June 17, 2025, 8:51 am | Read time: 11 minutes
Artificial intelligence is becoming indispensable. It’s also making its way into the daily lives of many dog owners through camera systems, GPS trackers for collars, and behavior analysis apps. Dog trainer Katharina Marioth evaluates the usefulness of these technologies.
Dog training in 2025 is on the brink of a digital revolution. Alongside traditional methods and proven knowledge, technological aids are increasingly becoming part of dog trainers’ daily routines. Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are particularly stirring up the scene: From smart collars to apps with analysis functions to AI-supported behavior recognition–the market is booming. But how useful are these technologies really? Can they replace traditional training methods or only complement them, and how does artificial intelligence affect the human-dog relationship?
What Exactly Is Artificial Intelligence in the Dog Context?
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to systems that can independently analyze data, recognize patterns, and learn from them. In the dog context, this means, for example: A collar detects the dog’s activity level through integrated sensors and sends data to an app. This app interprets movement patterns, recognizes stress phases or sleep behavior, and provides action recommendations–individual and adaptable.
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–such as during separation anxiety, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
Overview of Technologies: What’s Already Available?
The range of tools and gadgets is growing rapidly. Here’s an overview of common AI technologies for dogs:
- Smart Collars and Trackers: These devices measure movement, heart rate, temperature, sleep phases, and sometimes even vocalizations like barking or whining. They provide real-time data to an app.
- Behavior Analysis Apps: Using AI-supported algorithms, these apps recognize behavior patterns, document training progress, and offer optimization tips.
- AI-Supported Camera Systems: These analyze the dog’s movements in the home or garden and alert owners to unusual behavior (e.g., excessive barking or aimless wandering due to separation anxiety).
- Digital Training Companions: Platforms with individualized training plans that adapt to the progress pace of the human-dog team.
Everyday Benefits
For many owners, technological advancements offer valuable support. People with little training experience especially benefit from tools that visually present behavior analyses. Reminders and progress charts make training more structured and motivating.
New opportunities also open up for dog trainers: Training successes can be documented, behavioral changes objectively tracked, and owners better involved in the process. “Especially with behaviorally challenging dogs, having objective data can be crucial,” explains Katharina Marioth. “Dogs often show different behavior in training than at home–wearables help enormously here.”
Additionally, AI systems enable remote client support. Trainers can evaluate behavior trackers and video analyses without being constantly on-site. This saves time and makes support more flexible–particularly helpful for people in rural areas or with limited mobility.
Also interesting: The Best Pet Cameras Overview
Practical Example from Training Routine
A typical example: A dog constantly barks and is restless at home, while behaving inconspicuously and calmly at dog school. The owner feels misunderstood because the trainer never sees the dog “in action.” By using artificial intelligence, such as a smart collar with acoustic analysis, it can be documented when and in what situations the dog’s behavior occurs.
The evaluation shows that the dog becomes particularly restless with certain external noises or at dusk. Additionally, the camera provides clues to a movement pattern that suggests separation anxiety. With this objective data, training can be more targeted–in this case, through targeted counter-conditioning to external stimuli and an adapted relaxation program.
The Limits of Technology
As helpful as these technologies are, they can never replace human intuition, experience, and empathy. Many data points are open to interpretation–for example, increased activity can indicate stress but also playfulness. Without human insight, technology alone cannot capture the emotional relationship between humans and dogs. Body language, mood, trust–these are sensitive processes that technology alone cannot grasp. “Technology should never replace real communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It is never a substitute for genuine communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It should never replace mindfulness and empathy.”
The emotional bond between humans and dogs cannot be digitized. Body language, mood, trust–all these are sensitive processes that technology alone cannot capture. “Technology should never replace genuine communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It should never replace mindfulness and empathy.”
The emotional relationship between humans and dogs cannot be digitized. Body language, mood, trust–all these are sensitive processes that technology alone cannot capture. “Technology should never replace genuine communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It is never a substitute for real communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It should never replace mindfulness and empathy.”
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Between Progress and Responsibility
As helpful as these technologies are, they can never replace human intuition, experience, and empathy. Many data points are open to interpretation–for example, increased activity can indicate stress but also play. The emotional bond between humans and dogs cannot be digitized. Body language, mood, trust–all these are sensitive processes that technology alone cannot capture. “Technology should never replace genuine communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It is never a substitute for real communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It should never replace mindfulness and empathy.”
Not least, the question of data protection and ethical responsibility arises: What happens to the collected data? Who has access to it? How are these data stored, processed, and possibly used commercially?
