Introducing The Petzi Treat Cam from Petzila

Pets are like our children. When you are away from your animal, you feel responsible for their loneliness. People often joke, “I wish my dog had a cell phone.”

Well, we have good news for all you animal lovers.

For the past few months, there’s been a new product on the market–the Petzi Treat Cam. It’s an interactive, WiFi camera that allows you to send audio messages, stream live video, and toss out treats to your pet while you’re away. The Petzi Treat Cam is operated through a free app for iOS and Android that doubles as a remote controller and social platform. Let’s take a closer look in this Petzi Treat Cam review.

Giveaway

Like what you’ve read so far? It just got better. In partnership with Petzila, we’re running a giveaway from Noon September 3rd until 11 AM September 12th for the very Petzi Treat Cam we reviewed here. Enter the Petzi Treat Cam giveaway by clicking this link. Good luck.

Set Up & Design

As you unbox the Petzi Treat Cam, you might realize that this is not a piece of furniture you want on your mantel. The tall, white, plastic design is far from elegant. As you pull off the front cover, you reveal the treat compartment at the top and the AC adapter at the rear. Pour in some of the included treats, plug it in and find an ideal spot to place the device. The four-foot power cord makes finding proper placement slightly difficult. Once you find an appropriate place for your treat cam, use the included screws or Velcro to secure it. You will not want to leave the Petzi free standing, as your pet will very likely knock it down. [envira-gallery id=”4729″]

Now you are ready to set up the WiFi connection. The treat cam easily integrates with your home network. First, download the iOS or Android app and connect to the “Petzi_XXXX” network via your mobile phone’s wireless settings. Next, return to the app and enter your home network password and securely integrate the Petzi with your WiFi connection. In my experience, this process worked seamlessly on the first try.

Remote Controller & Social App

Now that all your devices are connected, you can use your smartphone as a remote for the Petzi.

The free Petzi app will allow you to stream live video, take pictures, send audio messages and of course, launch treats. These functions work fairly well. The live video stream has a delay of a few seconds, so what you see on your phone is not exactly real time. Additionally, when you send audio messages, there are several seconds of delay before it is output by the camera. However, the delay is of little consequence, since your pet cannot see you and you cannot hear your pet – this is not Skype, after all. The picture function works consistently well, so you can snap candid photos of your unaccompanied pets as they await their treat.

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The primary issue with the camera is that the Petzi does not always output the 720P HD quality that it boasts (though, this could be due to other factors such as your WiFi connection strength and speed). However, when the camera is outputting full quality video, you can get a great shot of your pet to share online or through the Petzi social app.

Aside from acting as a remote controller, your Petzi app allows you to set up a public profile for your pet. Similar to a dating or social media app, you input your pet’s name, age, species, a favorite treat, and more alongside a profile picture and description. Through your pet’s profile, you can post the images you take with your Petzi cam or images stored on your camera roll. Additionally, you can browse the app’s social feed featuring dogs and cats from all over the Petzi world.

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Overall Performance

The Petzi Treat Cam has its strengths and weaknesses. As a camera, it falls a bit short. The video and audio qualities are less than satisfactory in an age of high definition, and there is a sizable delay in transmission. There is also the issue of the price. At a retail price of $170 this unit should perform better in aspects of design and media quality.

However, the primary function of this device is a treat dispenser and at that task, it performs fairly well. Aside from the occasional jamming of the treat dispenser, the Petzi Treat Cam has performed well for many people. It is an excellent way to connect with your pet while you are away from home. Animals love to interact with the Treat Cam, and its mild projectile launch allows your pet to have some fun and exercise in you absence.

[Tweet “It is an excellent way to connect with your pet while you are away from home. @Petzila”]

Overall, if you are looking for a remote treat dispenser, the Petzi Treat Cam is the best option, but if your focus is on the audio/video surveillance of your pet, then you are better off with a camera-centric device.

Have you tried the Petzi Treat Cam? Do you agree (or disagree) with any part of this review? Let us know on social media on our Twitter or Facebook pages. And don’t hesitate to head over to the Petzi website. Feel free to check out their Blog, Support Page, and Treat Shop.

The Petzi Treat Cam comes with a 1-year limited warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Should you have questions about the product, feel free to contact their customer service department at (855)-738-9452.

FTC Disclosure: Petzila Inc. provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Petzi Treat Cam sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC. The video is the copyrighted property of Petzila Inc.