Dote Support

My pet won't stay still for the camera breathing check. What can I do?

Wait until they are fully asleep, keep the whole chest in frame from about a metre away in steady light, and rest the phone on something. If it still does not lock on, use Count by tapping: tap once per breath for 30 seconds. It is always free and uses the same verdict rules.

What does Typical, Recheck later and Talk to your vet mean?

Typical means the resting rate is within the range for your pet. Recheck later means one reading was above their limit, often from activity, purring or dreaming, so count again when they are calm. Talk to your vet means two readings in a row were above the limit; vets advise calling them. None of these is a diagnosis.

Where does my pet's limit come from?

Dogs, cats and rabbits start from a vet-sourced sleeping range you can change in the pet's profile if your vet suggests a different number. For other species Dote uses your pet's own usual rate once it has a few readings.

Why can't I measure body size on my iPhone?

Body size uses the LiDAR Scanner, which only some iPhone models have, such as the iPhone Pro models. Every other check works on any iPhone that runs iOS 27.

The walk check says it needs a clearer clip.

Film from the side, at your pet's height, with the whole body in frame for at least four steps. Daylight and a plain background help. The clip is saved so you can show it to your vet.

Is it safe? says an item is "not well known" for my pet.

For rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, only well-documented dangers are marked. When Dote has no verdict for your species, ask your vet before offering a new food or plant.

My plant didn't grow today. Did I do something wrong?

No. The plant grows with time together, and any care you log that day (a moment, a breathing check, a weigh-in, a dose, a diary photo, a check-in, a vet visit) adds a dewdrop. A quiet day simply rests; it never wilts and there are no streaks.

The Apple Watch app shows "Open Dote on your iPhone".

The Watch receives your pets from the iPhone over Watch Connectivity. Open Dote on the iPhone once with the Watch nearby and unlocked; pets, readings and medicines sync in a few seconds.

The widget shows no reading.

Widgets update whenever data changes in the app, and on their own every few hours. Open Dote once after installing the widget; if it still shows nothing, remove and re-add it.

What can I say to Siri?

Say “Siri” or “Hey Siri”, or press and hold the side button, then say one of these:

• Count breaths: “Count my pet's breaths with Dote” opens the tap-to-count breathing check.
• Breathing check: “Check my pet's breathing in Dote” opens the 30-second camera check for dogs and cats; other pets get tap-to-count.
• Medicine given: “Mark Apoquel as given in Dote” logs the dose without opening Dote. Use your medicine's name, or say “Log a medicine dose in Dote” and Siri asks which one. Siri always checks with you before logging.
• Log weight: “Log my pet's weight in Dote” opens a new weigh-in.
• Is it safe?: “Is it safe for my pet in Dote” opens the food, plant and household safety check.
• Night Watch: “Start Night Watch in Dote” listens for coughs, sneezes and other sounds while your pet sleeps.
• ID card: “Show my pet's ID card in Dote” opens the ID card with vet, microchip and insurance details.
• Lost-pet poster: “My pet is lost in Dote” opens the lost-pet poster, ready to share.
• Walk weather: “Is it OK to walk my dog in Dote” opens Today, where the walk weather card gives heat, pavement and storm advice for dogs (Dote Pro).
• Food recalls: “Check pet food recalls in Dote” opens the U.S. FDA pet food recall list.

Phrases that open a screen open Dote first. The same actions are in the Shortcuts app and Spotlight, so you can put them on the Home Screen, in an automation or on the Action button.

Where can I see the phrases in the app?

Settings → Siri & Shortcuts lists every phrase in your iPhone's language, with a button that opens Dote's actions in the Shortcuts app.

Does Siri work with Dote in my language?

The phrases are translated into all 21 of Dote's languages and work wherever Siri supports your language. Siri isn't available in Greek, Indonesian, Polish or Romanian; there, use the same actions from the Shortcuts app or Spotlight.

How do I make a medicine ring like an alarm?

Edit the medicine and turn on Ring like an alarm. It rings even in Silent mode or a Focus, with Snooze and Given, and a "Dose due" card on the Lock Screen has a Given button too. Vaccines use normal reminders.

What are "Reported side effects"?