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
The Limits of Technology
As helpful as these technologies are, they can never replace human intuition, experience, and empathy. Many data points are open to interpretation–for example, increased activity can indicate stress but also play. The emotional bond between humans and dogs cannot be digitized. Body language, mood, trust–all these are sensitive processes that technology alone cannot capture. “Technology should never replace genuine communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It is never a substitute for real communication with the dog,” warns Marioth. “It should never replace mindfulness and empathy.”
Data Protection and Ethical Questions
Last but not least, the question of data protection and ethical acceptability arises: What happens to the collected data? Who has access to it? How are these data stored, processed, and possibly used commercially?
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
PETBOOK author at Pet Fair: “The robot dog was disconcerting and strange”
What Are the Benefits of an Anti-Stress Collar for Dogs? An Expert Explains
Why most dog trainers on TV are male
Between Progress and Responsibility
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to systems that can independently analyze data, recognize patterns, and learn from them. In the dog context, this means, for example: A collar detects the dog’s activity level through integrated sensors and sends data to an app. This app interprets movement patterns, recognizes stress phases or sleep behavior, and provides action recommendations–individually and adaptable.
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
PETBOOK author at Pet Fair: “The robot dog was disconcerting and strange”
Why most dog trainers on TV are male
Dog Trainer on Phubbing: “For Many Animals, This Is the Beginning of Attachment Issues”
Between Progress and Responsibility
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to systems that can independently analyze data, recognize patterns, and learn from them. In the dog context, this means, for example: A collar detects the dog’s activity level through integrated sensors and sends data to an app. This app interprets movement patterns, recognizes stress phases or sleep behavior, and provides action recommendations–individualized and adaptable.
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
PETBOOK author at Pet Fair: “The robot dog was disconcerting and strange”
Why most dog trainers on TV are male
Dog Trainer on Phubbing: “For Many Animals, This Is the Beginning of Attachment Issues”
Between Progress and Responsibility
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to systems that can independently analyze data, recognize patterns, and learn from them. In the dog context, this means, for example: A collar detects the dog’s activity level through integrated sensors and sends data to an app. This app interprets movement patterns, recognizes stress phases or sleep behavior, and provides action recommendations–individualized and adaptable.
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
Data Protection and Ethical Questions
Last but not least, the question of data protection and ethical acceptability arises: What happens to the collected data? Who has access to it? How are these data stored, processed, and possibly used commercially?
Some manufacturers even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
PETBOOK author at Pet Fair: “The robot dog was disconcerting and strange”
Why most dog trainers on TV are male
Dog Trainer on Phubbing: “For Many Animals, This Is the Beginning of Attachment Issues”
Between Progress and Responsibility
Artificial intelligence (AI) in dog training is on the brink of a digital revolution. Alongside traditional methods and established knowledge, technological aids are increasingly becoming part of dog trainers’ daily routines. Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are particularly stirring up the scene: From smart collars to apps with analysis functions to AI-supported behavior recognition–the market is booming. But how useful are these technologies really? Can they replace traditional training methods or only complement them, and how does artificial intelligence affect the human-dog relationship?
Some systems even use machine learning to understand in which situations a dog barks more or behaves restlessly–for example, during separation stress, when visitors arrive, or when there are changes in the environment. The collected data allows for a more precise assessment of behavior than a snapshot during a training session ever could. Combined with video analyses or acoustic evaluations, a comprehensive picture of the dog’s behavior in everyday life emerges.
PETBOOK author at Pet Fair: “The robot dog was disconcerting and strange”
What Are the Benefits of an Anti-Stress Collar for Dogs? An Expert Explains
Why most dog trainers on TV are male
Between Progress and Responsibility
Artificial intelligence in dog training is not a short-term hype–it is a serious, dynamic development that offers many opportunities. When used sensibly, it can ease the burden on both humans and dogs, structure training, and make behavior more understandable.
The prerequisite: Humans remain responsible–not technology. Trust, relationship, and presence cannot be replaced by any device. Those who see AI as a support and not a panacea can combine the best of both worlds: smart analysis and genuine connection.
About the Author
Katharina Marioth is the founder of the brand Stadthundetraining and the KEML principle. She is a Chamber of Industry and Commerce and government-certified dog trainer and behavioral assessor for dangerous dogs in the state of Berlin. In her daily business, she works closely with veterinarians, scientists, and other specialists on dog-related topics. With her knowledge and skills, she secured the title of Dog Trainer of the Year 2023 on the Sat.1 show “The Dog Trainer Champion.”