Like the sheep that text shepherds when danger is near, your dog can now tell you when he’s too hot. This new heat-sensing collar monitors your dog’s temperature and texts you if it gets too high. Here’s how it works, from CNet:

TheDog Caller combines a SIM card and a thermistor to monitor the temperature around a dog and send the owner a text alert when it nears 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

But Amanda Kooser, who wrote the CNet article, brings up a good point about the need for some real-life, in-the-wild testing:

I’m curious how this collar would react to normal summer temperatures where I live in New Mexico. We’ve taken dog walks up to the corner on days when it’s more than 90 degrees. Would the collar constantly be sending alerts?

Maybe it’s intended for times when you plan on leaving your dog in the car or outside for a few minutes. Or maybe the creators figure people who live in naturally hot places already know better. It’s possible that the Dog Caller is equipped with an override option to stop alerts if you’re actively with your dog, like on a walk or hike during a warm day. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how the collar functions under real life conditions.