Pet tech at CES 2024: 'Teach' your dog to 'play' this 'piano'

Look, we can all sit around debating wether it’s worth teaching a dog to play the piano, or if that’s even something they’re capable of doing. But it’s also too late since, here at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, a Hong Kong-based startup has actually developed a device to do that. Zoo Gears was at the show demonstrating TheButter, a four-key instrument with light-up pads your pup can “play.”

Essentially, the pooch has to follow along the sequence of lights, each one triggering another few notes of whatever song you’ve equipped it with. Once done, you should reward their effort with a treat or some other form of encouragement, much as Dr. Pavlov would have done. The hope is that eventually, your beloved friend will get the knack of accompanying you during your next jam session.

Zoo Gears was a smash hit on Kickstarter in 2023, making more than four times its initial goal when getting backing for TheButter. That’s currently available to buy in the US for $99, and for that you’ll also get the companion app that’ll help you set your dog’s training routine. You know, so when they’ve mastered something fairly simple they can move onto harder songs like The Beatles’ Let It Be.

More importantly, the company is working on the second part of the product, TheBiscuit, priced at $299 which adds an automatic food dispenser to the setup. If your dog successfully learns how to hammer out some of The Beatles’ greatest hits, they’ll be able to feed themselves. After that, it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to being the next big name in whatever musical genre your best friend opts to specialize in.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.