Is Your Guardzilla Not Detecting Your Pets Correctly?
Guardzilla's pet detection feature is a fantastic tool for keeping an eye on your furry friends when you're not home. It's designed to give you peace of mind by sending you specific alerts for your pets' activity, while ignoring other motion. However, if it's not working as expected—either missing your pet entirely or sending you false alarms—it can be more of a nuisance than a help.
This guide will help you troubleshoot the common issues with Guardzilla's pet detection so you can get reliable and accurate alerts.
## How Pet Detection Works and Why It Fails
To fix the problem, it helps to understand how the technology works. Guardzilla cameras use an algorithm to analyse motion. It looks at the size, shape, and movement pattern of an object to differentiate between a person, a pet, and other motion.
Common reasons for failure include:
- Poor Camera Placement: If the camera is too high, too low, or at a sharp angle, your pet might look distorted to the AI.
- Incorrect Settings: Motion sensitivity might be too low, or the pet detection feature might be disabled.
- Lighting Issues: Very low light or strong backlighting can make it difficult for the camera to see and analyse shapes correctly.
- Subscription Status: Advanced features like pet detection are often tied to a subscription plan.
- Small or Fast Pets: Very small animals (like kittens) or pets that move very quickly can be challenging for the algorithm to identify.
## Steps to Fix Pet Detection Issues
Follow these steps to diagnose and resolve the problems with your Guardzilla's pet detection.
### 1. Check Your App Settings
First, dive into the Guardzilla app and confirm everything is configured correctly.
- Enable Pet Detection: Navigate to your camera's settings and ensure that "Pet Detection" or a similar feature is toggled on.
- Check Notification Settings: Go to the notification settings and make sure that you have enabled alerts for pet motion. It's possible the camera is detecting them, but not alerting you.
- Adjust Motion Sensitivity: If your pet isn't being detected, try increasing the motion sensitivity level. If you're getting too many false alerts, try decreasing it. Find a balance that works for your environment.
### 2. Optimise Camera Placement
The position and angle of your camera are critical for accuracy.
- Ideal Height: Place the camera between 2 and 3 metres off the ground.
- Angle it Down: The camera should be angled slightly downwards, but not so much that it distorts the appearance of things on the floor.
- Clear Line of Sight: Ensure there are no obstructions like furniture or plants blocking the view of the area your pets frequent.
- Avoid Backlighting: Do not point the camera directly at a bright window or light source. This can create silhouettes, making it impossible for the AI to analyse shapes.
### 3. Verify Your Subscription
Many smart features are premium add-ons.
- Open your Guardzilla app and navigate to the account or subscription section.
- Confirm that your current plan includes AI features like pet detection. If your subscription has lapsed, the feature may have been disabled.
### 4. Update Everything
Software bugs can often be the culprit.
- App Update: Go to your phone's app store (Google Play Store or Apple App Store) and check for updates to the Guardzilla app.
- Firmware Update: In the camera's settings within the app, look for a "Firmware Update" or "Device Info" section. Install any available updates to ensure your camera has the latest software and bug fixes.
By systematically working through these settings and adjustments, you can significantly improve the accuracy of your Guardzilla's pet detection and start receiving the alerts that matter to you.