SNIF Labs has unveiled a pet accessory, the SNIF Tag, that combines wireless sensing and social networking technologies to give dog owners peace of mind to supervise their dog’s activities plus a means to socialize and develop relationships online with like-minded owners.

Customizable, the SNIF tag is available in a range of colors and patterns. The small, stylish and comfortable tag attaches to a dog’s collar and records its daily movements and social encounters and then uploads them to the Internet. A secure area of the SNIF website then allows the dog owner to monitor if their dog has had a walk, played and/or napped while they are away from home.

Combining radio, software, Internet, and social networking technologies, the information recorded by the Tag is sent wirelessly to the SNIF base station and then uploaded to the SNIF website where users can securely log in.

The SNIF Tag compiles data on the dog, building a pattern that allows the owner to compare their dog’s activities, health and habits with other dogs of the same breed or dogs in their neighborhood. Owners can also contrast and compare activity level with the dog’s diet so owners can tweak their pup’s diet accordingly to ensure optimum weight and size for breed.

Founded in 2005 by four MIT Media Lab graduates, SNIF Labs designed the SNIF Tag with the focus on beloved dogs, their activity level and how they help their owners socialize. Through the SNIF Tag, dog owners have an opportunity to learn more about their dog’s behavior in real-time and track it over a period of time as well as be a part of an online dog community based on their pups acquaintances.

Tap into your dog’s canine connections and of course their owners. When dogs wearing SNIF Tags meet, the Tags record the encounter. The Tag allows users to make new friends, expand their social networks, and stay connected with other SNIF Tag owners.

The SNIF Tag allows dog owners to do the following:

• Monitor, review, compare and track activity levels of their four legged friend
• Meet new people while their dog is out and about through wireless technology built in the stylish tag which is collecting data of other dogs wearing SNIF Tags.
• Hang out with friends both on and offline by reviewing online profiles and photos of people the owner and the dog have met through the SNIF Tag. Browse groups to connect with dog owners in a specific neighborhood or with people who own same breed dog.
• Show off photos of the top dog, with the SNIF Tag pet parents can create an online photo album of the beloved member of the family

“We loved the idea of using real-world social networking to let your dog do the relationship-building work and act as a kind of social catalyst,” said Noah Paessel, CEO and co-founder of SNIF Labs. “SNIF Tag not only gives dog owners peace of mind, it also offers a non-threatening way to meet new friends and companions via their dogs’ encounters.”

“The SNIF Tag has been a tremendous benefit to me since I recently moved to Boston. The monitoring aspect of the SNIF Tag helped me feel I was still connected to what was going on with my dog while I am at work,” said Hillery Lee, SNIF Tag beta tester. “In addition, the SNIF Tag provides me with an opportunity to meet new people. It was important for me to meet new people when I moved to the city. More importantly, I also wanted to meet others who shared similar interests, such as my love of my pooch and dogs in general. Staying connected to other dog owners could provide me with insight into the best local dog boutiques and parks where I could take Twix, my Airedale Terrier.”

The SNIF Tag Starter Kit costs $299.00 and includes one year’s PREMIUM subscription to the online pet activity monitoring service and social site. A SNIF Tag Starter Kit is comprised of the SNIF Tag, the SNIF wireless Base Station (which charges the Tag), additional customizable lenses and rim, and connection cables.