My Dogs Wouldn’t Stop Barking—Until a Neighbor Placed This Device on My Doorstep
Updated: Mar. 13, 2023
It was definitely a surprise, but it ended up being a good one!
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Many of us have been in the uncomfortable position of dealing with a neighbor whose dogs just won’t stop barking. After recently moving into a new apartment, though, my dogs were the source of the problem. To be fair, it was a new environment for my three pups—two chihuahuas and a Russell terrier/chihuahua mix—and we were all going through a major life transition, so you can’t really blame them for wanting to bark it out. Also, it’s always a bit of a struggle with little dogs, and especially little dogs who have an unknown history because they’re rescues. They had always barked, but the move definitely made it worse.
Realizing I was “that neighbor”
I was made aware of the barking issue when one of my neighbors, a young woman I hadn’t met before, introduced herself and apologized for having to ask me to keep the dogs quiet. She explained that she worked from home every day and that my dogs would bark for hours while I was at work. Fortunately, she was very friendly and understanding of the fact that my pups needed time to adjust, and I really appreciated that she did the neighborly thing by kindly bringing the issue to my attention. All that said, I completely understood her frustration and wanted to remedy the issue ASAP.
A mysterious Sonic Egg appears
Any owner of dogs who incessantly bark knows this is easier said than done. For weeks, I tried positive rewards, redirection, extra walks, crating, not crating, and toys. Nothing was working. And then, one day a mysterious device appeared on my patio. After some research, I realized that it was a Sunbeam Sonic Egg Ultrasonic Bark Control Device and that one of my neighbors must have placed it there!
At first, I was freaked out because it almost looks like a camera, and that’s a really creepy thing to have show up on your doorstep. However, once I learned what it was, I felt differently. Essentially, the Sonic Egg works by emitting a “pet-friendly ultrasonic sound”—aka a noise that humans can’t hear and doesn’t hurt your dog—when barking occurs, which makes nearby pups want to cease barking pronto. The sound works in a 50-foot radius, which was plenty for my needs. It cut back the barking substantially. Here are some other ways to get your dog to stop barking—without yelling.
How my dogs responded to it
All but one of my dogs responded to the device—and the doorbell still set them all off—but overall it really helped calm them down 90 percent of the time when they were particularly on edge. The Egg also gave me peace of mind because it didn’t involve a “punishment,” like a shock collar or shaming them would have. I also liked the consistency of it, knowing that it would still be doing its thing even when I wasn’t home.
I would definitely recommend this device if you’re at your wits’ end with a barking dog (or three of them). Or perhaps if you have a neighbor whose dogs just won’t stay quiet, you could mysteriously drop off one on their porch. Just leave a kind note with it so they don’t have to go through the whole creeped-out “What is this thing?!” period like I did! Next, find out why one owner swears by a ThunderShirt to deal with her dog’s anxiety.
