Uchinoko LiveMac desktop
Your pet wanders along the edge of your open windows, sits down now and then, and naps. No window frame — just your pet on the desktop. The dog walking along the bottom of this page is the same footage.
Made to order, one pet at a time
Your pet, padding around your desktop.
Made from your photos. Refined by a person until it looks like yours.
Send us a few photos of your pet. We make a photo-style portrait and a set of short video clips, and keep refining them until they look like your pet. It walks, sits, and naps on your Mac desktop or in your browser — and reacts when you pet it, offer a treat, or fill its water bowl.
US$199total
- We review your photos before you pay
- Full refund within 30 days if it doesn't look like your pet
Not a pet camera or a live feed. Available now in your web browser and on Mac.
Samples: a cat, a budgie and a hamster made from publicly licensed photos, and the maker's own Yorkshire Terrier. None of them are customers' pets.
Photo → portrait
From your photos to a little pet that hangs out on your screen
Uchinoko Live is a made-to-order service. From the photos you send, we create a "pet bundle": a set of photo-style portraits and short video clips of your pet. Load it into the Uchinoko Live app, and your pet stands, sits, lies down, and sleeps in a corner of your screen while you go about your day. Uchi no ko is how people in Japan often refer to their pet — literally, "the kid at our house."
Drag the handle to compare the original photo with the finished portrait
All samples are made from publicly licensed photos (CC0 / CC BY) and are not customers' pets. The Yorkshire Terrier is the maker's own dog. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.
What you get
Portraits and a full set of clips
- Photo-style portraits of your pet in each pose (standing, sitting, lying down, sleeping)
- Everyday moments, plus your pet's own quirks
- Moving between poses, walking and turning around
- Reactions to care (petting, a treat, water)
- Delivered to your account in the Uchinoko Live browser and Mac apps (you sign in with your Apple ID)
Everyday life
Pet it, and it responds the way your pet does
Tap pet, treat, or water, and your pet does just that. The reactions aren't the same every time. The maker's dog usually melts when she's stroked — but now and then she ducks away when you go for the top of her head. Tell us your pet's habits, and we'll work them into the clips.
At night it mostly sleeps. Leave it alone for a while and it starts asking for attention or gets a little hungry. Skip a day of care and nothing bad happens. It doesn't talk, and it doesn't grin like a person.
Browser
Open it in your browser and your pet fills the screen.
iPhone (not yet available)
Sample screens. Receiving your own pet on iPhone will only be possible after a supporting version passes App Store review. We can't promise if or when that will happen.
How it works
From first email to delivery
- Send photos
Email us 3–5 photos of your pet. A full-body shot, a close-up of the face, and a side view make it much easier. The review is free.
- We tell you if we can make it
We look at your photos and decide whether we can make a convincing likeness — usually within 24 hours. If we can, we email you a summary and a payment link. If not, we tell you before you pay.
- Pay
Pay up front by card on the payment page. Then sign in to Uchinoko Live with the Apple ID you'll use to view your pet, and send us the email address shown in the app.
- We make it
We email you when production starts, and refine everything side by side with your photos until it looks like your pet.
- Delivery
Within 14 days of receiving both your payment and your photos, we deliver the bundle to your account. Open the browser or Mac app, and your pet is there.
- Redos
If anything doesn't feel like your pet, let us know within 14 days of delivery. We redo it for free, up to two times.
Price and promises
US$199
All in — one payment, no subscription, no add-on fees. Any sales tax or VAT is included. Currently available to customers in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. (In Japan? Please use the Japanese page.)
What the $199 covers
This isn't one photo with a bit of motion added. It's a full set of clips, wired together in the app so your pet responds to petting, treats, and water. Every pet is hand-checked against your photos until it looks right — the same kind of made-to-order job as ordering a custom plush or a portrait of your pet. And you're the one who decides whether it looks right.
What you'll need
- An Apple ID (you sign in with Sign in with Apple)
- Browser: the latest version of Google Chrome
- Mac: macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
- iPhone: only after a supporting version passes App Store review (we can't promise if or when)
- We review your photos before you pay
If we don't think we can make a good likeness, we tell you before you pay. No charge.
- Up to two free redos
Just let us know within 14 days of delivery.
- Full refund if it doesn't look like your pet
If it still doesn't feel like your pet after the redos, ask within 30 days of delivery and we refund you in full. You can also skip the redos and go straight to a refund. No lengthy explanation needed.
- Delivered within 14 days
If we expect a delay, we'll tell you before the deadline. If we can't deliver within 30 days, you can cancel for a full refund.
Questions
Questions
Is this made with AI?
Yes, AI is part of how we make it. We never hand over raw output — every result is checked against your photos until it looks like your pet. The services that process your photos are listed in our Privacy Policy.
What kind of photos should I send?
3–5 clear photos with only your pet in them. A full-body shot, a close-up of the face, and a side view work best. Good light and visible fur texture help. We'll look at them and let you know whether we can make your pet.
Can you make pets other than dogs and cats?
Yes — budgies and hamsters too (see the samples on this page). Send us photos and we'll tell you whether we can make it.
I can't take new photos right now. Is that okay?
Yes. We can work from photos you already have. If new photos are hard to get, just send what you have and we'll take a look.
Does it work on iPhone, Windows, or Android?
Right now you can view your pet in the browser version (tested on the latest Google Chrome) and the Mac version (macOS 14 or later). You'll need an Apple ID to sign in. iPhone support depends on a supporting version passing App Store review, and we can't promise if or when that will happen. If you use something else, mention it when you get in touch.
What if it doesn't look like my pet?
Tell us within 14 days of delivery and we'll redo it for free, up to two times. If it still doesn't feel like your pet, ask within 30 days of delivery and we'll refund you in full. You decide whether it looks right.
How long does it take?
Within 14 days of receiving both your payment and your photos. If we expect a delay, we'll tell you before the deadline. If we can't deliver within 30 days, you can cancel for a full refund.
How do I pay, and are there other costs?
After we confirm we can make your pet, we send a secure payment page (Stripe). You pay once, up front, by card — Apple Pay or Google Pay may also appear. $199 is the total; any sales tax or VAT is included. Stripe may show the amount in your local currency, and your card issuer may add its own foreign-transaction fee. You can cancel for a full refund at any time before delivery. If we ever close the service, we'll give at least 90 days' notice and, on request, send you your pet's videos as files.
What happens to my photos?
We use them only to make your pet. To make your pet, we may send them to outside services (in the US and elsewhere), listed in our Privacy Policy. Before sending, we crop each photo to just your pet and remove location data. We delete your photos 90 days after delivery (about 7 days if you don't go ahead). We only show your pet as an example if you say yes when we ask after delivery. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Does it talk or smile like a person?
No. It only does things your pet would do — grooming, yawning, stretching, sighing. Tell us about your pet's habits and we'll include as many as we can.
Send photos, get a free review
Email us the following. We usually reply within 24 hours. There's no rush — get in touch whenever you're ready.
- 3–5 photos of your pet (full body, face close-up, side view)
- Your pet's name and breed (or type)
- Any habits or quirks your pet has (optional)
- Where you live (country) and how you found us
Send to
hello@uchinoko.live
Email usIf your email app doesn't open, write to the address above directly. You only pay after we confirm we can make your pet.