The World’s First Smart Toilet for Dogs Has Arrived

If training your dog to use a human toilet hasn’t been going as smoothly as you’d hoped, there might be another option. For the price of $696, Inubox—which is being dubbed as the “world’s first smart toilet for dogs”—is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter. The toilet helps keep your pup's bladder and kidneys healthy by letting them relieve themselves whenever duty calls, rather than waiting for you to get home, as New Atlas reports.

The device—which comes from the Austin, Texas-based company Newtons Box—might not make much sense to remote workers or stay-at-home moms and dads, but it’s a game-changer for dog parents who log a lot of hours at their workplace. Instead of holding their bladders for hours or leaving a pile of poop on your kitchen floor, dogs can do their business in the Inubox. When its sensors detect waste on the platform, the device scoops it into an eco-friendly bag and releases air freshener to keep your home smelling clean.

Of course, you’ll have to train your dog to use it first. According to the company, Inubox’s “attractive scent” is designed to lure dogs onto the platform so that they’ll mark their spot. It also uses positive reinforcement and releases a treat each time your dog uses it. Additional training methods may be needed, though, depending on your dog’s personality and behavior.

The design is also discreet. When the platform is lifted up to close the Inubox, no one will be able to tell that it’s a toilet. It almost looks like the kind of futuristic decor you might find in the Jetsons’s home (which, depending on your aesthetic sensibilities, could be another selling point).

The device is designed for dogs, but similar “smart toilets” have been made for cats, too. The Pet Care Monitor, for example, measures your cat’s weight and urine volume to make sure your fur baby is happy and healthy.

[h/t New Atlas]