I recently received this big question from a reader of my weekly blogs.
I enlisted the help of friends online, as I often do, to answer the question. Here is some of what the reader told me about the reason for his enquiry:
“My neighbor’s dog barks incessantly, and he (the neighbor) has been unresponsive to having a discussion about it with me and with the neighbor on the other side. Without going into the details of the barking and of the repeated reports filed with the county animal control people over the last two years (who I am sure have contacted him several times), I am considering looking into the noise-producing anti-bark devices.
“I have read (from manufacturers, of course) that the noise-abatement machines sound to dogs unpleasant but do not harm them. I am not advocating this idea, but asking how true it may be. If it’s shown that these devices do in fact cause harm, then that’s good for me to know. Do you have any evidence that they are effective?
“I am not looking for an easy solution, but for one in case the owner continues to be unresponsive to more procedural solutions. Animal control has indicated that although nuisance barking violates county codes, they ultimately cannot enforce anything, just send letters. So my ultimate solution would be to hire an attorney and take the guy to court, which I very much want to avoid. It’s not neighborly and I don’t have personal malice towards him. But I am looking at all options, including these anti-bark devices, to see what I can do.”
I received a number of responses from the friends I’d asked for help. I’m not able to include all of those here because of space constraints, so I’m sharing the responses that most specifically answered the reader’s question.
Colette Kase (Mexico) I see a lot of these conversations locally, here in Mexico, among immigrants online. Dogs barking in Mexico is considered normal and something you have to get used to. While I am opposed to aversive equipment being used on dogs, especially dogs whose needs may not be being met, I also have great sympathy with people whose quality of life is severely impacted by dog barking.
I don’t happen to believe that these devices are effective, but certainly a lot of people, including those who have used them, believe they are. Of course, although it’s easy to suggest that people use treats, offer to walk the dogs, and do other things to improve the quality of life for the dogs, it’s not always so easy to do in practice—especially for people who are elderly, disabled, have young children, or work long hours.
For some people, concern and anxiety for the welfare of the barking dogs is part of the psychological impact and stress. For others, it’s just the noise. I would suggest, for those whose only concern is noise, that they consider using noise-canceling equipment. Noisy neighbors, whatever the noise, are one of the most stressful things to live with. If you love dogs and add compassion to the mix, it can become unbearable.
Sheri McEachran (Washington) Colette, thank you for the compassionate answer. I have a large older dog with mobility issues and unfortunately, when he wants in, he barks loudly and continues until one of us is able to help him with the stairs and brings him in. I am not strong enough to do it by myself. My husband and I are elderly with back and mobility issues, too. Needless to say, it takes us a long time and a lot of effort [to stop our dog’s barking to come in].
Colette Kase Sheri, if we tried to be community minded, we could make life better for all of us.
Eileen Anderson (Arkansas) I have used an ultrasound microphone to analyze what comes out of such devices. It’s probably true that they can’t physically harm the dog. They are loud, but ultrasound attenuates quickly in the environment because the waves are so small that they are easily absorbed. They are unlikely to cause ear damage. But they can do plenty of harm, and not just to the neighbor’s dog.
The devices make a sudden, unpleasant noise when a dog barks. If the dog is sound sensitive, it may take only one time to traumatize the dog. Your neighbor’s dog may become afraid to go in the area where they heard the sound, or afraid of objects or people they associate with the sound. I realize this is your neighbor’s dog, but this would be “going nuclear” and potentially ruin the dog’s life. I’ve had a sound-phobic dog and I would not wish that on any dog or their people.
The second possibility is that it wouldn’t bother the dog, so they’d keep barking.
But don’t forget: all dogs in the area will hear it, not just the one barking. It will be random to others, because it is contingent on another dog’s barking. These dogs can also become fearful or traumatized from these unpredictable unpleasant noises.
The chances of it targeting the dog you want, for them to realize the connection between their barking and the nasty noise, and to stop barking, all while not being traumatized, are slim. And all the other dogs in the area can still suffer collateral damage.
I’m sorry you are in this situation, but please don’t take this action. I hope some others will have some ideas for you.
