# Focus Dog

> Focus Dog is a gamified focus and productivity app for iOS and Android. You run a Pomodoro-style focus timer; for every session you stay on task you earn donuts to feed a virtual dog, build streaks, climb weekly leagues, and even fund meals for real shelter dogs. This file lists the most useful pages for language models.

- Homepage: https://focusdog.app/
- iOS App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1179111193
- Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.donutdog
- Available in 9 languages (English, German, Simplified & Traditional Chinese, French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Dutch).

## Help & how-to

- [Why is Focus Dog not free?](https://focusdog.app/help/why-not-free/): Focus Dog is freemium because building software full-time costs real money. Here's the honest answer.
- [I want to delete my account](https://focusdog.app/help/delete-my-account/): How to delete your Focus Dog account from inside the app.
- [I lost my progress or data. What can I do?](https://focusdog.app/help/lost-progress-and-data/): What happened to old account data, and how to try to recover your account or purchases.
- [I forgot my password. How do I reset it?](https://focusdog.app/help/reset-password/): Step-by-step instructions for resetting your Focus Dog password.
- [Donating gems to feed dogs in need](https://focusdog.app/help/donate-gems/): How in-app gem donations turn into real meals for shelter dogs.
- [How to invite friends and find your invite code](https://focusdog.app/help/invite-friends/): Find your invite code from the Leaderboard. You'll need an account first.
- [Weekly Leagues explained](https://focusdog.app/help/weekly-leagues-explained/): How the 9-tier weekly league ladder works: how XP is earned, cohorts, promotion rules, rewards, and the You Are Here panel.
- [Challenges explained](https://focusdog.app/help/challenges-explained/): How challenges generate, how rewards scale with length, and how to unlock new reward donuts.
- [Donut machines explained](https://focusdog.app/help/donut-machines-explained/): Buy faster machines with coins or gems. The percentage on the preview shows the speed boost.
- [Donuts explained](https://focusdog.app/help/donuts-explained/): Three donut types: normal, rare, and epic, plus how to unlock and improve recipes.
- [Focus's happiness and feeding explained](https://focusdog.app/help/happiness-and-feeding/): How to feed Focus, how feeding earns you XP, and how the happiness level scales with your in-game level.
- [Live Activity, Dynamic Island and widgets](https://focusdog.app/help/live-activity-and-widgets/): How to see your focus session, dog state, and stats from the lock screen and home screen: Live Activity, Dynamic Island, and iOS widgets.
- [Pomodoro mode](https://focusdog.app/help/pomodoro-mode/): How Focus Dog runs the Pomodoro technique: auto-stop, Siri shortcut presets, hourly challenges, tags, and stats.
- [Streak system explained](https://focusdog.app/help/streak-system-explained/): How daily streaks reward you with special donuts, and what breaks the streak.
- [Temporary upgrades explained](https://focusdog.app/help/temporary-upgrades/): Single-run boosts you can buy in the shop: drop-chance increases and faster donut production.
- [The Auto-Stop feature isn't working](https://focusdog.app/help/auto-stop-not-working/): Auto-Stop requires Focus Dog Pro and notification permissions. Here's how to get it running.
- [I bought Focus Dog Pro on another device. Do I need to buy it again?](https://focusdog.app/help/focus-dog-pro-multi-device/): Short answer: no. One purchase covers all your devices on the same platform.
- [I bought Donut Dog before it was free. Do I need to buy Focus Dog Pro?](https://focusdog.app/help/legacy-donut-dog-buyers/): Legacy Donut Dog buyers automatically received Pro with the 2.0 update. If you uninstalled, here's how to recover.
- [What's the difference between the Focus Dog Pro versions?](https://focusdog.app/help/pro-versions-explained/): Three Pro tiers exist so you can choose how much you want to support development. Here's what each one unlocks.

