Neighbors Dogs

[tubesornothing]

I love dogs - I really do.  We have one and we are very respectful to make sure it does not bark or annoy any one.  However, our neighbors are a different story.  Last year they got a couple of small dogs and they yap all the time.  6AM, 11PM, throughout the day.  I have spoke with them a few times, and they try to shut them up, but its not really working. Unfortunately we are not on the best speaking terms with these people (for a large number of reasons), so they are not too open to trying other solutions.  We do have laws, but that usually results in more animosity and that goes nowhere.

So I am looking at getting a high frequency ultrasonic bark stopper device, but the reviews seem so mixed, I am leary of spending the money.  So can I make one?  Sure!  I figure I just pump out 20kHz sine wave at 10W through a hi freq speaker and I just hang it on a tree and manually operate it for a bit via a long wire.

Any suggestions?  Anyone every try one of these things?

thanks
ToN

[RicharD]

We used to have almost the exact same problem.  Our back door neighbors had a dog that IMO they completely neglected.  More than once I saw their feeding routine which consisted of the back door opening and a handful of kibbles getting tossed on the ground.  No bowl, no pat on the head, no "good doggie".  I have not a clue what this poor dog did for water.  Gringo (that was the dog's name) lacked social skills and would go on these seemingly endless barking fits.  He was also very aggressive if we approached the fence.  I know first hand your frustration.  It pisses me off when people neglect their pets.  I had wondered about those ultrasonic thangs.  I never bought one because my own dog doesn't deserve it, I had read that they don't really work, and of course (as you all know) I'M CHEAP.  I too didn't want to get into a pissing match so we came up with a proactive solution.  We befriended the dog with treats and water.  Yes I put a water dish in the corner of their yard that I could fill through a knot hole in the fence.  They never noticed because they never mowed their yard.  We'd also slip him treats through the same knot hole when his barking became too much to bear.  Amazing what a simple piece of rawhide can do.  Fortunately for us, they move away about a year ago.

That's my only suggestion.  Dogs are like children.  They cause trouble when neglected and left to their own devices.  Most dogs can entertain themselves quietly for hours with a piece of rawhide.  Worth a shot.  Cheaper than blood pressure pills.

-Richard

[rafe]

When I lived in suburbia, as opposed to  my now rural abode....I built a shed in the corner of my lot by the fenced in house, they had little dogs, I'd say three ....I don't know what kind because of the fence..they would bark and it was annoying to say the least...almost every-time I'd go out to the shed they would let them out and the would come over and bark.....I was at a loss as what to do, but I came up with an idea . When they came out and barked, I taped them for about twenty minutes .....next time the started barking I put the speaker by the fence and played it back ....they went ballistic, like a nest of furry hornets, and the owners finally got it .. ..hope that helps   

[EL34]

Man, this is a sore spot
Barking dogs suck, good luck

[tubesornothing]

Hey thanks for the good feedback gang.  These owners are good to their dogs, its just that when they let them out to play (at 6AM) they just start yapping away - same late at night.  The owners give a cursory "quiet!" but it really doesn't do much good.  But the food idea is worth the try. 

I also think I will get a little HF speaker and amplify my audio generator just to see if a 100db blast does anything.  I am sure I can get a tweeter from somewhere.

I like the recording idea.  I have about a dozen speakers in the basement - it'd be nice to "send it back" to them at 120dB.  he he...