Monday, March 2, 2015

Woof!

One of the cool things about shopping on driveways is the way you can try things out for a comfortable sum of money. Perhaps I’m simply not a very daring person, but if I’m going to try something iffy, I prefer not to spend large sums to do so.

Hence my purchase on Friday of a device that purports to stop unwanted barking from your dog. For fifty cents.

I love my dogs, you know I do, but I’m the first to admit they can be loud. Zoe is quite vigilant and misses nothing. She monitors every passerby, every squirrel, every neighborhood cat, and lets us know they are there. Edward is alert as well, but he’s lost most of his hearing. So he depends on Zoe to let him know when to bark. I never worry about burglars sneaking in, even knowing that Edward at least would help them cart off the silver (if we had any).

So on Friday Judy and I were at a very nice sale. I was talking to the husband about music and looking through his fifty-cent LPs, and she was talking to the wife about dogs and such. We gathered a few items to buy, and she showed me a still-clamshell-packaged item. Bark Off, it said. I asked if she was going to buy it, but no, Buddy’s not a barker. She tossed it to me. Does it work? They didn’t know, hadn’t tried it on their terriers. Take it for fifty cents. Ah, they spoke my language.

Brought it home, wrestled it out of the clamshell. (We actually have special scissors for that onerous task.) Put in a battery, turned it on. The gadget is supposed to emit a high sound your dogs can hear but you can’t, which is a pretty sweet setup for a scam. And the reviews online are very mixed but definitely tend to the negative, that it simply doesn’t work.

Someone passed by the house, and the dogs barked. No reaction to the device. Heck, fifty cents wasted. Then something made them bark again,  and Zoe immediately stopped. She looked around for whatever it was she heard, then came and laid quietly near me.

Same thing happened a couple more times. Then Edward barked at something and Zoe didn’t join in, so he stopped. And the rest of the day was quiet.

I could hardly believe it. On Sunday some people went by the house – twice – walking a couple of dogs, and my guys did not bark. Talk about the ultimate test!

I imagine a lot of dogs would not be deterred from barking by this thing, but Zoe is very sensitive to noises (we have to wrap her in a thunder shirt during storms and fireworks) and definitely smart enough to make the connection between her barking and the sound. I’ll leave the device off most of the time and just use it as an occasional reminder. She certainly did not react fearfully, she just stopped barking. My fingers are crossed that the effect will be long lasting, but any quiet day is a good thing.

I just wonder if I’m going to have to start worrying about burglars!

Quiet Dogs

16 comments:

  1. I agree about trying items you wouldn't want to pay full price for that you find at a yard sale. Glad this seems to help...hey I have a howling cat, but the dog next door is a barker for sure.

    Linda

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    1. I wondered how my cats feel about it. The noise from the device probably isn't more annoying to them than the barking!

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  2. oh man do I have a yipper. I love him but not the barking at everything. I may try one.

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    1. From the reviews, it sure doesn't work with every dog, but so far my experience says that was fifty cents well spent!

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  3. Great if it works, wish you the best! From one who shares your pain!

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    1. Your two dash out their dog door so fast I'm not sure they'd ever hear the Bark Off!

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  4. Isn't it great that garage sales are starting up again? Slowly, but still it's a beginning. I'd sure try that anti-bark device for fifty cents! My Lab gets into 'moods' where he barks at nothing and just keeps on.

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    1. We get that 'barking at nothing' routine too. I suspect they actually hear something to bark at that we don't see, but it's still maddening!

      And yes, it's wonderful for spring to be arriving (at least in our neck of the woods). Garage sales and a yard full of daffodils...woo hoo!

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  5. I always enjoy reading about your yard sale finds. This one was certainly interesting.

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    1. Thanks! I'm sure looking forward to more sales popping up.

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  6. as to your Bark Off that you bought...does it have a range listed on the product? we have neighboring barking dogs that i would love to use it on. would you know the regular retail price? was it marked? i saw one on amazon for like $5.

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    1. I think the packaging said the range was up to 20 feet. The $5 one is probably the same as mine. Like I said, most people find it doesn't work with their dogs. Guess we just got lucky that Zoe is so sensitive!

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  7. That pic at the end....awwwwwwwww!

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    1. Awwwwww, thanks! Zoe has always used Edward for a bed. He's an excellent big brother!

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  8. Hope to see you Friday at the Morningside UMC Rummage Sale!

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    1. Oh boy, you bet! Which one of those cute aprons will you be wearing?

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I really love your comments. Thanks for coming along on my thrifty adventures!

 
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