Who doesn't love puppies? They're cute. They're soft. They instantly make you happier.
But some of you are terrible dog owners. You work too much, party too late, sleep in until noon on the weekends, and you barely have enough money for your own groceries, much less the $50 a bag you need to drop on dog food. Your puppy needs more from you. If only there was a way to tell if you were really ready to own a dog in the first place...
Once you download the app and begin the process, your phone will bark at you in the morning and order you to take it for a walk.
The Puppy Test app claims to do just that. Built by University of Chicago Booth School of Business student Artur Grabowski, who just won first place and $10,000 for the app at last week's UChicago App Challenge, Puppy Test simulates the experience of owning a dog and informs you whether or not you should make the purchase. Once you download the app and begin the process, your phone will bark at you in the morning and order you to take it for a walk. Using GPS, the app tracks how far you walked your "dog," and there are even activities for playing, feeding and cleaning your virtual best friend.
The app tracks your progress over the course of a week and gives you one of three outcomes: You're ready for a dog, you're probably not ready for a dog, or you're ready for a dog, but maybe a breed that is older or less active. And if you are deemed fit to own a puppy, the app provides nearby shelters that have dogs ready to be adopted.
"At the end of the day, we're trying to solve the issue of there are almost four million dogs that end up in shelters every year, and over one million of them are euthanized," Grabowski said. "So there's a real problem and we're trying to solve that."
Grabowski has been working with local animal agencies like PAWS and the anti-cruelty society, as well as the Humane Society and other national organizations to partner with the Puppy Test. The app, which Grabowski began creating in January and plans to continue developing during the summer, beat out 140 other entries at the UChicago App Challenge. It was recognized for both its personal need--Am I ready to own a dog?--and its social impact.
"Of the seven or so million dogs that are acquired every year, almost six million come from breeders or a pet store," he said. "We really want to get more people to shelters."
Grabowski acknowledged that one of his competitors in the market is the tamagotchi virtual pet, which is more of a game than a real-life experience, he said.
"[Puppy Test] is not a game," he said. "This is a simulation. That's the difference; it simulates the time and commitment. And that's what's so exciting. After you finish the Puppy Test you really know how well you would do with a real dog."
Photo via Wiki Commons
