Pooch Zoom

A friend asked my advice on a neighbor's dog that would cry and howl when left alone by their owners every other weekend. I suggested him saying they might look into getting a companion pet for the pooch, but if somebody reached their pet limit (sometimes rentals have these in their lease agreements) this might be something to help.

A video interface where the dog picks out other dogs on line to communicate with. What would they do? Be interesting to find out.

Dogs can use their snouts on a touch screen so the interface isn't a problem. They push a button to get on line and see an array of other dogs currently on line as well. They touch one with their nose and the Pooch Zoom meeting opens up.

Maybe they show each other toys they chew on, compare barks or just look at each other.

I'd say get some university that has a department that studies animal behavior to do this. Might learn something, do some good for some pets and might even become a viable business. "Canine Online" is already taken which makes me think of the skit in the second link.

The algorithm would create doggie friendships, even create packs by analyzing which dogs got along the best. There might even be schedules created with this dog/AI interface. (Hmm, this is getting interesting) Would more dynamic and social dogs garner a following? (Okay, now this is getting REALLY interesting)

Dogs have been our companions when we went from caves to houses, horse drawn carts to airplanes, campfires to central heat, why not have them enter the online social interaction age with us as well? At least when we can't be with them.