Smart home automations for pets
How Google Home can help make pet care easier
Find out how Google Home can help you brighten up your pet's day
Google Home is here to help you take care of your home and everyone in it. And the good news is, that includes your pets.
We can help you build the smart home that your pets deserve and ensure that they can reap all of the benefits of a fully integrated, connected home.
How do I go about it?
Google Home's automation capabilities let you dream up ways to make your life – and your pets' lives – easier and more fun at home.¹
It's easy to set up automations in the Google Home app. If you're looking for something more advanced, the script editor on Google Home for web allows for even more customisation.
Here's a selection of our favourite automations for pets that you can create in the Home app or using the script editor.
Key takeaways
Google Home isn't just for the humans in your house
We've curated seven automations to help make your pets' lives better at home
Let us know your favorites - or your own ideas - on the Nest Community forum
5 min read
Brighten up the end of the day
Help ease pet anxiety
Automatically turn on the lights at sunset.
If you're held up getting home, the last thing that you want to think about is your pet sitting alone in an empty, dark house. Why not brighten up the end of their day by setting the living room and bedroom lights to come on as the sun sets?¹
This automated lighting to ease anxiety means your pet will know that it's not long until you're back on the sofa for play time – and maybe a treat or two.
Shop smart bulbs
Sunset lighting
-
When the sun sets
At sunset · Every day
-
Living room lights
Turn on
Bedroom light
Turn on
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
Turn on the living room and bedroom lights at sunset if nobody is home
Get back to nature
Mirror your pet's natural environment
Set up the lighting in your pet lizard's tank to help keep them happy during the day and sleepy at night.
One thing that keeps pet lizards happy is when the lighting in their tank matches what they would experience in nature. When it's daylight, they need brightness. When it's nighttime, they like the lights low.
You can help keep your pet lizard happy by setting a smart plug (connected to their tank's basking lights) to turn on at sunrise and turn off at sunset.¹ This way, their waking hours will be happier – and their sleeping pattern will be improved.
Shop smart plugs
Daytime lighting
-
When the sun rises
At sunrise · Every day
-
Basking lights
Turn on
Night light
Turn off
Nighttime lighting
-
When the sun sets
At sunset - Every day
-
Basking lights
Turn off
Night light
Turn on
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
At sunrise, turn off the night lights and turn on the basking lights. At sunset, turn off the basking lights and turn on the night lights.
Keep them cosy while saving energy
Warm up your pet's bed
When no one's at home, you can save energy and keep your pet cosy by turning on a warming pad.
During colder weather, we want our heating to be as efficient as possible – especially when no one's at home. But we also want our pets to be warm.
One way to accomplish both is with a Home/Away routine that sets your thermostat to Eco mode and turns on a smart plug connected to your pet's warming pad when the last person leaves home.¹ This way, you'll save energy, but there will always be somewhere warm for your pet to snooze.
Shop smart plugs
Pet bed warmer
-
When everyone's away
Use presence detection
-
Thermostat
Set to Eco mode
Cat warming pad
Turn on smart plug
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
When everyone leaves the house, set the thermostat to Eco mode and turn on the cat warming pad.
Light the way (but not too brightly)
Help your pet on adventures
Use your Nest Cam to turn on dimmed lights in hallways or rooms at night.
Our cats and dogs often go exploring in the house at night, whether to get some water or check out a strange noise.
Set up an automation that sets the lights to 20% when your hallway Nest Cam recognizes your pet.¹ That way, they can head off on their nighttime adventure—without disturbing the rest of the household.
Shop Nest cameras
Nighttime adventure lighting
-
Camera detects your pet
Seen in hall
-
If the hall lights are off
Between 11.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m.
-
Turn on hall lights
Set brightness to 20%
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
When the hall camera sees my pet between 11.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m., set the hall light to 20% brightness if it's turned off.
Sound the alarm
Keep your pet bird safe
Send a custom notification if your pet bird flies the nest.
We all know how much fun it is for our pet birds to fly freely around the house. But we don't always want this to happen when we're not around.
To help with this, you can put a contact sensor on your pet bird's cage door.¹ If the door opens, you'll receive a custom alert, meaning that you can dash home and attend to the situation to help keep your bird safe.²
Shop smart sensors
Cage door open
-
Contact sensor is on 'open'
Attached to cage door
-
When everyone is away
Using presence detection
-
Send custom notification
'Here we go again'
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
If the birdcage contact sensor opens while nobody is at home, send me a notification letting me know.
Give them a televisual treat
Keep your pet entertained
Turn on a pet-friendly TV show when your pet's at home alone.
If all members of the household have gone out for the day and there's no one to keep your pet company, why not brighten up their day by turning on a pet-friendly TV show when they're in the living room?
You can set up an automation so that the Chromecast³ will turn on if the camera detects your pet while the Home is set to 'Away'.¹ This way, you can keep your pet entertained even when you're away.
Shop Chromecast
Pet TV time
-
Camera detects your pet
Seen in living room
-
When everyone is away
Using presence detection
-
Turn on Chromecast
Living room TV
Play YouTube
Play squirrel videos for dogs on YouTube
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
The first time that you see my dog in the living room while nobody is at home, turn on Chromecast and play squirrel videos on YouTube.
Ring the dinner bell
Don't forget to feed your pet
Send a custom notification if your pet's food container hasn't been opened by dinner time.
Much as we love our pets, there are times when we simply can't remember if we fed them or not. This automation means that you'll never forget to feed your pet again.
Simply put a contact sensor on your pet's food container.¹ You can then set it up to send a notification if the container hasn't been opened by dinner time.² This way, you'll be reminded to feed your pet – no matter how busy you are.
Shop smart sensors
Dinner time reminder
-
Contact sensor in unopened state
Attached to food container or drawer
-
During set time range
From 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
-
Send custom notification
'King Felix hasn't had dinner yet'
Help me script
Try entering this prompt into the script editor's 'Help me script' panel:
If the food drawer contact sensor hasn't opened by 7.00 p.m., send me a notification saying 'King Felix hasn't had his dinner yet'
-
1
Home automations require additional enrolment and setup, and depend on working Internet, Wi-Fi and service availability from Google and third parties that manufacture devices included in the automations. Requires a compatible smart device.
-
2
Some features, including mobile and browser notifications, remote control, video streaming and video recording, require working Internet and Wi-Fi.
-
3
Chromecast with Google TV requires a TV with an HDMI port, a Wi-Fi network, a Google Account, a nearby electrical outlet and a compatible mobile device. Minimum OS requirements are available at g.co/cast/req. Chromecast sold separately.