Tuesday 29 November 2022 01:06 PM Start-up develops video games for dogs to help ageing canine brains trends now
If your pooch has grown tired of fetch and tug-of-war, perhaps they might be more interested in a doggy video game.
Joipaw, a start-up based in Hong Kong, has developed a series of touchscreen games designed to keep our furry friends' minds active.
These include a whack-a-mole style game that the player can tap with their snout, and a counting test where they choose which side of the screen has more bubbles.
The company's founders hope the video games will bring more long-term stimulation to dogs, and could help stave off a type of dementia known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction.
Joipaw, a start-up based in Hong Kong, is in the process of developing a series of touchscreen games designed to keep dogs' minds active
The games are still in the prototype stage, but are designed to be played on a lick-resistant touchscreen.
The Joipaw team claims that dogs can initially be trained to touch the screen by smearing on some peanut butter, and then gradually reducing it.
Co-founder Dersim Avdar told Axios that, while testing the games with nearly two dozen dogs, 'the most difficult step' was phasing out the spread to get them to play on their own.
But, when they finally get it, there is a 'magic moment where you see the light in their eyes', he explained.
Further treats are dispensed from the console when the dog wins a game, to keep them hooked on getting to the next level.
The team has also developed a motion-sensitive tracker for collars that records the dog's physical activity, and hope it will provide an alternative control method to the touchscreen in the future.
Mr Avdar was inspired to create dog video games by his own mixed-breed pooch Kawet, who he adopted with his wife in May 2021.
The active dog quickly lost interest in puzzle games and toys filled with treats and became restless, tearing up its owners' furniture and shoes and going to the toilet on the floor.
The couple quickly realised these were all symptoms of separation anxiety, and that Kawet needed further stimulation when they left the house.
The video games include a whack-a-mole style game that the player can tap with their snout, and a test where they choose which side of the screen has more bubbles
Mr Avdar was inspired to create dog video games by his own mixed-breed pooch Kawet (pictured), who he adopted in May 2021. The active dog quickly lost interest in puzzle games and toys filled with treats, and became restless, tearing up furniture and shoes
Mr Avdar read a study from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna which claimed that having elderly dogs play games on a touchscreen might stave off cognitive decline.
The study explained: 'Unlike
