How do you choose a pet camera that watches your pet without watching you — and what privacy settings matter most?

Pet cameras are not just security cameras pointed at the sofa: the models Wired tested from Furbo, Petcube and Enabot add treat tossing, two-way talk, movement tracking and subscription AI alerts. The buying and setup steps below keep the focus on your pet — and the privacy settings keep the camera from becoming a window into your home.

A pet camera should answer one question — what is the dog doing right now? — without quietly becoming the most watchful device in your house. Short answer: Choose a pet camera the way Wired’s updated October 24 guide tested them — models from Furbo, Petcube and Enabot among them — by deciding what your pet actually needs first, then locking down the privacy settings before the first treat toss. Why pet cameras differ from security cameras: they are built for interaction, not just surveillance.

They toss treats, carry your voice both ways so you can talk to the animal, track movement as the pet wanders, and sell subscription AI alerts that promise to tell a bark from a whine. It also means this camera lives indoors, pointed at the rooms you relax in, with a microphone and a motor that can pan. A security camera watches your porch; a pet camera watches your life — which is why the settings pass below matters as much as picture quality.1.

Decide fixed or roaming. A fixed camera suits one room and one favourite pet spot; a roaming model follows the pet — and covers more of your home.2. Check what works without a subscription.

Live view and treat tossing usually work free; smart alerts and cloud video history often do not.3. Use a separate network where practical. Put the camera on a guest Wi-Fi network or its own password, away from your laptop and files.4.

Turn on two-factor authentication. The camera account is a live feed inside your home — protect it like your email account.5. Aim it at pet areas, not private spaces.

Point it at beds, feeding spots and doors — not sofas, desks or bedrooms.6. Review clip retention and sharing settings. Set how long recordings are kept, and turn off sharing defaults you did not choose.7.

Update the firmware on day one. Cameras ship with old software; the first update is a security fix as much as a feature.Pro tip: The free trial usually enables cloud recording and sharing defaults you never chose. When the trial ends, re-check every toggle — that is when the settings quietly become yours.Ad’s take: A pet camera should be a treat tosser with a lens, not a surveillance system with a treat tosser attached.

Ten minutes of settings keeps it that way.