We track just about everything these days, from steps taken to hours slept — and that goes for our pets, too. The market for wearable trackers is growing, offering a way for us to keep tabs on our pets’ health, location, and activity. While technology like activity trackers gives you a glimpse into how your pet spends their days, a dog collar camera takes this monitoring to another level — showing you exactly what your pet sees and where they go, and allowing you to save memories to watch back later.

Although the options for dog collar cameras are still limited, we’ve rounded up our favorites out there today.

What is a Dog Collar Camera?

A dog collar camera is a device that attaches to your pet’s collar and takes video or photographs. Each has different functions, like live streaming and motion sensing, and they can differ in quality and best use cases.

The closest we can get to viewing the world through our dog’s eyes, dog collar cameras can provide tons of entertainment value. They can capture memories and provide a heartwarming way to look back on a fun day with your pet. But besides supplying cute snapshots of life as your dog sees it, a pet collar camera can be incredibly useful. The footage can show you what your dog is up to in situations where other cameras can’t reach. Wonder where your dog runs off to every morning? Or what they get into when you’re gone? A dog collar cam gives you a glimpse into your dog’s habits when you’re not around.

More traditional stationary cameras can always be set up to watch your pet’s activity, but unless you have several around their area, you’ll miss what happens when they run off frame. This makes a dog collar cam especially helpful for pups who roam from your view, especially when outside. (Keep in mind that it’s never a good idea to let your dog out without a leash in situations that can be dangerous for them, or in areas with leash laws.)

Types of Dog Collar Cameras

The type of dog collar camera you choose will depend on how you plan to use it. Dog collar cameras are perfect for capturing footage from adventures with your pet, or for keeping tabs on your pet’s activity and safety.

A few types of dog collar cameras and their features include:

High-Definition Dog Collar Cameras

Cameras with high-quality video and photos are great for capturing clear, professional looking footage. If you want to create videos to watch back in the future, this type of camera is ideal. It can be used to monitor your pet’s activity, too. Just keep in mind that these cameras are usually the most expensive.

Hidden Cameras for Dog Collars 

These cameras are typically not designed for dogs, but they can be fitted to your pup’s collar to capture video and photos. Hidden cameras are usually very small, and the quality of the footage can vary greatly, as can the features. They are generally less expensive but hold less data and have smaller batteries.

Night Vision Dog Collar Cameras

If seeing what your dog is up to at night or in a dark house is important, choose a camera with night vision. Many cameras have this feature, but double check before purchasing if you’ll be using it in low light conditions.

Cameras with Microphones for Audio 

Audio isn’t usually the most important feature of a dog collar camera, but it’s a welcomed addition, especially if you need to use the footage in videos, hear your dog’s surroundings, or listen for a bark. (Heads up: all of our top picks record audio.)

How We Chose Our Top Dog Collar Camera Picks 

We looked for the best dog collar cameras based on the following: 

Quality. Since each pet collar camera can vary in terms of video quality, we made sure to note which are better for producing footage you’ll want to watch later and which should probably just be used to keep an eye on your pup’s activity.

Added features. While all of the picks on our list provide the basic video functionality, we tried to call out the extra features of each one as well, including things like waterproof housing, sensors, night vision, and more.

Reviews. We scoured the review sections in order to get a clear idea of what other pet parents and consumers thought of each camera.

Price. For a device like this, you’re going to see a wide range of prices. We included some less expensive picks, as well as one that’s definitely a splurge.

All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the Vetstreet editorial team and do not reflect a direct endorsement by the author. However, Vetstreet may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Our List

4 Best Dog Collar Cameras   

The best collar cameras for dogs not only capture photos and/or video, but also meet your individual needs. These cameras all have different specialities and features, which we’ve spelled out so you can pick out the best one for your situation.

Overall Best Dog Collar Camera

Our pick: Mr Petcam HD Collar Mounted POV Camera

Buy at Etsy
Buy at Mr Petcam

Delivering quality video at a reasonable price, the Mr Petcam Camera earned the top spot on our list. The small pet collar camera is surprisingly packed with features. It’s light enough for most dogs (and even suitable for cats) and can be clipped onto any collar with the supplied attachment straps. For larger dogs, the included mounting bracket allows you to attach the camera to the back of your pet’s collar so it films over their head. The video and audio quality is clear, with HD 1080p and 720p recording, and the removable memory card stores 16gb of footage (around 3 hours). There’s even a motion-activated mode so you can set the camera to record only when your pet is moving. 

The camera itself isn’t waterproof, but it comes with waterproof housing that can keep it safe in wet conditions. Overall, this camera packs in every necessary feature at an affordable cost.

Pros

  • Attaches to any collar (top-mounting bracket included)
  • Includes waterproof housing 
  • High-definition recording with motion-activated mode
  • Night vision option

Cons

  • SD card and battery have limited space and life 
  • Camera doesn’t pair with iPhones (Androids only), but it can work with both Apple and Windows computers

Best Waterproof Dog Collar Camera

Our pick: GoPro HERO11 Black Mini

Buy at GoPro
Buy at Amazon
Buy at Best Buy

For a more professional approach, a GoPro is our number one pick. While there are many models to choose from, we went with the HERO11 Black Mini, which is small in size but packs a big punch in quality — plus, it’s waterproof! The point-and-shoot design makes it simple to use, and it features HyperSmooth stabilization to help keep the footage smooth, no matter how much your pup moves. 

