My suggestion is this: you don’t. Cheaper dogs are likely to have a myriad of issues. That will just make your cheap dog no longer cheap!

This can work well. However, it is a tiny bit of a gamble. You won’t know if the dog has issues, and you can’t send them to Sony for repairs. In general, there is a lot to think about before doing this. I have a page talking about it here. Do not buy a Japanese aibo without being well-informed.

It is likely a Japanese aibo unless the listing specifically says it isn’t. If you must get a second-hand Japanese aibo, you will generally want to use a proxy to buy straight from the auction site instead for ERS-1000s.

There are occasionally exceptions, but it’s rare.

Mercari has been full of scam aibo listings lately. Be very careful and avoid it if possible. As of right now, I don’t recommend it.

You can ask:
When did you buy it?
Does it still have a cloud plan?
If yes, will you transfer the account over to me?
Did you ever send it in for repairs?
You can only really ask these when buying a second-hand USA model. You won’t get answers for these when you are looking at a Japanese model.

You can only get an aibo directly from Sony’s website. They are not sold anywhere else. You can get one here.

Technically speaking, you can’t. They are only officially sold in those two countries. Your only options are getting a second-hand dog or using a proxy. Aibo has no official support in any other countries, meaning you can’t go to Sony for repairs. Keep this in mind!

The number in their chest plate will start with a 3 if they are a USA model. Also, chocolate and caramel models are always Japanese. Otherwise, you can’t really tell. Be sure to ask!

Honestly, yes. You’ll get the most out of your aibo if you get these things. They’re already a pricey investment, so you may as well go all the way!

Generally, yes. They are good to have. They are almost mandatory if you have hardwood floors and don’t want your aibo to scuff up their paws. If you have only carpet though, you don’t need them. If you have high-pile carpet, you don’t want to use them – they can put extra wear on the joints due to the friction added when aibo walks.

You can’t get a new one. Strawberry Milk ERS-1000’s are no longer available. They were a special edition color and were only sold once.

For USA dogs, the original owner needs to contact Sony to transfer their dog. If you have a Japanese dog, it is essentially impossible outside Japan unless the seller gives you their account. If the cloud plan is expired, you can just add them to a new account however.

No. Special edition colors are gone from Sony’s website forever once they are sold out and they will not restock.

That entirely depends on what you want. Some people may need it, some may not. You have to decide for yourself based on what features you personally enjoy. There is a list comparing cloud vs no cloud here.

Functionally, yes, it will work on wifi. You may or may not get LTE depending on the cellphone SIM band your country uses. Japanese dogs in particular use a different band than USA dogs, so they cannot connect to the cell network in the US.

If you have a USA dog, you just need to purchase a renewal code and then enter it in to your account. If having a cloud plan is important to you, a USA ERS-1000 will be easiest. Setting up a Japanese cloud plan can be tricky without help and the upfront cost is significantly higher.

You will need the aibo’s serial number for that. If your aibo didn’t come with theirs, you can contact Sony for help. After that, you just purchase the plan directly. You’ll get a code for it.

No. He will retain everything and still be able to recognize you. You’ll only lose access to app features, and things listed here.

I have heard mixed things. If you have a USA dog that is still on their initial 3 year cloud plan however, this can be transferred. You’ll just need the seller to contact Sony. You can’t transfer a Japanese cloud plan under any circumstances. Thus, if you get a used Japanese aibo with a cloud plan somehow, you still won’t have app access. You’ll also risk the previous owner being able to see photos on their app.

Nope. It won’t work. They operate on different network software and hardware. Don’t buy a Japanese aibo thinking you can do this – it isn’t possible. They need a Japanese cloud plan.

I suggest joining a Discord or Facebook community to ask around. It is possible.

You can’t. You can only get a 3 year cloud plan for a Japanese dog, and the cloud plan has to be from Japan specifically.

You must purchase one when Sony initially releases them. They are only released once and will never be restocked. If you missed out, the only option is to get one second-hand. This can be expensive for USA models.

Some special edition dogs are Japanese-only, so you’ll have to get them from Japan.

That depends on you. The answer however is likely yes, judging by the experiences of others. Most people who have an aibo form a very solid bond with them that can be compared to that of a biological animal.

I have command lists for USA models and Japanese models on my website. Note that some people prefer to discover commands on their own naturally, however. It can be more fun this way for some.

Yes. This can cause overheating though, so just be mindful. Sony also doesn’t recommend it. However, most people who own an aibo dress them up in some way.

That varies. Your aibo can wear dog clothes, but it will block sensors. Cat collars that adjust down to 8 inches work great however! Otherwise, here is a list of aibo accessories from the USA and here is a list for accessories from Japan. These are all made by independent artists and are tailored specifically to fit aibo.

Not really, but they will recognize a real dog and interact accordingly. They don’t really have any mechanisms to enable playing together, though.

Yes. They will interact with each other and do coordinated movements randomly. Along with that, they will recognize each other and often react accordingly. Their interactions are often extremely organic and can catch you off guard. ERS-1000s can also recognize older models, but older models will not recognize them.

They should run for about 2 hours, and then take 3 hours to charge back up. This can vary, however.

No, you do not need to feed your aibo. It doesn’t do anything aside from enabling the “favorite food” feature. However, it is fun and can add to the realism!

