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Remote, Sound-Emitting Anti-Barking Devices

Remote sound-emitting anti-barking devices are, essentially, noise-blasting machines. Fueled either by batteries or by AC power, they sense it when your dog barks, and respond by emitting a high-pitch sound that most canines find distressing, so much so that they would rather fall silent than be exposed to its irritating qualities.

Such devices emit one of two tones, or both, depending on the model you purchase. The first sound, being ultrasonic, can be heard only by dogs, while the second tone is fully audible to all living creatures.

Using a Remote, Sound-Emitter to Quiet Your Dog

You might very well be able to use a remote, free-standing, sound-emitting device to quiet your dog. And undoubtedly, as some of the manufacturers claim, you could also use noxious noise as an effective aversive for punishing your dog for engaging in any number of other undesirable behaviors. But the question needs to be asked, why would you want to?

It is easy enough to bark train your dog without using any sort of device at all. In fact, correcting your dog with your hand is far preferable, because it lets the dog know that inappropriate barking is improper, and it conveys to him the clear message that you don't want him to do it. In contrast, mechanical correction may make the dog sorry he barked, and it may make him want to avoid barking again while the device is activated. But it can never bring the animal to the realization that barking is wrong, the way your personal intervention can.

Also, getting the volume of a sound-blaster just right can be tricky. If you turn the sound down too low, it won't work. On the other hand, some of those devices are capable of such extreme volume levels that, if you turn it up too high, you run the risk of damaging your dog's hearing.

If you factor in that most experts believe that the electronic collar is more effective in any case, then it leaves you wondering why anyone would want to use a remote sound-emitter to quiet their own dog.

One last word about using a remote, sound-emitting device to quiet your dog. If the dog in question is barking with great frequency, then, if the emitter is going to succeed in silencing the animal, by the end of the third day, you will have seen a dramatic reduction in the rate of his vocal behavior. He may still be barking occasionally after three days, but if the emitter is going to work, you should see a steep reduction in his rate of barking by then. If it's not working for you by that point, then, it is unlikely that it will ever have the desired effect. So be sure to shut the device down right away, because the noise it is spewing out could well be driving the other dogs in the neighborhood crazy, not to mention the effect that it might be having on the cats and other animals living in close proximity to it.

This website has received such consistently negative reports about the effectiveness of remote, sound-emitting, anti-barking devices that we do not recommend those products and we have removed all links to retail outlets. Links will be reestablished if and when the manufaturers of the products in question can show that the devices work as advertised..

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