Dog whistles are a fab training aid which have been around for many, many years. They create a sound only they can hear and silent to us humans – this makes it an effective tool which does not encroach on other people’s personal space.
However, can it be used to stop a dog barking? Either your own one or the one next door? That is the subject of this article to help find the answer and perhaps offer alternatives, too.
How do dog whistles work?
Dog whistles work by producing a noise at a wavelength that our ears don’t pick up by a dog’s does, specifically between 23-54khz. It is not silent, it is just too high for us to hear. A dog would be able to hear this clear as day and at some distance too.
The noise is not painful or irritating and is not designed to be a deterrent for anything and should not be purchased as an anti bark device for your own dog or anyone else’s. In the wrong hands, a dog whistle could make matters worse.
Dog whistles as a training tool
The goal of the whistle is for the owner to associate the noise with a desirable action. For example, when you blow the whistle the dog knows it is time to be recalled and come back to you. This is on the pretense of a single blow,
A seasoned dog training pro would be able to blow in different speeds and numbers for all sorts of different actions – think about how a sheep herder would use it instead of using their mouth.
So, would a dog whistle stop barking?
The noise a dog whistle makes is not irritating unless it was blasted in their ears so it is unlikely to be effective at stopping a neighbours dog from barking but that is not to say it wouldn’t work. It could, however, be used to train YOUR dog from barking if you make sure the noise is associated with bad behaviour.
For example, if your dog barks you can try to blow it once, after three attempts they could then be placed in a time out zone. In time they could learn that the whistle noise may end up in punishment if they continue to do so.
The reality is, training is the best way to stop a dog barking and speaking with a neighbour to raise concerns is the best way to stop that kind of barking. Intervening with another dog without speaking to the owner is not the best course of action regardless of how sick of it you are.
If nothing comes of that then speak with your local council is advised on grounds of noise pollution and anti-social behaviour.
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