Ultrasonic Bark stopper--anybody ever use one?

[spittin_in_the_wind]

I have ordered one of these, the Super Bark Stop device:

http://pestcontrol.netfirms.com/Super_B ... etails.htm

It's supposed to be bark activated and delivers a 130 db ultrasonic blast when activated by a dog's barking. I have a neighbor who had two dogs, which barked some but were more or less tolerable. Then her boyfriend moved in and brought along this hound that has the most unbelievable bellow I have ever heard emitted from a canine. He is a sweet dog, but his bellowing is intolerable and it also incites the other two to bark more than they would otherwise. They tend to leave them outdoors during the day, weekdays and weekends, sometimes into the evening. This hound barks nonstop at anything that moves, which is a lot since we live on a street with a fair amount of pedestrian traffic.

If the barking doesn't stop I'm going to have to file a formal complaint with animal control. I talked to the animal control officer today and he said there hadn't been any complaints--this doesn't surprise me, since the woman who owns the two original dogs is a nice person. I want to try this device first, and maybe a manual version as well for when they are going at it from the other side of the house. I really don't want to breed bad blood with the neighbors, but enough is enough. This has been going on for about a year.

Does anyone know if these devices really do the trick?

Robin

[cowtime]

I have no actual experience with this, but could see where it might work
with some dogs. I could also see where this would not work with some.

Kinda like the invisible fence, it would depend on how determined and the stubborness of the dog. Some will tolerate the punishment in order to go where they want, and I'm sure some dogs will bark, inspite of this device.

I'm suprised that the hound in the bunch is so mouthy. Usually they are more laid back than that. Perhaps the two barkers are a bad influence.

The odds are these dogs are bored as much as anything, and may just make a game of the new "sound".

I'd try talking to the owner first.

[spittin_in_the_wind]

This is some rare breed of hound, not a coonhound or something like that. I had a dog that was part coonhound and he never made a sound. It's really a beautiful dog, all white with really long ears. I asked the owner what it was and he said some foreign name I can't remember. The bark is truly horrible, and he definitely is the instigator of the fracas!! I'm sure the owner is very proud of this dog, I'm worried that the bark may be its "signature"!!

I wish I could record an MP3 to share with you all...

Robin

[Lambchop]

This is some rare breed of hound, not a coonhound or something like that. I had a dog that was part coonhound and he never made a sound. It's really a beautiful dog, all white with really long ears. I asked the owner what it was and he said some foreign name I can't remember. The bark is truly horrible, and he definitely is the instigator of the fracas!! I'm sure the owner is very proud of this dog, I'm worried that the bark may be its "signature"!!

I wish I could record an MP3 to share with you all...

Robin

Can you find a picture of the beast?

[Joseph E. Smith]

If the barking doesn't stop I'm going to have to file a formal complaint with animal control. I talked to the animal control officer today and he said there hadn't been any complaints--this doesn't surprise me, since the woman who owns the two original dogs is a nice person. I want to try this device first, and maybe a manual version as well for when they are going at it from the other side of the house. I really don't want to breed bad blood with the neighbors, but enough is enough. This has been going on for about a year.
Robin

Have you tried sitting down over a cup of coffee or what have you, and discussing your issues with your neighbor? This would be the first thing I would try before doing anything else. You never know, friendly communication is a powerful tool.

[Feadin]

Robin,

That kind of thing ("130 db ultrasonic blast") could really hurt the poor dog... I believe it would be better if you just talk with the owner. When a dog barks too much it usually means that's it's not a "house dog", and that it's not supposed to be trapped inside a small backyard.
Please reconsider buying that device, it will only hurt the poor animal and only change it's reaction... maybe it will stop barking, but then it may start attacking people, or doing anything else to spend it's energy.

[TelegramSam]

The device actually should not do any permanent harm to the animal unless it is left going for a long time. A short "bark" from the device will only be sufficient to surprise the animal and be annoying enough to stop it. It's like spraying a cat with a water bottle - unpleasant, gets the darn beast off the table, but won't hurt it.

[Tyler]

If it ends up that the device doesn't work, you can retitle the thread "My new Star Trek brain washing machine....for DOGS!"

[FJohnSharp]

I have used a manual ultrasonic device and it makes my dog stop barking, because it startled him. But I wasn't able to activate it each and every time my dog barked so it never really trained him. We tried one of those citronella collars, which sprayed citronella near his nose every time he barked, and it worked well except that the design was such that he was able to get it twisted around and render it ineffective. We could never fix that flaw.

So, putting those two anecdotes together leads me to believe that if the device is able to respond each and every time they bark, and the dogs are affected by the sound each and every time it goes off, then I would have high expectations for it. I only wonder if they would become desensitized to it after time.

[FJohnSharp]

Oh, and if it's one thing I've learned after 12 years as a pet professional, is that dogs will usually find a way to outsmart our best efforts, especially the costly efforts.

[TelegramSam]

you could always try the old rolled-up-newspaper-on-the-snout trick. It's probably a lot cheaper.

[The Weekenders]

My folks use one on the ranch and it stops them for a while, until the next distraction (deer, coyote, whatever) gets their attention.

[Darwin]

you could always try the old rolled-up-newspaper-on-the-snout trick. It's probably a lot cheaper.

That's fine if it's your own dog--and if you're willing to go out into the back yard every time the dog barks.

We once lived below a family who had Bassets--mother and pup. They would tie them at the bottom of their stairs, which went down the side of the building and ended up right by my bedroom window. They (the dogs, that is) would bellow together with that pulsing rabbit-chasing sound, often followed by a long, sustained howl on the part of the mother. It was as if the mother was training the pup. It made sleeping in on Saturday mornings just about impossible. The owners were beyond reason, but before it got to the point where I was willing to go to the Base Housing Authority, they moved. (They were replaced by a family that seemed to be training elephants to dance the polka. The father occasionally got drunk and sat halfway up the stairs playing the bongos. They disappeared before too long, and were replaced by a relatively normal family.)

[spittin_in_the_wind]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I am going to talk to the neighbors the next time it happens (but they're never home when it happens, which is 90% of the problem), but I still want to try out the device. 130 db at the source is about as loud as a marine air horn, like what is used on a boat. It's not any more dangerous for the dog than it is for football fans that have to listen to those things in a stadium.

Darwin, are you sure we didn't live under the same people?

Robin

[cowtime]

they're never home when it happens, which is 90% of the problem

There ya go. I bet when you tell them how the dogs are behaving when they are gone they will at least attempt to do something about the problem.