## Magazine (articles on focus, habits & productivity)

- [How Much Screen Time Is Right at Each Age (Without Pretending There's One Number)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/screen-time-by-age/): Experts disagree on kids screen time by age. Here's what the research actually says predicts outcomes for ages 4 to 15, not just the hour count.
- [The Pomodoro Technique, Explained by Someone It Kept Failing For](https://focusdog.app/magazine/pomodoro-technique-how-it-works/): The Pomodoro Technique explained properly: the interruption rule everyone skips, why 25 minutes works, and when a plain timer isn't enough.
- [Why Confiscating the Phone Doesn't Teach Self-Control (And What Does)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/confiscating-the-phone-doesnt-teach-self-control/): Confiscating a phone enforces compliance, not self-control. Here's how to build kids screen time rules that actually transfer once you're not watching.
- [A Forest Alternative That Feeds Real Dogs Instead of Planting Trees](https://focusdog.app/magazine/forest-app-alternative/): Want a Forest app alternative? A fair look at the tree that dies versus a dog you feed, and how focus time can fund real shelter dog meals.
- [Your Kid Isn't Addicted to the Phone, They're Avoiding Boredom](https://focusdog.app/magazine/kids-arent-addicted-to-phones-theyre-avoiding-boredom/): The pull usually isn't addiction, it's boredom. Here is how to get kids off their phones with low-conflict habits that actually last.
- [Why a Pomodoro Dog Keeps You Focused Longer Than a Plain Timer](https://focusdog.app/magazine/why-a-pomodoro-dog-beats-a-plain-timer/): A plain Pomodoro timer counts down to nothing, so it's easy to quit. Here's why a virtual dog waiting for you makes 25 minutes of focus actually stick.
- [What to Use Instead of Focus Friend](https://focusdog.app/magazine/focus-friend-alternative/): Looking for a Focus Friend alternative? A fair look at the viral focus pet, what it does well, and the apps worth trying if you want more.
- [You Don't Need More Motivation, You Need Less Friction](https://focusdog.app/magazine/you-dont-need-motivation-you-need-less-friction/): Motivation to focus is unreliable fuel. Friction design is what actually decides whether you do the thing. Specific examples, no pep talks.
- [Your Calendar Is Full of Someone Else's Priorities](https://focusdog.app/magazine/calendar-full-of-someone-elses-priorities/): Take back your calendar without damaging relationships. Why defensive blocking fails and what specific language actually buys you back your time.
- [Nobody Warns You About Finishing](https://focusdog.app/magazine/nobody-warns-you-about-finishing/): Post-project emptiness is real. Why finishing the big thing often feels flat instead of triumphant, and why the days after deserve structure too.
- [The Coffee Shop Paradox](https://focusdog.app/magazine/the-coffee-shop-paradox/): Why you can write a paper in a noisy café but not at your silent desk. The science of ambient noise, third places, and recreating that focus.
- [Study Rooms Are Theater](https://focusdog.app/magazine/study-rooms-are-theater/): Group study effectiveness is mostly a myth. Why most study rooms are performance, when group study actually works, and how to tell the difference.
- [The Open Tab Graveyard](https://focusdog.app/magazine/the-open-tab-graveyard/): Too many browser tabs open? They aren't a reading list. They're a record of who past-you hoped you'd become. Why we hoard tabs and how to let them go.
- ["I'll Just Check It Real Quick"](https://focusdog.app/magazine/ill-just-check-it-real-quick/): The quick phone check that costs forty minutes. Why the lie isn't in the intention but in the tiny rhetorical trick your brain plays before each unlock.
- [Boredom Is Where Focus Begins](https://focusdog.app/magazine/boredom-is-where-focus-begins/): The link between boredom and focus is closer than it looks. Why tolerating one boring minute is the real secret to starting work.
- [Why Cleaning Your Room Feels More Productive Than Actual Work](https://focusdog.app/magazine/why-cleaning-feels-more-productive-than-work/): Why does cleaning feel more productive than real work? The psychology of productive procrastination and how to use completion bias to your advantage.
- [The Tamagotchi Effect: Why We'll Do Anything to Keep a Virtual Pet Alive](https://focusdog.app/magazine/tamagotchi-effect-virtual-pets-and-focus/): Why do we feel genuine responsibility for virtual pets? The psychology behind the Tamagotchi effect and how it drives real behavior change.
