I-DOG Dance

We just got a new pet! The I-DOG Dance. Maybe it’s because they don’t have a real dog of their own, but my girls are loving him! I love that no assembly was required – we started playing with him straight out of the box.

All you have to do to get this puppy dancing is plug him into your music player using the included connector cable. Simply turn on your music, press the I-DOG’s nose, and you can hear the music through his built-in speaker or your own headphones. If you don’t have an iPod or something similar, you can also set him down next to a stereo or TV and he’ll dance along to the music. The lights on his face will flash to the beat.

My four-year old doesn’t seem as excited about the speaker feature as she does about the tricks I-DOG knows. He is “trained” to obey eight commands – sit, stand, tap paw, move its head and ears, dance, and stay – all activated by touching his face a certain way.

The I-DOG will make his presence known if he’s feeling ignored. I was surprised how commanding this little dog’s bark can be! Several times I’d forget to turn him off, and he’d startle me with a random bark. It’s super-easy to turn him off though, if he gets annoying. To conserve batteries he’ll automatically turn off after an hour of inactivity. Here’s a video of the I-DOG in action:

This toy is best for ages 8 and up, and I can see why because the commands can be a bit challenging to master, though both my girls have a blast playing with him. What I found most difficult was adjusting the volume of the music in listening mode. You’re supposed to be able to adjust it by just running your finger up or down his face, but this rarely worked for me on the first try. It’s easier to adjust the volume from my iPod anyway, so I don’t see it as a problem.

Available in black and white, the I-DOG Dance retails for $39.99 but you can get one for a little less on Amazon, with the added benefit of free shipping! It’s compatible with most portable music devices (not included, obviously) and comes complete with three “AA” batteries and a dual jack. My question is… will I ever get my iPod back?

*Don’t forget to enter to win an I-DOG clip (the I-DOG Dance’s little brother)!