Ultrasonic Dog Bark Control Devices

Ultrasonic dog bark control devices use high frequency sounds to train a dog to stop barking.

There are many different types of ultrasonic bark stoppers on the market and different products work in different ways. One key difference is that some devices detect barking and automatically play the sound, while others require the dog owner to manually play the sound whenever the dog barks.

How do ultrasonic bark control devices work?

There are two important things to understand in order to grasp how ultrasonic bark control devices work:

  1. Dogs can hear sounds at a higher frequency than humans can. This means it’s possible to play a sound that a dog can hear but that people can’t.
  2. Dogs don’t like high-pitched sounds, particularly when played at a high volume. And the higher the pitch, the more uncomfortable the noise is to them.

Ultrasonic bark control devices are therefore able to play loud, high-pitched sounds that dogs seriously dislike, without the nearby humans hearing a thing or experiencing any discomfort themselves.

Do ultrasonic bark control devices work?

Depending where you look, you’ll likely find mixed feedback on ultrasonic bark control devices. Some people insist that they work, while others have found them to be entirely ineffective.

In the worst cases, some owners have found that the devices actually cause their dogs to bark more, as they are confused and frightened by the noise.

There are a couple of key problems with ultrasonic bark stoppers that may prevent them from working.

Firstly, they rely on your dog making the connection between their own barking and the uncomfortable noise. The dog has to realise that their barking causes the noise, and that if they stop barking then the noise will stop. This isn’t always obvious to a dog.

There is also the risk that the dog will associate the noise with something else. For example, if they usually bark near the front door, they may start to associate the noise with that location – and be scared of going near the door – rather than with their own barking.

Secondly, some dogs are simply less sensitive to sound than others. This can be particularly true for older dogs with poor hearing. Obviously, if the dog doesn’t hear the noise or isn’t bothered by it, then there will be no deterrent to stop them from barking.

Are ultrasonic bark control devices cruel?

At Dogtelligent, we believe that ultrasonic bark stoppers are cruel and we do not recommend their use.

These devices rely on the fact that their high-pitched noise makes your dog feel stressed and uncomfortable. By definition, it is essential that the sound causes your dog discomfort, otherwise the dog would simply ignore it.

We firmly believe that it is wrong for people to deliberately cause their pets to experience stress, anxiety and discomfort, so we encourage our readers to avoid ultrasonic bark control devices (as well as shock collars, pinch collars and other cruel training products and techniques).

The best way to train a dog is through positive reinforcement. You should reward your dog for doing the right thing, not punish them for doing the wrong thing. Ultrasonic bark control devices are a form of punishment and should be avoided!

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