Here is a photo of my sound-phobic dog after her fears graduated to generalized anxiety and a panic disorder. There was no bark collar involved; she was bothered by random household noises. It took her months of careful care and several medications to recover.
Photo by Eileen Anderson
Carol Byrnes (Washington) Without going into the ethics of punishing someone else’s dog, I will just say that if the device is sensitive enough to go off when the neighbor dog barks in its own yard, it will also go off when a plane goes overhead or the garbage truck or a car with a loud bass speaker in its trunk drives by. Because it goes off randomly for noise in general, it won’t be as apparent to the dog that its barking caused the noise. And it will not only punish the targeted dog but any other animal within earshot.
Jeanne Brennan (California) If it is one of those sonic things, it doesn’t ONLY work on the target animal, it also works on animals minding their own beeswax that are in range.
Guy behind me is a jerk and got one. His wife’s treasured cat moved a few doors down after he put it up. It was also very upsetting to my dogs and it was a different neighbor whose dog was the problem. My dogs were showing hesitancy—even fear—of going in their own backyard.
I also wonder what it does to local wildlife.
Michaela Kelso (Washington) This sounds illegal. And if it’s not, it should be. Dogs are considered property, and if I went and messed with someone’s property, I would get in trouble. Let’s say the noise is the result of a loud car stereo or a TV. Nobody in their right mind would consider reaching into your neighbors’ car to turn down the stereo. Or going into someone’s house and turning down the TV if it’s too loud. So if you’re not going to do any of that, why should it be legal or okay to use an anti-bark device on a living being?
Olwen Turns (United Kingdom) I have sympathy with the person who is hearing the dog barking all the time. I have a neighbor who would do this—for years he kept his door open at night so his dog and his subsequent dog could have access to the garden 24/7—but someone else reported him during COVID lockdown as they were trying to work from home, and our local dog warden (UK version of animal control) made him stop letting the dog out all night.
I have also had a client who got a rescue dog who was a little barky while settling in. Their neighbor got an anti-bark device and pointed it at the guardian’s garden. It resulted in the rescue dog’s becoming afraid to go outside and the dog started messing in the house, and [developed] other issues due to fear. The person with the anti-bark device was unreasonable and refused to remove it. This resulted in the environment being unsuitable for the rescue dog and he had to go back to the rescue. I don’t have any follow-up on whether the dog was able to be rehomed to a more suitable home, but the guardians were devastated. The poor dog didn’t bark much anyway, just at unexpected noise or people coming to the house (much the same as any dog).
Paul J White (Oregon) I’ve read comments from others and some I agree with. These devices are meant to train the dog to stop barking through negative reinforcement. Does it harm the dog? I don’t believe it does, mainly because you’re placing the device on your side of the fence. It goes on and off based on the settings and the dog’s barking. Are they effective? I have had mixed results. I have had them work perfectly on some dogs, but the product requires maintenance. They often do not last in weather more than a few months. I also have not been successful with some breeds prone to barking, like the Aussie, Sheltie, etc. However, there is a reduction in barking. You can’t just set your device out there and forget it. It isn’t like that. I had to map progress and adjust the device. You can’t hear it, so it needs to have a light so you know when it is working.
Jennifer Julian (Oregon) I have been in similar shoes. Neighbors on both sides with dogs barking beyond the legal limit. Tried friendliness, offering to meet the dogs, walk the dogs. Tried mediation with the result that the owners would work with a trainer. Nothing worked. I am sensitive to noise naturally, plus have a minor traumatic head injury, making that noise very terrible.
I don’t have the answer, but I don’t think that homeowners who have a legal right to the quiet enjoyment of their property and may have issues that make the noise unbearable, should have to lump it or use noise-canceling headphones. In my house, a noise-cancelling machine would not have covered the barking sound.
I don’t know if the devices are effective, but I could not blame someone for trying that in the absence of any other reasonable option.
I thank the friends who offered their thoughts and suggestions and shared their personal experiences. If you, like the reader who asked the question, have issues with barking dogs belonging to your neighbors, I would applaud your efforts to get more answers to inform your consideration of solutions that will be both effective and ethical. I think that making life better for all of us is an admirable goal.
