5 tips to make your iPad pet-friendly

With Apple releasing better models of its products every year, upgrading to a newer iPad can be a safety concern. Still, there are still plenty of things you can do with an old iPad, like using it as a second monitor, digital photo frame, or even a smart home hub. However, if you’re a pet owner who likes to give your pet the cool tech, an iPad might not be a bad idea.

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These days, there are many ways pet owners can use iPads with their furry friends, whether it’s for entertainment via online videos or apps or as a training tool. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve rounded up some of the best apps pet owners should install and try out. They include everything from first aid to GPS tracking. When paired with some of the top-rated pet collars, your iPad can be an all-around tool for managing your pet.

Now that you’ve downloaded all the best apps and prepped for the latest videos, you can go one step further and make sure your iPad’s settings are right for your pet. While every pet has ideal settings depending on their species, age, and breed, here are some of our best tips for setting up your iPad to suit your pet’s needs.

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Although existing studies on animal vision are not entirely conclusive for all animals, we do know that our pets can see different colors than humans. Choosing colors that they can see better will make it more likely that you will keep your pets engaged with on-screen media displays.

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According to Scientific American, a 1989 study by Vis Neurosci found that dogs can see colors similar to red-green colorblind humans. Purina claims that cats also see muted colors, meaning they appreciate blue and yellow more than other colors that tend to blend into one another. However, color preferences can also vary among the same species of animal, even if they can see similar ranges of colors. For example, PerkyPet reported that different species of birds are attracted to different colors on birdhouses and feeders. For this reason, you may want to experiment with the iPad’s different display settings and see which one your pet responds best to. Here’s how to do it on your iPad.

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1. Launch the Settings app on your iPad.

2. Tap Accessibility in the left sidebar menu.

3. Under Vision, tap Display and text size.

4. Next to Color Filter, tap Off.

5. Activate the button next to “Color Filter”.

Once color filters are enabled on your iPad, you can select one of these options: Grayscale, Red/Green Filter, Green/Red Filter, Blue/Yellow Filter, or Tint. Depending on which option you choose, you can also adjust the intensity or hue of the color filter.

Much like humans, pets have varying experiences with vision, even within their species or breed. Finally, vision can deteriorate as they age, and they can also suffer from a number of eye diseases that can lead to problems such as sensitivity to light.

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If you notice that your pet tends to squint when looking at an iPad, you may need to adjust the brightness. You can do this by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen. In the Control Panel, you can tap and drag the Brightness section (shown as a sun icon) until you reach the brightness level you want. Alternatively, you can also adjust the brightness on your iPad using the Settings app.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPad.

2. Select Display & Brightness from the left sidebar menu.

3. Under Brightness, drag the slider until you reach the desired brightness level.

In addition to the brightness, you should also change the contrast of the display setting, as experts say this can help your four-legged friends see better.

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Quina Baterna/SlashGear

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPad.

2. Tap Accessibility in the left sidebar menu.

3. Under Vision, tap Display and text size.

4. Activate the button next to “Increase contrast”.

When choosing media for your pets, such as pet videos on YouTube, you can also try choosing content with strong contrasting colors and paying attention to how much attention your pets are paying to the screen.

Because pet ears can be much more sensitive than a human’s, it’s important to take this into account when adjusting the volume. After all, you don’t want to make your pet uncomfortable or damage their hearing through prolonged exposure to loud noises. For example, K9 Basics reports that dogs become uncomfortable when exposed to noises that humans perceive as moderate, such as a washing machine (70 dB). To adjust the volume on your iPad, you have two options: the side buttons or the Control Center.

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First, you can either press the physical up or down buttons on the side of your iPad. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to reveal Control Center. Then swipe up or down in the volume area to control your iPad’s volume.

As a rule of thumb, if it’s too loud for you, it’s probably too loud for your pet. However, if you have an older pet with hearing problems, you may need to turn the audio on your iPad up louder so your pet can hear. If you’re not sure how to set the right volume, it’s best to start with the lowest possible setting and slowly increase it.

Pets communicating with buttons is nothing new, especially since so many animals learn to communicate this way. However, unlike physical buttons, which can take a lot of abuse from even large breeds of dogs, the iPad was designed for human fingers (not paws or claws). Unfortunately, as any pet owner will tell you, our furry friends can get pretty excited when they see things they like on an iPad. Without the proper protection, this can lead to scratches on the screen, especially as the protective coating wears down over time and with regular use.

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Although Apple doesn’t sell screen protectors on its official website, there are many third-party manufacturers that offer proven, long-lasting screen protectors. Although prices vary depending on the type of screen protector and your specific iPad model, a popular screen protector brand on Amazon is the JETech Screen Protector for iPad (starting at $7.99), which has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 145,000 reviews. However, it’s important to know that screen protectors don’t last forever, and you may need to replace your screen protector again if you notice significant cracks forming.

Depending on how well behaved (or not) your pet is, you may need more protection for your iPad. For example, you may want a case that can withstand light bites, especially if your puppy is teething. Or you may need a case that will protect your iPad from drops if your cat likes to knock things off the ledge.

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Luckily, there are plenty of iPad cases that can withstand even the most violent actions of your four-legged friends. Much like cases for kids (or, let’s be honest, clumsy humans), you can invest in cases that have been properly drop-tested. Ideally, you’ll also want to get a case that’s a bit more water-resistant, especially if you frequently go camping with your dog. Unfortunately, while various models have come out over the years, there isn’t a single iPad model that’s considered water-resistant or even waterproof, so it can’t hurt to have some water protection if you plan on letting your pet play with an iPad.

When looking for durable iPad cases, you may come across the term “military grade.” Generally, this just means that accredited third-party testing units have confirmed that these iPad cases can withstand some (not all) of the military’s relevant requirements for their equipment. Not to mention that, unless specifically stated, many will not cover damage to your iPad if the case’s protection doesn’t meet the standard.

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