called Wi-Fi Base Station to receive real-time syncs relying on Wi-Fi when you are not home. This device also supports keeping multiple dogs synced.

Once the FitBark device is fully charged, you can place it into your pet’s collar. Make sure to watch their instruction video in the app to do it safely. 

Device

The FitBark 2 is one of the smallest and lightest pet wearable devices on the market, weighing only 10 grams. Unlike competitors’ products that could be too bulky, this one is perfect for dogs of all sizes, including the tiny guys. 

It is made of polycarbonate housing, and is waterproof, which makes it more durable.  

Design-wise, it is convenient that you don’t have to change your pet’s current collar, as the device attaches to it by using zip ties. However, the zip ties and cover are a bit of a hassle when you need to change the battery. A quick solution could be these clips I found for sale on Etsy.  

The battery lasts up to 6 months, but it will depend on Bluetooth connectivity and how frequently it syncs. In our case, we had it for two months, and we didn’t have to charge it yet.

Technical Specifications

App

Activity Tracking and Health Insights

FitBark’s main metric is the activity count or BarkPoints. This is their proprietary system that measures physical activity based on 3D accelerometer readings instead of simply counting steps. 

They take pride in the fact that many vet schools and research institutions, including prestigious names like Mayo Clinic and the University of Cambridge, rely on this metric system to conduct clinical studies and validate new products related to mobility, anxiety, or skin conditions. 

You can set personalized daily goals based on your dog’s breed, age, and size: Average (50% percentile), Active (75% percentile), and Olympian (90% percentile). Since Mickey is a couch potato dog, we selected for him the average activity goal, equivalent to 5,200 BarkPoints. 

They give you an overall view of their progress, and a breakdown per active time, playtime, and rest time. You will receive notifications to help keep your pet on track with their daily goals. You also have access to an hourly, weekly, and monthly view.

Additionally, the app gives you a sleep score calculated based on the time your dog spends sleeping from 1 to 5 am. A score higher than 85% is considered healthy, meaning your dog slept for 3.4 hours or more. 

Sync with Your Human Smartwatch

The FitBark 2 can connect to smartwatches and fitness trackers like Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Google Fit devices. In the app, you can link your dog’s tracker to your own fitness account.

You get a view of your dog’s activity data (BarkPoints, calories, distance, etc.) directly on your smartwatch alongside your own fitness stats. For Apple Watch users, there is a dedicated FitBark app that displays your dog’s metrics. Fitbit users can add a special FitBark clock face to their Fitbit device to quickly see their dog’s daily activity progress.

Other Features

The app supports adding multiple dogs and owners or caregivers (like dog walkers, and pet sitters) under one account. We had 3 people under Mickey’s account. 

There is also a social component in the app. With the feature Discover New Friends, you can add other dogs to your pack with similar breeds, ages, lifestyles, or locations. The idea is to create a community with other FitBark users, share photos/updates about your dogs, and motivate each other to hit activity goals. 

Use Case in Senior Dogs

Use Case #1: Keeping up with daily exercise

Daily exercise is an important component of senior dog’s daily routines because it prevents obesity, mobility issues, and cognitive decline.

How did FitBark 2 help Mickey meet his activity goals?

• The BarkPoints system made it easy to track his daily physical activity needs. 
• I received notifications when Mickey fell behind on meeting his daily activity goals.
• The breakdown view showed me easy ways to meet Mickey’s goals, for example, a 40-minute walk, 30 minutes of playtime, etc. 

Use Case #2: Monitoring sleep activity

A few nights of bad sleep here and there might not be a cause for concern, but if a dog consistently experiences poor sleep quality, it could indicate an underlying issue. In Mickey’s case, keeping track of his sleep quality helped us monitor that his skin allergies were under control and that he was not waking up to scratch.

Our Verdict

FitBark 2 might be a good fit for pet owners looking for an affordable fitness tracker with basic functionalities and without the need for a subscription. A multi-pet household would also benefit from it as their app supports managing many pets under one account.

Additionally, owners already using a smartwatch, such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, or Google Fit devices, might find the sync functionality convenient.

On the other hand, it might not be suitable for owners who require GPS and location tracking. For these cases, I recommend checking the Whistle Collar Review.

Where you can get it

Full Gallery