- [Focusing Alone Is Hard. Why Accountability Changes Everything](https://focusdog.app/magazine/focusing-alone-is-hard-accountability-changes-everything/): Humans focus better when others are present, even silently. Learn why accountability partners boost productivity and how to build yours.
- [The 3 PM Brain: Why You Can't Focus After Lunch (And What Actually Helps)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/3pm-brain-why-you-cant-focus-after-lunch/): The afternoon slump isn't laziness, it's biology. Here's why you can't focus after lunch and what actually helps you get through the 3 PM wall.
- [What Happens When You Actually Unplug for a Full Weekend](https://focusdog.app/magazine/what-happens-when-you-unplug-for-a-full-weekend/): I spent 48 hours completely offline: no phone, no laptop, no smartwatch. Here's what happened to my brain, my boredom, and my sense of time.
- [Why Some Tasks Feel Impossible to Start (And How to Trick Your Brain Into It)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/why-some-tasks-feel-impossible-to-start/): Some tasks feel impossible to start, not because you're lazy, but because of how your brain handles ambiguity. Here's how to start a task anyway.
- [What 10,000 Hours of Focus Data Taught Me About Myself](https://focusdog.app/magazine/what-focus-data-taught-me-about-myself/): Years of tracking my focus time revealed surprising patterns about productivity, seasons, and self-knowledge. Here's what the data mirror showed me.
- [Procrastination Isn't a Time Problem. It's an Emotion Problem](https://focusdog.app/magazine/procrastination-is-an-emotion-problem/): Procrastination isn't laziness or bad time management. It's emotional avoidance. Learn why you procrastinate and how to actually stop.
- [Your Phone Isn't the Enemy. Your Habits Are](https://focusdog.app/magazine/your-phone-isnt-the-enemy-your-habits-are/): Your phone isn't ruining your focus. Your automatic phone habits are. Learn how to map triggers, build replacement routines, and take back control.
- [How to Build a Habit That Actually Sticks (The 3-Layer Method)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/how-to-build-a-habit-that-sticks/): Most habits fail within weeks. The 3-layer method of trigger design, friction reduction, and identity reinforcement builds habits that last.
- [Why Gamification Works (And Why Most Apps Get It Wrong)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/why-gamification-works-and-most-apps-get-it-wrong/): Why does gamification click in some apps but feel hollow in others? The psychology of rewards, progress, and motivation, and what makes it work.
- [The Productivity Myth: Why Doing Less Gets You More Done](https://focusdog.app/magazine/productivity-myth-doing-less-gets-more-done/): The best productivity tips aren't about doing more. Learn why strategic rest, shorter work sessions, and doing less can dramatically increase your output.
- [Meeting Fatigue Is Real. Here's How to Recover Your Focus After Back-to-Back Calls](https://focusdog.app/magazine/meeting-fatigue-recover-focus-after-calls/): Back-to-back calls leave your brain foggy and your to-do list untouched. Science-backed ways to reset your focus between meetings, fast.
- [How to Focus When Working from Home (From Someone Who Has Done It for Years)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/how-to-focus-working-from-home/): Practical work from home focus tips from years of remote work. Environment design, transition rituals, and handling the distractions nobody warns you about.
- [ADHD-Friendly Productivity: What Actually Works](https://focusdog.app/magazine/adhd-friendly-productivity-what-actually-works/): Practical ADHD productivity tips that work with your brain, not against it. Body doubling, novelty cycling, hyperfocus harnessing, and more.
- [Why Your Study Playlist Might Be Ruining Your Focus](https://focusdog.app/magazine/study-playlist-ruining-your-focus/): Does music help or hurt your studying? The science of how your study playlist affects focus, memory, and concentration, plus what to listen to instead.
- [The Study Method That Got Me Through Finals (It's Not What You Think)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/study-method-that-got-me-through-finals/): How active recall, spaced repetition, and timed focus sessions transformed my exam prep. A personal guide to study methods that actually work.
