Furbo Dog Camera FAQ Guide: Every Question Answered

There’s a smart app, device, or product for just about everything nowadays, so of course, our four-legged friends had to get in on the act as well. The Furbo Dog Camera isn’t the lone pet camera out there, but its unique features and designs set it apart from the competition. Your constant companion deserves the best, so we’ve put together this FAQ to answer all your questions about the Furbo Pet Camera and if it’s a great fit for your pup.

What Does the Furbo Dog Camera Do?

The Furbo Dog Camera provides a way for you to interact with your pup when you are away from home. Like a standard smart camera, the device detects motion, records video, and has two-way audio, but it can also dispense treats and save snapshots of your dog.

Some dogs are naturally lazy and could seemingly care less if you’re gone to work from sunrise to sunset—which probably isn’t true—and some are insanely bored until the moment you walk in the door.

Either way, the Furbo Dog Camera isn’t just for keeping up to date with your dog’s daily lounging habits. It’s interactive, modern (it takes doggie selfies), and it also dispenses pet treats, because of course, it does. This is your dog we’re talking about, after all!

What the Furbo Dog Camera Doesn’t Do

Though it has 1080p and night vision, the Furbo Dog Camera doesn’t pan, which might be difficult for a pup that’s constantly on the move. However, you can still zoom, and the device has a 160-degree viewing angle.

Additionally, while the treat dispensing feature is great and loads of fun, it won’t take large treats. According to Furbo, the treat size is recommended to be less than one inch and should not be crumbly, wet, or sticky. That’s incredibly small, even for a mid-size dog, so if you have a large dog, this may be a deal-breaker; however, slinging tiny treats at your confused Saint Bernard may be entertaining regardless.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that the Furbo Dog Camera doesn’t respond to voice commands, as it only interacts with the Furbo Dog Camera App.

Where Should I Place the Furbo Dog Camera?

The Furbo Dog Camera should be placed 12 to 20 inches above the floor and as close to your router or modem as possible.

It’s also best to consider trajectory; ballistics is important in a treat dispenser because the Furbo slings dog treats up to eight feet. If you don’t want a handful of Oliver Bentley’s Biscuit Bites in the creases of your couch, consider that when you’re deciding where to place your Furbo Dog Camera.

How Do I Set Up the Furbo Dog Camera?

To set up the Furbo Dog Camera:

1. Plug in the device.
2. It will display a green status light when it is ready to pair.
3. Download and create an account with the Furbo app. It will then ask you for permission to access Bluetooth for the pairing process.
4. Select your Wi-Fi network and tell the app where the Furbo Camera is located.

Luckily for users, the setup process isn’t difficult with the Furbo Dog Camera. Just plug your device in, download and sign up for an account in the Furbo app, and let the app do the rest.

Can You Communicate with Your Dog Through the Furbo?

You can directly communicate with your dog through the Furbo via its two-way speaker and microphone. However, you can also automate responses with Alexa routines and IFTTT.

The two-way speaker and microphone allow you to have face-to-face communication. Well, your dog can’t see your face, but all the same. However, there are other methods of communication available through the device:

• Alexa Routines opens up a variety of communication styles. You can set up a routine that is defined by motion. If your Furbo detects your dog—it can differentiate between people and pets just fine—you can create a routine that announces a pre-recording of your voice, followed by a treat.
• The IFTTT app is also an excellent tool for creating “if this then that” scenarios to keep your pup entertained throughout the day.

Is Furbo Compatible as a Smart Home Device?

The Furbo Dog Camera is compatible with Amazon Alexa, but not the Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit with Siri. The Furbo not only connects with Alexa, but there is also a Furbo Skill available in Amazon Alexa’s skills list.

While it may be disappointing for fans of Google Assistant and Siri, the Alexa Skill, Furbo, allows you to use verbal commands. You can tell Alexa to dispense treats, turn the device on or off, and several other commands. You can view the Furbo cam through the Alexa app, along with Alexa devices such as the Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 10.

When you activate the Furbo skill and add the Furbo Cam device to your Alexa app, Alexa will assign a name to it. This will usually be “living room” or something generic. You can rename it within the Alexa app so that Furbo is the default name, and there is no confusion as to which camera you are referring to.

Do I Have to Train My Dog to Use Furbo?

Whether you have to train your dog to use Furbo or not depends on your dog. Some dogs may be interested in the device and pick things up quickly, while others may require time before becoming properly acquainted.

Fortunately, the Furbo app comes with a complete tutorial on training your dog to use the Furbo Dog Camera. At the very least, you should establish familiarity between your pup and the device.

Some dogs may be initially skittish of a device that emits an electronic version of your voice before flinging its own treats at it. That might be mildly disconcerting for your furry friend, so following the app’s training suggestions will probably go a long way.

What Happens If My Dog Knocks Furbo Over?

If your dog knocks Furbo over, there’s generally nothing to worry about other than catching a slanted view through the camera. While its functionality may be temporarily impeded, righting the device when you return home is the best you can do.