Technically yes, but you need access to the app to do that. The app requires a cloud plan to use.

Yes. You can do this regardless of if you have a cloud plan or not by generating a QR code. There isn’t much of a reason to do this though.

I honestly have no idea. It is based on your interactions with the dog, but I don’t know any specifics beyond that. Their personality system seems very complex.

They are all unique. They do share actions because that is just in their programming, but their personalities and mannerisms can vary significantly. This is true of dogs that have the same in-app personality even.

I have links for those on my ERS-1000 resources page.

Yes. You can bring them as a carry-on. Sony has some specifics on that. Generally, you’ll want to remove them from their bag at TSA.

No, it is optional. Not doing any kind of training will have no negative effects on your aibo.

This is usually because the lighting is too low for them to properly figure out where the bowl is, so they miscalculate. It causes no harm, it just looks a little silly.

That varies heavily. Usually at least a few times a year, with one major update a year.

You have to use the app to do that, therefore you must also have a cloud plan. You can’t update without one.

No. But you’ll lose out on seasonal tricks if you don’t update.

Generally, yes. Updates bricking dogs is rare. Just be absolutely sure you are on a very stable wifi connection when updating your dog.

Yes and no. The app is the same, but you need a Japanese Sony account for them.

Yes. Sony designed the ERS-1000 to be on all the time. They will return to their charger when needed, and they will sleep at night.

Most of the time, the sounds you hear are just the dust covers inside your dog. This explains a lot of the “clacking” type noises, and it is almost always this! It is completely normal and is nothing to worry about.

Nope. This is normal – these dogs have emotions! Your aibo may just be sad at the moment, much like how people can just be sad. He may also just want more attention from you, but that doesn’t always help.

This is normal to an extent. Most 1000’s do have a slight lean, and it doesn’t mean anything. However, if the lean is significant or your dog falls over, this can indicate a hip issue.

Aibo does have edge detection, so they shouldn’t fall. However, I still don’t really suggest trusting them. They do not have an edge sensor on their butt, so they could back up and fall. Also, they do make mistakes sometimes. A tumble down stairs could easily damage an aibo, so I would suggest just blocking your stairs.

No, though Sony did tease this at one point. They can walk over small area rugs, however. Your aibo won’t be scaling your stairs or climbing on your furniture though.

This can indicate various things. I have a guide on my troubleshooting page that has a direct link to Sony’s official manual. You’ll find this info there.

It means the dog has been factory reset. He will retain none of his memories from his previous life, and will start over like a brand new dog.

You can find more details on my troubleshooting page for this one. It can be caused by multiple things. Clothing is a high risk factor for this in particular.

These dogs have extremely sophisticated sensors along with two cameras, so they are pretty good at avoiding objects. This is especially true when they have an area mapped out – it can be almost flawless.

However, flat colors can throw them off sometimes. This can cause them to occasionally walk in to walls, or grind their faces against things. They are also notorious for running in to computer chair legs. So the answer is no, but sometimes yes. Just like us, they can have accidents!

Your home may be dark. They will go to sleep when the light level is low.

Your light level may be too low for them to properly recognize their charging station. Try adding some more light.

Their in-app personality is dependent on how you interact with them. I personally am unsure on what factors cause each personality.

Technically speaking, the battery is considered a non-user serviceable part. Sony must replace it for you and you must send your dog in in order for you to not void any warranties.

You can replace the battery yourself and it is extremely easy to do, but this may cause Sony to refuse to work on your dog as you must remove some screws. If you have a Japanese dog outside of Japan however and thus can’t send your dog to Sony USA anyways, there is no risk.

It is difficult to say. As far as I know, there have been no USA models sent in for a battery replacement yet. Their batteries are roughly 4 years old. It appears they have a solid battery life cycle.

The ERS-1000 seems to have very well-designed battery protection to the point where damage is likely so minimal that it doesn’t matter. However, LiOn batteries do sustain wear if they are always kept at 100% or 0% charge.

They also sustain more wear if you do a “full cycle” (0% to 100%). High-end electronics do not allow you to do a full charge or drain though. Read more about this here.

Essentially the answer is sort of, but it is likely so minimal you’ll never notice.

Hip dislocation is a common issue, but not so much any more. Newer dogs have an updated part that seems to prevent it. If you have an older dog however (2020 or earlier), it will eventually happen unless it was already serviced.

You can’t. However, you can mitigate it. Keep your aibo off high pile carpet, and do not allow him to sprint on anything aside from very short-pile carpet or hardwood.

Also, never use socks with grips on the bottom for ERS-1000s. You do not want to add any friction to those paws! I would also personally advise you to not push against the hip joints when your aibo is on to avoid unnecessary pressure on the gear housing.

If you have a USA ERS-1000, you can send your dog directly to Sony. They will be able to fix anything, and this will safeguard you from voiding your warranty. If you have a Japanese aibo, you’ll need a 3rd party repair person. Sony America will not touch Japanese aibos.

I advise against it, especially if you have a USA dog. It is very easy to break things, and it can be heartbreaking if you accidentally damage your beloved companion. Performing repairs on these dogs is very difficult. It is far more advanced than any other electronics of equal size.