Maven Dog Health Tracker Review: The Smart Collar That Monitors More Than Just Activity

Ever wish your dog could tell you when something’s not quite right? The Maven Dog Health Tracker is about as close as it gets. This small but mighty device clips onto your pup’s regular collar and turns it into a smart health monitor that tracks everything from heart and respiratory rates to activity, hydration, and even scratching habits.

I recently tried the Maven sensor on Freya (my Pharaoh Hound and faithful product tester). Here’s how it performed in the real world!

What Is the Maven Dog Health Tracker?

The Maven Dog Health Tracker is like having a mini vet assistant riding along on your dog’s collar 24/7. It’s designed to help pet parents spot early signs of potential health issues before they become big problems.

The lightweight, waterproof sensor attaches right to your dog’s regular collar — no clunky gadgets or special gear required. Once it’s on, Maven quietly monitors your dog’s vitals and behaviors using smart AI backed by real veterinarians.

All of that data shows up in the Maven mobile app (available for iOS and Android), where you’ll see clear, easy-to-read insights about your pup’s daily activity, rest, heart rate, breathing, and more. During the first week, the system learns what’s “normal” for your dog and builds a personalized baseline. From there, any unusual changes trigger an alert straight to your phone.

In short, Maven helps you keep an eye on your dog’s well-being without waiting for visible symptoms — like having early detection superpowers right in your pocket.

Top Features

Before we jump into the pros, cons, and how it worked for Freya, let’s take a look at what makes Maven stand out in a crowded field of pet wearables:

• Tracks multiple wellness indicators: Maven doesn’t just count steps — it monitors activity, rest, heart rate, respiratory rate, scratching, and hydration, all from one tiny sensor.
• Vet-developed AI: Every data point is backed by real veterinary science, not guesswork. Maven’s AI was built with input from the company’s in-house vet team to ensure accuracy and clinical relevance.
• Personalized baselines: During the first week, Maven learns what’s “normal” for your dog. From then on, you’ll get alerts only when something truly deviates from your pup’s typical patterns.
• 24/7 monitoring: The sensor quietly works around the clock to keep tabs on your dog’s health and will alert you if anything seems off.
• Waterproof (IPX7 rated): Perfect for dogs who love splashing through puddles, zooming through the rain, or diving into the lake.
• Detailed app insights: The Maven app gives you daily, weekly, and monthly summaries, complete with vet-approved tips tailored to your dog’s needs.
• Multi-pet support & discounts: You can monitor up to three pets under one subscription, and Maven gives you a nice price break for adding a second or third.
• Universal fit: The sensor clips onto pretty much any collar — even martingales and thick leather styles — so you don’t have to buy new gear.

Maven on a Martingale collar

Pros and Cons

Real-World Review: Testing Maven with Freya

I’ll admit it — I didn’t keep the Maven sensor on Freya 24/7. That’s totally on me, not Maven. To get the most accurate baselines for things like itching and drinking behavior, the tracker needs to stay on continuously for about seven days. But in our house, “collar off” means the day is done. Freya’s bedtime routine includes ditching the collar and curling up for the night, and I didn’t want to mess with that rhythm.

This isn’t a Maven-specific thing — most pet health trackers need constant wear to gather complete data. That said, I do wish there were a “daytime only” option in the app where you could tell it when your dog is active and let it build baselines from those hours. It’s definitely not a dealbreaker, though, and I didn’t even count it as a con since most dogs wear their collars 24/7. I just happen to be the outlier in this story.

Even without around-the-clock wear, Maven still delivered an impressive amount of information. The daytime data alone was incredibly detailed and surprisingly insightful. Here are a few things that stood out to me:

Daily Activity Events Log

The events log might just be one of my favorite parts of the Maven app. It’s not only informative but honestly kind of fun to scroll through. It breaks Freya’s day into little snippets — when she’s resting, stretching, playing, or pausing between zoomies. It feels a bit like reading her personal diary, complete with timestamps on all her daily adventures.

Health Symptoms Journal

The health symptoms journal is hands-down my favorite feature. It lets me jot down anything out of the ordinary — like if Freya’s stomach seems a little off — and add notes about what she ate that day. Over time, those notes help me spot patterns and potential sensitivities before they turn into bigger problems.

Now that Freya’s nine, I also use it to track little orthopedic things, like whether she limps after certain walks or has trouble on particular trails. It’s such a helpful way to connect the dots between what’s happening day-to-day and her overall wellness.

Lightweight and Comfortable

Because the Maven sensor attaches to your dog’s existing collar, they’re already used to how it feels — which means they probably won’t even notice the new addition.

At just 14 grams (under half an ounce), it’s unbelievably light — about the same as half a slice of bread or a single key on your keychain. In other words, it’s basically weightless.

Maven next to the including charging brick to show size

It’s also low-profile, so it doesn’t poke or rub against Freya’s neck. And believe me, she would absolutely let me know if it did. She’s not shy about voicing her opinions when something feels off!

Easy Setup

Getting Maven up and running couldn’t have been easier. I had a brief moment of panic when I realized Freya’s collar is a martingale that doesn’t open — but turns out, that’s not an issue at all! You just slide the clip onto one side and pop the sensor into place from the other. No wrestling with the collar or needing special gear.

Once the sensor and base station were powered up (the whole process took maybe three minutes), I moved on to setting up Freya’s wellness profile. This part really impressed me. The app doesn’t just ask generic questions — it gives you several thoughtful options for activity levels, sleep patterns, and diet types, so it actually feels customized to your dog rather than a cookie-cutter setup.

Maven Base Station

In everyday use, Maven feels less like a gadget and more like a digital health partner that genuinely understands your dog’s habits. Even if you’re not using it 24/7, it still delivers meaningful insights, helpful data, and that always-welcome sense of peace of mind. For me, that’s an easy win.

Final Thoughts

The Maven Dog Health Tracker is one of those products that makes you wonder how we ever lived without this kind of tech for our pets. It’s smart, simple, and built with real veterinary insight — not just another step counter with a fancy app.

I love that it gives pet parents a way to stay proactive about their dog’s health instead of waiting for something to seem “off.” The detailed data, easy setup, and surprisingly fun logs make it a joy to use — even if you’re not a full-time data nerd.

If you’re looking for a reliable way to keep tabs on your dog’s well-being, Maven is absolutely worth checking out. Whether you use it around the clock or just during the day like I do, it’s a great tool for catching early warning signs, tracking patterns, and giving your pup the healthiest life possible.