- [How to Stop Picking Up Your Phone Every 5 Minutes](https://focusdog.app/magazine/how-to-stop-picking-up-your-phone/): Why you keep reaching for your phone and practical friction techniques to break the habit loop, no willpower or going cold turkey required.
- [I Tracked My Screen Time for 30 Days: Here's What I Learned](https://focusdog.app/magazine/i-tracked-my-screen-time-for-30-days/): I tracked my screen time for 30 days straight. The patterns I found surprised me more than the total hours. Here's what actually changed.
- [What Happens to Your Brain After 4 Hours of Screen Time](https://focusdog.app/magazine/what-happens-to-your-brain-after-4-hours-of-screen-time/): What 4+ hours of screen time actually does to your brain: dopamine, attention, sleep, and what you can do about it without going off the grid.
- [Deep Work Is Overrated (Unless You Do It Like This)](https://focusdog.app/magazine/deep-work-is-overrated-unless-you-do-it-like-this/): Deep work doesn't require 4-hour marathon sessions. Learn the realistic approach to deep focus that actually works for normal people.
- [Time Blocking for People Who Hate Rigid Schedules](https://focusdog.app/magazine/time-blocking-for-people-who-hate-rigid-schedules/): Time blocking doesn't have to feel like a prison. Learn a flexible approach that works for creative thinkers and non-linear planners.
- [How to Actually Focus When Your Brain Won't Cooperate](https://focusdog.app/magazine/how-to-focus-when-your-brain-wont-cooperate/): Struggling to focus? Learn science-backed techniques to regain concentration when your brain feels scattered and distracted.
- [A Digital Detox Guide: Unplug and Reconnect with Real Life](https://focusdog.app/magazine/digital-detox-guide-unplug-and-reconnect-with-real-life/): Explore digital detox, uncover its impact on mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
- [The Balance Between Phone Usage and Mental Wellness](https://focusdog.app/magazine/the-balance-between-phone-usage-and-mental-wellness/): My strategies for maintaining a harmonious relationship with my phone to enhance my mental well-being.
- [My rhythmic Success: A Journey into the Pomodoro Method](https://focusdog.app/magazine/my-rhythmic-success-journey-into-the-pomodoro-method/): Dive into the world of the Pomodoro Technique, explore its origins, and why it boosts my daylie motivation and positive thinking.
- [Minimizing Stress through Consciously Lowering Outside Influences](https://focusdog.app/magazine/minimizing-stress-through-consciously-lowering-outside-influences/): Learn how to navigate through the tumultuous waters of stress, information overload, social comparison, work pressure, and environmental stressors.
- [The Struggle with ADHD and Smartphones](https://focusdog.app/magazine/the-struggle-with-adhd-and-smartphones/): Explore how dopamine hooks can have a positive impact on attention management and focus for individuals grappling with ADHD.
- [Parents and the Next Generation in the Battle Against Dwindling Attention Spans](https://focusdog.app/magazine/parents-and-the-next-generation-battle-against-dwindling-attention-spans/): Explore a strategy to enhance children's focus, tackling the prevalent issue of diminishing attention spans in the digital era.
- [How Your Time with Focus Dog helps Real Dogs in Need](https://focusdog.app/magazine/how-your-time-with-focus-dog-helps-real-dogs-in-need/): Patrick's journey with Focus Dog turns virtual focus wins into real help for shelter dogs, building a community around productivity and dogs.
- [Psychology of Time: How Time Tracking Apps Can Enhance Your Self-awareness](https://focusdog.app/magazine/the-psychology-of-time-how-time-tracking-apps-can-enhance-self-awareness/): Explore the psychology of time management and how time tracking apps like Focus Dog can boost self-awareness, productivity, and personal growth.
- [The Power of Habit-Tracking: How Focus Dog App Can Build Positive Routines](https://focusdog.app/magazine/unlocking-the-power-of-habit-tracking/): Learn how Focus Dog empowers users to establish and maintain positive habits for personal and professional growth in an engaging and rewarding manner.
- [I was hooked on my smartphone: How I changed my productivity and concentration!](https://focusdog.app/magazine/hooked-on-your-smartphone-productivity-concentration-lifehack-app/): Read the story behind Focus Dog App, why it was built and what's wrong with normal time tracking!

## Legal
- [Privacy Policy](https://focusdog.app/privacy/)
- [Terms](https://focusdog.app/terms/)
- [Imprint](https://focusdog.app/imprint/)