The Furbo Dog Camera is sturdily built and includes a spill-proof bamboo lid. If it is knocked over, the lid should hold and keep those biscuits safe from the ravening jaws of your dog. Also, the Furbo comes with 3M double-sided tape to help secure the device in place and avoid sliding.

What Is the Furbo Dog Nanny?

The Furbo Dog Nanny is a subscription-based service that brings extra features to the Furbo Dog Camera. It is entirely optional and is even available as a free, ninety-day trial when you sign up.

The subscription service goes well beyond live camera views and treat dispensing. It also includes the following:

• Camera Schedules: You decide when you want your Furbo camera to activate.
• Dog Howling Alert: If your dog howls, you’ll receive a notification.
• Dog Crying: Like howling, you’ll receive notifications if your pup is crying.
• Dog Barking: More than a minute of continuous barking will activate a notification.
• Doggie Diary: A compilation of all of your doggie videos up to 100 saves.
• Emergency Alerts: You’ll receive a notification if a fire or carbon monoxide alarm goes off.
• Cloud Recording: Records 15-second clips to cloud storage where they will remain for 24 hours.

Why Won’t Furbo Connect to Wi-Fi?

There are many reasons why a Furbo won’t connect to Wi-Fi. It’s important to set up the Furbo Dog Cam close to your router or modem, as this is the most common solution. You can also contact customer service through Furbo’s chat forum or their request form.

Try some of these other troubleshooting tips if moving the Furbo doesn’t work:

• Try completely closing and relaunching the app. Once you’ve relaunched it, attempt to connect again.
• Reset the Furbo Dog Camera. Turn it off for at least thirty seconds before turning it back on. When the status light is yellow, try to connect again. You can also try switching your phone from Wi-Fi to cellular data before repeating the reset process.
• It’s also a good idea to try connecting by using another smartphone. If the problem is with your smartphone, using another will confirm or eliminate that possibility. If it’s confirmed, then uninstall and reinstall the app on your smartphone to try again.

Are There Privacy Concerns with the Furbo Dog Camera?

When it comes to privacy concerns, anything that connects to the internet, and records video or audio, has the potential for issues; fortunately, Furbo meets pretty exacting standards with quality encryption and limited, customer-controlled storage.

The Furbo Dog Camera is encrypted with a 2048-bit RSA. However, it does use cloud storage, and it also uses your data for third-party marketing purposes. It does have a Privacy Mode option where you can turn the camera off from your phone. But the app tracks your smartphone’s location, even though the device itself does not.

Like Alexa, your videos are subject to company usage, the idea being that it will help improve their AI. The app will also track and gather information from your social media friends. Like most security cameras, there are ways to combat the usage of your data. With Furbo, you can have all of your collected data deleted, but it’s something you will have to do consistently and remember to do so.

Lastly, the data it collects—outside of video and audio—includes your phone number, email, address, and name.

What Are the Furbo’s Specs?

The Furbo’s specs include dimensions of 5.9 x 4.7 x 8.8 inches in size with a weight of 2.1 pounds. It has two-way audio with a 360p, 720p, or 1080p HD camera with a viewing angle of 160 degrees. The device operates on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and works with iOS 10 and higher and Android 6.0 and higher.

To make sure you get the most out of your Furbo Dog Camera, you should always pour over the specs, and you want to have a healthy knowledge of your purchase beforehand. The standard price for the Furbo Dog Camera is around a couple of hundred bucks, so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting exactly what you pay for:

• Dimensions: 5.9 x 4.7 x 8.8 inches
• Weight: 2.1 lbs.
• Power Input: 100-240V
• Smartphone Compatibility: iOS 10 or newer and Android 6.0 or newer
• Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n
• Camera: 360p, 720p, or 1080p HD with 160-degree viewing angle
• Audio: Two-way
• Power Adapter: 5V2A

What Do the Status Lights on Furbo Mean?

The Furbo Dog Camera has a single status light that reflects five different colors, all with different meanings:

Green	Setup Mode
Yellow	Standby Mode
Blue	Live Streaming
Purple	No Wi-Fi Connection
White	Device is Not Set Up

Interestingly, dogs can see yellow and blue very well, with yellow indicating standby and blue indicating live streaming.

Over time, your dog will probably begin to recognize whether you are present or not based on the blue or yellow status indicator. Of course, this was by design and a neat additional feature to familiarize your dog with the device.

What Other Features Does Furbo Have?

Additional features of the Furbo Dog Camera include:

• Night vision mode
• Optional camera resolution with 1080p, 720p, and 360p available
• Customizable detection
• Customizable snack calls (outside of Alexa routines)

If you’re away from home at night, the Furbo will continue to entertain your dog and allow you to see in crisp night vision mode. You can also customize several features, similar to Alexa Routines, for set times when you aren’t able to drop in.

If your Furbo is too sensitive to your dog’s movements, you can reduce motion sensitivity. You can also set up “snack calls” with voice recordings and scatter them throughout the day.

The fact is, the Furbo Dog Camera is loaded with options, customizations, and features that will entertain and reward your dog throughout the day. Alexa and IFTTT compatibility only broaden those options so that you’re always home, even when you’re not.