I bought the Bark Begone Ultrasonic Dog Bark Deterrent hoping it would help with one very specific problem: my little dog barking at practically everything that passes our window. Unfortunately, this purchase turned out to be one of my biggest disappointments on Amazon. I tried using it when the barking started, but my dog carried on as if the device wasn’t even there.
Key Takeaways
- I bought it for my 8-pound dog, who barks whenever he sees other dogs passing the window.
- Pressing the buttons made absolutely no difference to his barking.
- Despite trying the different controls, I couldn’t get the response I was hoping for.
- I wouldn’t recommend this product to anyone expecting a reliable way to interrupt their dog’s barking.
What Is Bark Begone Ultrasonic Dog Bark Deterrent?
Bark Begone is a handheld ultrasonic dog training device designed to interrupt unwanted behaviours such as excessive barking, jumping and chewing. Rather than using a shock collar, it emits a high-frequency sound intended to get a dog’s attention when the owner activates it.
The idea is that the sound interrupts the behaviour, allowing the owner to give a command and reward the dog for responding appropriately. The manufacturer describes it as a training aid that works best when used consistently alongside positive reinforcement.
It sounds straightforward enough, especially if you have a small dog that seems to react to every little movement outside the house. Unfortunately, the concept and the actual results can be two very different things.
Why I Bought It
My dog is only 8 pounds, but he can make quite a bit of noise. Whenever another dog walks past our window, he gets worked up and starts barking. It can be frustrating, particularly when all I want is for him to settle down instead of reacting to every dog he sees.
I bought Bark Begone because I wanted something that could help interrupt that behaviour without having to use a bark collar. A handheld device seemed like a convenient option. I could simply press a button when he started barking and hopefully get his attention before he became too worked up.
I wasn’t expecting it to magically fix his behaviour overnight. I just wanted something that would actually do what it was advertised to do and help me manage the barking.
My Experience With Bark Begone
This has been a complete disappointment. I genuinely cannot say that the device helped with my dog’s barking at all. When dogs walked past the window and my little dog started going crazy, I tried pressing the buttons on the Bark Begone to get him to stop. I went through the different buttons, hoping one of the settings would get his attention, but nothing happened. He continued barking at the dogs outside as though I wasn’t doing anything.
That was particularly frustrating because this was exactly the situation I bought the product to address. I wasn’t using it for some complicated training problem or expecting it to correct several behaviours at once. I simply wanted help getting my dog to stop barking whenever he spotted another dog outside.
The fact that I couldn’t get any noticeable response from him made the device feel completely pointless. I kept trying the controls, but the result was the same. The barking continued, and I was left wondering what I had actually paid for.
What makes this purchase especially annoying is that the product is supposed to make managing this kind of behaviour easier. Instead, I still had the same problem, except now I had an additional gadget that wasn’t helping.
I understand that dog training requires patience and that one device isn’t going to solve every barking habit instantly. However, there should at least be some indication that the device is getting the dog’s attention. In my experience, there wasn’t.
I can’t speak for every dog or say that nobody will ever get results from Bark Begone. But with my 8-pound dog, it did absolutely nothing. I would not buy it again.
What I Didn’t Like
The biggest problem is obvious: it didn’t work for the purpose I bought it for. I tried the different buttons while my dog was barking, and I couldn’t get him to stop or even noticeably interrupt what he was doing.
I also dislike how disappointing the experience was compared with what I expected from a product specifically marketed for excessive barking. If I’m buying a deterrent to help manage a behaviour, I expect it to at least get my dog’s attention.
Ultimately, I cannot identify a useful benefit from this purchase. It hasn’t made my dog’s barking any easier to manage.
Is Bark Begone Worth Buying?
Based on my experience, no. I would not recommend spending your money on it, particularly if you’re buying it specifically to stop a small dog from barking at passing dogs or activity outside your window.
The manufacturer explains that Bark Begone is a training aid and that owners should combine its use with commands and positive reinforcement. That’s worth understanding before purchasing. It isn’t intended to replace proper training.
Even with that distinction, I was unable to get the device to interrupt my dog’s barking when I used it. For me, that defeats the main reason for buying it in the first place.
Alternatives to Consider
If you’re looking for a different approach to managing excessive barking, these are some other products worth researching. They use similar ultrasonic training principles, although none should be treated as a guaranteed solution.
- PetSafe Collarless Trainer
- MODUS Ultrasonic Bark Control M-238
- PATPET U10 Handheld Ultrasonic Bark Control
- PetSafe Indoor Bark Control
Conclusion
Bark Begone is easily one of the worst products I’ve purchased on Amazon. I bought it hoping to get some help with my 8-pound dog’s excessive barking, but it did absolutely nothing when I tried using it.
I’ve pressed the different buttons, tried it when other dogs walked past the window, and still ended up with the same barking problem. I cannot recommend it based on my experience, and I certainly wouldn’t purchase it again.
If you’re considering this device because your dog barks at everything, I’d think twice before spending your money. This one was a complete miss for me.
Also read my similar review of the Kovah Dog Cooling Mat