This is by far the most expensive camera on our list, and you’ll need to purchase a specialty GoPro harness separately in order to attach it to your pup, which is something to keep in mind if you’re working with a tighter budget. But if you’re looking for top-notch video with added features like live streaming capabilities, an automatic highlight reel, and unlimited cloud backup, this is the camera for you.

Pros

  • Waterproof design
  • HyperSmooth stabilization
  • 5.3K60 + 2.7K240 video quality
  • One-button functionality
  • Automatically generated highlight reel
  • Compatible with the padded, dual-mountable GoPro Fetch Dog Harness, which fits dogs 20 to 120 pounds 
  • Other harness-compatible GoPro models include: HERO11 Black, HERO10, BlackHERO9, BlackMAX, HERO8 Black, HERO7 Black, HERO7 Silver, HERO7 White, HERO (2018), GoPro Fusion, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, HERO5 Session

Cons

  • Very high price point
  • Harness sold separately

Best Hidden Dog Collar Camera

Our pick: Sharper Image Discreet Day/Night Vision Camera

Buy at Sharper Image

A small, high-quality camera can help you keep tabs on your pet’s location throughout the day without getting in the way or being too obvious to others. While it won’t be as clear as our GoPro pick, this camera films in high quality HD 1280x720P, captures audio, and has night vision capabilities — without being too costly. Plus, it not only records video (SD card sold separately), but you can also stream footage from either an iPhone or Android while on Wifi. The rechargeable battery lasts around 90 minutes on a full charge.

Just keep in mind this camera attaches magnetically, so you’ll need to modify your pet’s collar and determine how to connect it.

Pros

  • Small, non-intrusive camera
  • High-quality video and audio
  • Includes night vision
  • Live streaming option

Cons

  • A MicroSD card will need to be purchased separately
  • Requires some modification to attach to collar

Best Dog Collar Camera for Night

Our pick: KSADBOSSBO Mini Body Camera 

Buy at Amazon

This camera is designed for joggers, but it’s also perfect for keeping an eye on your pet at night. However, instead of just relying on night vision to record in low light, this small, wireless 1080p camera comes equipped with multiple bright lights. This feature adds an extra layer of safety by making your dog highly visible in situations where it might be difficult to see them. It comes with a 64 GB memory card but is compatible with cards up to 128 GB. The device is waterproof, too, and it can be attached to any collar either by using the clip (which provides the steadiest footage) or by using the top ring holder. 

Plus, it has a long battery life compared to other pet cameras, at around 5.5 hours (when the light feature isn’t engaged).

Pros

  • Integrated LED lights keep your dog visible at night
  • Waterproof
  • Battery lasts around 5.5 hours without light (approximately 2 hours with light)
  • Can be clipped onto your dog’s collar
  • Includes a 64 GB SD card

Cons

  • Not ideal for small dogs

Dog Collar Camera Buying Guide

The quality of dog collar cameras and how they work varies greatly, which can make choosing one challenging. However, narrowing down what you need in a dog collar camera and determining the importance of features like video quality, battery life, price, and live streaming, allows you to choose the best one for you.

Video quality. Whether you’re creating content to share on social media or making videos for your own personal collection of memories, choosing a dog collar camera with high-quality video is ideal. 

Battery life. Most cameras won’t have the storage or battery power to record all day long, but if this is an important feature for you, check to make sure you choose one with a long battery life and large storage capacity.

Added features. If your dog will be wearing the camera outside, choose a waterproof camera that can withstand rain and water. If you’re planning on doing some night filming, you’ll need a camera with night vision. 

Live streaming capabilities. How cameras store and transmit footage can differ, too. Some can only take and store continuous footage for a couple of hours, while others can live stream.

Safety. Safety is also extremely important to consider. If the camera comes with a collar, make sure it isn’t too tight or too loose. Either can cause issues, especially if the collar is on your pet when unsupervised. You also want to ensure your dog can’t chew the camera, either, as they contain small parts that can cause choking and create intestinal blockages.

Dog Collar Camera Tips for Success 

It may take some time to learn how to get the best footage from a dog collar camera, but they aren’t too difficult to use if you have experience with cameras in general. However, each one functions differently, so take the time to learn the best practices for your individual device.

Most cameras attach to your dog’s current collar and are lightweight enough to stay nearly undetectable, but if your dog seems uncomfortable with a new collar or camera, some gentle training can help them become used to it. Always create positive associations with the camera, and give your pet lots of treats or playtime while they get used to wearing it.

A dog collar camera can be used as often as needed as long as it remains comfortable for your dog — most likely, you’ll be limited by the device’s battery power or storage capacity. But if your dog is small, make sure the camera isn’t too heavy for them to wear it comfortably. If you notice any issues, reduce the amount of time your pet has the camera on, or choose a different, lighter camera entirely.