Best Dog Silencers

Whether you’re pestered by your own dog’s barking, or by other dogs in your neighborhood, a dog silencer can be an effective device. It can also be useful if your job requires encountering dogs that might not be so docile. There are a number of devices nowadays that are effective while also being humane so that you don’t have to be concerned about endangering the dog’s safety. The primary techniques used are 1) ultrasonic devices, that emit a high-pitched sound that the dog finds irritating, which induces them to stop barking, 2) shock devices, which are collars that give a gentle shock when the dog barks, and 3) citronella spray devices, which emit a citronella essence when your dog barks--this effectively distracts the dog, dissuading them from barking. 

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a dog silencer. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of dog silencer,

• See useful tips about that particular  type of dog silencer,

• Read reviews of different dog silencers, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of dog silencer, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

Here is an overview of the various methods that the latest devices use to silence dogs:

• Ultrasonic: There are a number of devices that emit an ultrasonic sound when it detects a dog barking. The ultrasonic sound is inaudible to humans, but dogs find it annoying--they will eventually associate the irritating sound with they’re barking until they learn to stop. There are versions that are made to calm down an attacking dog, like the Dog Dazer II, while there are also versions are more gentle, that will train a puppy just not to engage in irritating barking. They can come as:

  • Handheld devices: You can take these along with you while jogging, to ward off any attacking dogs. It will be useful for delivery people who might encounter a barking dog in the course of their work. An example is the Dazer Dog Deterrent.

  • Collars: Dogtek makes a collar that sends off static impulses and sound beeps to train a dog not to bark. It is designed to only operate when your dog barks--it won’t be activated by ambient noise or the neighbor’s dog. An example is the Good Boy Dog Barking Collar.
  • Outdoor ultrasonic devices: There are also devices that you can hang outdoors near your doghouse. They can have different levels of sensitivity, to detect barking from either just your dog or even the neighbor’s dog. An example is the Dogtek Ultrasonic Dog Bark Controller.

Dazer Dog Deterrent

Good Boy Dog Barking Collar

Dogtek Ultrasonic Dog Bark Controller

• Citronella devices: There are also devices that suppress dog barking by spraying citronella when the dog barks. The Dogtek NoBark Spray Citronella Bark Control Collar emits a formulated spray whose scent dissuades the dog from barking.

Dogtek NoBark Spray Bark Control Collar

• Shock and vibrating devices: There are collars that either deliver a gentle shock to the dog when they bark or vibrate gently. That’s usually enough to distract the dog from barking any further. An example is the Bark Collar by Casfuy, which uses either vibrations or shocks to discipline your dog.

Casfuy Bark Collar

• Use it only certain times of the day: You don’t need to silence your dog when it’s sleeping--so it’s recommended to turn the device off at night, to save battery power.

• Successfully trains dogs: Many satisfied customers have been impressed by how fast their dog understands the connection between the ultrasonic signal and their barking. Some dogs will stop barking after only one bark, while others suppress their barking entirely. Customers notice that ultrasonic devices have been seen to give better results than the shock devices.

• Range and sensitivity: A useful feature on many dog silencers is that their sensitivity is adjustable. For example, the Aspectek device has a range of 5000 square feet, which is useful as a pest repellent. On the other hand, for dog silencing devices, they will typically have three levels, as in the Zelers Outdoor Anti-Barking Device:

  • Low Range-detecting a bark from up to 15 feet. This will be useful for silencing just your dog if you want to train it not to bark. Your neighbor’s dog will probably be out of range.

  • Medium Range-detecting a bark from up to 30 feet.

  • High Range-detecting a bark from up to 50 feet.

• Indicators: Some of these dog silencers have a “test” mode. It emits a sound, to verify that the microphone and speaker are functioning properly. There are also LED indicator lights on a number of them, with one color indicating that the device is working properly, and a second color indicating a weak battery.

• Pest repellent as well: Some dog silencers can be used as a pest repellent as well. For example, the Aspectek Upgraded Ultrasonic Electronic Dog Bark Silencer can be set just to operate when your dog barks, functioning as a dog silencer. But, you can also have it operate constantly, to use it as a pest repellent. It will effectively rid your house of rodents, as well as skunks and raccoons. It also has a motion sensor mode, which will detect when a potential pest enters your house or yard.

• Aspectek is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, They are makers of gardening and outdoors accessories, as well as products for the home and kitchen. They have a range of pet products (strollers, feeders, litter mats, etc.), and pest repellents that don’t rely on any toxins.

• Dogtek is a maker of pet accessories and electronic fencing systems. They are located in Clearwater, Florida. They make electronic training collars, no-bark collars, pet cameras, and more.

• Dazer is a company based in London, which makes a number of pest control devices, as well as air ionizers and disinfectants. They make a handheld ultrasonic dog deterrent device, as well as deterrents against predatory birds and rodents.