Signs that owners and vets reported to the U.S. FDA after an animal was given that medicine (openFDA). A report doesn't prove the medicine caused the sign. If you're worried, ask your vet. Dote sends only the medicine's active ingredient and the species.

How do pet food recall alerts work?

Add the food your pet eats in their profile. Dote checks the U.S. FDA's pet food recall list once a day and shows a card on Today if that brand is recalled. Safety → Pet food recalls lists all recent recalls.

How does the NFC collar tag work?

Buy any NFC sticker or tag (NTAG213 is fine). On the ID card, tap Write to an NFC tag and hold the top of your iPhone to it. Anyone who finds your pet taps the tag with their phone and is offered your number: no app needed on iPhone XS or later, and NFC on Android. Dote doesn't lock the tag, so you can rewrite it.

How does walk weather work?

For dogs, with Dote Pro: turn on the Walk weather card on Today. It asks Apple Weather once when you turn it on, then only when you tap reload (at most every 30 minutes); the light shows how fresh the forecast is. Your location is sent to Apple for the forecast and isn't stored by Dote.

How do I get reminders to take a diary photo?

Open the Diary and tap the bell at the top. Choose Every week, Every 2 weeks or Every month, then the day and time, and tap Save. Each pet has its own reminder. Dote asks for permission to send notifications the first time; reminders are scheduled on your iPhone only.

How do I stop photo reminders?

Tap the bell in the Diary again and set Remind me to Off. Reminders also stop on their own for a pet in loving memory.

I set a reminder but nothing arrives.

Notifications are probably off for Dote. Open iPhone Settings → Notifications → Dote and turn on Allow Notifications, then save the reminder again. Focus modes can also hold notifications back.

How do I turn on In loving memory for a pet who has died?

Tap your pet's photo on Today to edit them, turn on In loving memory and choose the date. Checks and photo reminders stop, birthday reminders become gentle remembrance messages, and Today shows their memorial space: their sticker breathing at their last recorded rate, a candle you can light once a day, their photos, a memory book PDF and a keepsake card.

Can I turn In loving memory off again?

Yes. Edit the pet again and turn In loving memory off. Their records, photos and history are all still there, and checks come back.

Is anything from the memorial shared or uploaded?

No. The memorial, its candles, the memory book and the keepsake card are made and kept on your iPhone. Nothing is uploaded, and nothing leaves the phone unless you share the book or card yourself.

How do I move Dote to a new iPhone?

Settings → Export all data creates one .dote file with every pet, photo, clip and record, encrypted on your iPhone with a password you choose. Open that file on the new iPhone, choose Import and enter the password. Your purchase is restored from the App Store with Restore purchases.

I forgot my backup password.

Dote can't open or recover it: the password never leaves your iPhone and there is no server copy. If you still have the iPhone, export a new backup with a new password. Keep backup passwords in the Passwords app.

How do I switch between kilograms and pounds?

Settings → Units. Weight, length and temperature each follow your iPhone automatically, or pick kg or lb, cm or in, and °C or °F. Every record converts instantly; nothing is lost.

How do I cancel Dote Pro?

Subscriptions are managed by Apple: iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions → Dote. Cancelling keeps Pro until the end of the paid period. Lifetime is a one-time purchase and never renews.

Does Dote work with VoiceOver, Larger Text and other accessibility settings?

Yes: VoiceOver, Voice Control, Larger Text, Dark Mode, Increase Contrast, Reduce Motion, Bold Text and Smart Invert. Count by tapping is a fully accessible breathing check. See Accessibility in Dote for details and what isn't fully accessible yet.

Does Dote collect anything?

No account, no analytics, no ads and no servers of our own. Your pet's checks, photos, video, sound and records stay on your iPhone. A few features go online: walk weather (Apple Weather; your location isn't stored by Dote), Find an emergency vet near me (Apple Maps), food recall alerts (the U.S. FDA's public recall list, matched on your iPhone) and Reported side effects (openFDA, sent only the medicine's active ingredient and the species). If Dote crashes, an anonymous crash report is sent the next time you open it: no name, email, IP address, location, photos, recordings or pet records. Read the privacy policy.

Can I turn off crash reports?

Yes: Settings → Privacy → Send crash reports. It is on by default. A report is sent only after a real crash, the next time you open Dote, and it contains nothing about you or your pet.