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Whistle App Update: Now it's easier than ever to find your pet

August 10, 2022
4 minute read
Whistle App Update: Now it's easier than ever to find your pet - Whistle

You asked, we listened: Whistle’s Find My Pet feature is now even more comprehensive and easy to use than before, so you can find your pet faster, whether you’re at home or out on an adventure.

What’s new with the Find my Pet feature?

Until now, Find My Pet was only available to use when your pet was no longer connected to Wi-Fi. But the thing is, Wi-Fi signals are getting stronger than ever, reaching farther and farther away from home. So your pup may be hard to find at times while still technically connected to Wi-Fi.

With this update, we’ve made Find My Pet available to use while you’re still connected to your Wi-Fi network, making it possible to always know where they are, even if they’re only 50 feet away.

We’ve even introduced a proximity meter that updates as you get closer to your pup (kind of like a game of hot or cold that’s powered by Bluetooth.) If they’re hiding in a bush in the backyard, for example, you can use both the new Wi-Fi functionality and the proximity meter to quickly figure out their exact location.

How to find a lost dog using Whistle

  1. Open the Whistle App and tap the location tab.
  2. You should see the Find My Pet button at the bottom of the screen on the right-hand side, along with their last known location (i.e. “At home, since 12 minutes ago”). You’ll also see their location on the map.
  3. If your pet is outside of their designated safe place, the Find My Pet button will be blue. Their last known location and distance from the safe place will show up to the left of that button. Tapping the Find My Pet button will trigger a live tracking session, meaning their location will update every 15 seconds for 30 minutes—or until you hit the stop button or they go back into their safe place boundary.
  4. Just need a one-time location update? Tap on the Update Location button that shows up on the map right above your pet's pin.

Not seeing these changes in your app?

That means it’s time for an app update. You’ll also want anyone else with access to the app to update around the same time. Your Whistle device will update its firmware within a week or two after you and your pet’s other caretakers do the update. You’ll know you’re using the new experience when the Find My Pet button is always available. Once the device firmware is updated, Find My Pet will only work on a new app version.

Pro tip: We recommend letting iOS or Android automatically update your apps so you stay current.

Don’t worry, those other GPS features aren’t going anywhere

With our GPS-enhanced smart devices you can:

  • Stay connected via Wi-Fi or AT&T's 4G LTE-M network (we recommend checking LTE coverage in your area)
  • Track their exact GPS location anywhere in North America
  • Get alerted immediately when your dog leaves a designated safe place
  • See accurate location updates every 15 seconds

The insights don’t stop with GPS updates

Whistle smart devices are designed to keep your pup healthy, happy, and safe. Here’s how we do it.

  • Health monitoring. Track licking, scratching, eating, drinking, and sleeping to know how your pet is doing—and when changes may signal a potential health issue.
  • Custom activity goals. Set personalized daily fitness goals based on their breed, weight, and age.
  • Ask a Vet. Wondering if you should be worried about a recent change in one of their behaviors? Or just have a general question about your pet’s care? Get free access to vet expertise through chat, call, video, and email.
  • 24-hour timeline. Know when they were resting, playing, and walking with this hour-by-hour breakdown of your pet’s day.

One subscription keeps you connected

When you purchase a Whistle smart device, you’ll also need to select a Whistle plan. Plans cover health and fitness monitoring, access to our Ask a Vet feature, the ability to share reports with your pet’s care team, and GPS location tracking (if you have a Whistle Health & GPS or Health & GPS+).

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