Today we went to Petsmart and bought a "Bark-off". It had mixed reviews from people in the neighborhood, but it was less than $10 with a guarantee that if it didn't work we could bring it back.
We set it next to the balcony door. I heard Jubilee bark once, then she ran back to the bedroom with a scared look on her face. I haven't heard her bark since, and she's been out on the balcony with all sorts of reasons to bark. I think she's cured!
I saw one of those bark-off things on the Internet and wondered whether it worked. Guess it does! The one I saw was a mobile one that could be used as needed.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was something I could use to keep Humphrey from climbing onto the kitchen counter and lying there and gloating on my cutting board! I have placed objects all around the counter as I do on the kitchen table. It keeps them off, usually, but I have lost all my working space! There's something that blows a gust of air at them, but it costs over $40 and I am not sure it would be usable in my kitchen. I tried shaking a maraca at them, but now they look at me with disdain as if to say "You're not scaring me with that, lady! And, BTW, you're not the boss of me!"
ReplyDeleteGlad you found something that works. If you run across something to shoo cats, let me know.
Jubilee is a handsome dog!
ReplyDeleteJubilee is BEAUTIFUL!!
ReplyDeleteI think that just the fact that this Bark-off is not us, gives it a lot of authority. We had tried and tried disciplining to keep her from barking, and she thought we were playing! With this little box, after the first bark, she was quiet (and somewhat scared!). Now she lays there and growls at it, but she does not bark. John is all set to buy 3 of them to put in our backyard in Florida, where Jubilee barks at the squirrels.
From what I have read, it is best if the corrective device is somehow separate from the humans. It can be seen as punishing -- obviously not the case with Jubilee who sees it as play. I place carpet tape on some furniture and the cats hate the feel of the stickiness on their pads, so they don't scratch it. The trouble is, if the device I mentioned above is triggered by motion, I will be triggering it every time I am in the kitchen! :(
ReplyDeleteHere's a question: What is the half-life for Humphrey playing with his foil ball before he loses it under something? [Ans. About 5 minutes]
If I give him a bigger ball that should not fit under furniture, it is too heavy for him to pick up in his mouth and carry back to me.
The directions that came with the Bark-off say that you are supposed to praise your dog when it works. (It gives off a high frequency sound when she barks) I talked to my neighbor who has one and he says that he just has to show it to his dog and she stops barking. So it is very separate (in the dog's mind) than the owner.
ReplyDeleteThat's a funny question about Humphrey and the ball. Jubilee loves to push tennis balls under the furniture and then bark at us to go and get them out for her. I think that the fun for her is getting it under the furniture and she wouldn't like a ball that was too big! So Humphrey actually brings it back to you? That's good!! Jubilee has us trained to fetch for her!
Yes, Humphrey brings the foil ball back to me. There are a few other items he fetches as well. He decides when he wants to play fetch by bringing the ball to me and chirping. When he loses it under some furniture, he whimpers a bit. He lost one of his foil balls today and I have no idea where it went. He used to drag one of his toys (one of those wand toys for cats with feathers and shiny foil) over to me so I would play with him. He's bored with that toy now. I didn't teach him any of this. It is all his idea. Bogart has only recently started to chase things around. Bogey's just completed 38 days of alternate day medication without a sign of a real problem. That's 11 days longer than the last cycle and counting. :D
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