By SONIA ZJAWINSKI


Who really needs a gizmo that can translate dog barks- Not many people, apparently.

Though in 2008, American pet owners spent $43 billion on their animals - including $60 brushes, $200 designer cat scratchers and $450 midcentury dog beds - the market for pet gadgets has been dismal. That may be because of the abundance of novelty goods that are more expensive than practical.

This doesn’t mean useful pet gadgets don’t exist. As a certified dog trainer, as well as a cat rescuer, I’ve seen and used my fair share of high-tech pet gear. Some of it has been useful, some of it laughable. Those that get it right, though, alleviate a problem you may not have even known you had.


LITTER-ROBOT



Many litter boxes are promoted as automatically self-cleaning. The Litter-Robot is the only one I’ve seen that delivers. It has two drawbacks: its price, $329 (litter-robot.com), and its bulky size. But that is a small price for never having to clean a litter box again.


KOMFORT PETS CARRIER



Traveling with your pet is often unavoidable. And while your car’s airconditioning may keep you cool, it may not make it to the plastic box your pet is sitting in. One of the easiest ways to ensure your traveling companion isn’t miserable is to set it up in a climate-controlled Komfort Pets Carrier, $149 komfortpets.com).


SNIF TAG



Ever wonder if your dog walker is really giving your pup a workout- The Snif Tag, $149 (sniftag.com), is the equivalent of the baby cam for neurotic dog owners. A small tag attached to your dog’s collar uses an accelerometer and motion sensor software to can determine what your dog is doing - walking, running, sleeping - and record the information in a flash drive.


JOG A DOG



Although the easiest way to deal with destructive pet behavior is with exercise, occasionally it’s not realistic to toss the ball with your pup (long work hours, snowstorms, laziness). But that doesn’t mean you can’t wear your dog out. Jog A Dog, starting at $1,195 (jogadog.com), is a treadmill designed with canines in mind.


QUICKFINDER DELUXE



If you’ve ever had to cut a pet’s nails, you know how stressful it can be, given the risk of cutting into the quick and nicking the blood vessels. The QuickFinder Deluxe, $24 (quickfinderclipper.com), uses a patented sensor that detects heat radiating from the blood vessels. A miniature traffic light on the clipper lets you know when it’s safe to cut. Red, quick up ahead. Yellow, proceed with caution. Green, clip away. You’re still in charge of keeping your cat from squirming.


PORTABLE EXTRACTOR

If a cat urinates and no one sees it - it still reeks. For those hidden urine stains that can be found only with CSI-worthy gadgetry, there’s Dirt Devil’s Purpose for Pets Portable Extractor, $109 (dirtdevil.com). The carpet cleaner has blacklight LEDs on the scrub brush that illuminate the hidden stains in carpets and furniture.


PETPORTE



Ever have an unwelcome dog or raccoon stuck in a cat door- Here’s how to prevent it. The Petporte (petporte.com) uses the radio frequency from a microchip embedded in your pet to ensure that other beasts stay out. The clear plastic door remains locked until a sensor reads your pet’s microchip.