LG Uplus Launches Smart Home 'PetToy'... Play and Education for Pets in One

An LG Uplus model enjoying playtime with a pet dog using a pet toy. Photo by LG Uplus

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] LG Uplus announced on the 5th that it has launched a new smart home service called ‘PetToy’ for the 3 million pet-owning households in Korea.

‘PetToy’ is a service that dispenses treat-filled toy balls in real-time and remotely, allowing pets to play and train. Through the ‘nose work’ activity of finding treats inside the toy, it is effective in alleviating stress and preventing depression even when the owner is away from home.

According to Statistics Korea, as of November 2020, there were 3,129,000 pet-owning households in Korea, accounting for 15% of all households. According to the Korea International Trade Association, the domestic pet market size is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 8%, from $1.48 billion (2.1 trillion KRW) in 2017 to $2.79 billion (3.9 trillion KRW) by 2026.

In line with market growth, LG Uplus developed PetToy, a new concept play service that allows owners to communicate and play with pets left alone at home after going out, following the launch of a smart home service in 2019 that combined home CCTV, remote feeders, and treat robots. To enhance the product’s effectiveness, LG Uplus collaborated with dog expert Lee Chan-jong, director of Isak Dog Training Center, to complete a comprehensive care service that provides both play and training for pets.

PetToy is easy for anyone to use. Owners insert a treat-hidden nose work ball into PetToy, then start the ball play by operating the U+ Smart Home app or the button on the back of the device. Pets can chase the nose work ball dispensed from PetToy, sniff it, and move to get the hidden treats inside the ball, enjoying their time.

The play difficulty can also be adjusted. In addition to the basic ball play where pets find treats by separating the ball, various types of balls can be used to promote pets’ brain development, such as the ‘maze type’ with treats stuck inside internal structures, the ‘rolling type’ where pets must roll the ball to release treats, and the ‘Churu type’ where liquid treats are applied to the ball’s surface.

PetToy also trains pets to get accustomed to everyday noises while playing. Using PetToy’s ‘training alert sound’ feature, household noises such as doorbells and footsteps are played in sync with the ball dispensing time. Pets naturally adapt by associating these sounds with the enjoyable play experience.

Owners can also play with their pets remotely using the dedicated app. They can start ball play immediately or schedule it for a desired time through the U+ Smart Home app. The app also allows easy checking of the number of balls remaining in PetToy and the results of the play. Additionally, by connecting to the home CCTV ‘AI Mom Cam,’ owners can watch their pets playing with PetToy in real-time or via recorded video.

Customers who want to use PetToy can subscribe to the new smart home plan ‘Pet Care Standard’ at 11,000 KRW per month (based on a 3-year contract). When combined with ultra-high-speed internet or mobile plans priced above 50,000 KRW, a monthly discount of 2,200 KRW (3-year contract) is applied, making the fee 8,800 KRW.

Yeom Sang-pil, head of LG Uplus Home IoT Business, said, “Targeting the steadily growing pet-owning households in Korea, we developed a dedicated device that provides play and education at once, helping pets left alone at home spend time without loneliness and allowing customers to go out with peace of mind. We will continue to enhance customer satisfaction through various products and services for pet households.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.