Don't Let Your Source of Joy Be Your Neighbours' Source of Agitation & Despair

For a responsible owner, there's a particular kind of dread that comes with leaving your dog at home and wondering — is mine "that dog"?

The one the neighbours are fuming about? The one making someone's work-from-home day a misery?

The one that woke someone's baby . . . again? The one that jolted the shift worker out of his only four hours of sleep?

The one that's quietly destroying someone's health, because the science on chronic sleep disruption is not ambiguous: it raises cortisol, suppresses immunity, worsens anxiety and depression, and over time, does serious physiological damage.

Excessive barking is one of the most common neighbourhood complaints globally — and one of the most misunderstood.

I spoke to Gabrielle McFall, a specialist at DogMaster Trainers in New Zealand, to get the expert view on what actually works, what doesn't, and what responsible dog owners need to understand about barking before it becomes everyone else's problem.

One approach — when it's desperate (and it doesn't take long for affected neighbours to become exactly that) — is the deployment of bark deterrent devices.

First — What Are Bark Deterrent Devices, and How Do They Work?

Many dog owners aren't aware that bark deterrent devices exist — or that they come in several forms.

The two most common types are:

Ultrasonic box devices: Freestanding units placed in or near the area where barking occurs. When they detect barking, they emit a high-frequency sound audible to dogs but not humans, which interrupts the behaviour. These are typically used outdoors, in kennels or crates, or near fence lines where a dog tends to bark.

Bark control collars: Worn by the dog, these activate directly in response to the individual dog's bark. They may use ultrasonic sound, citronella spray, or vibration to interrupt the behaviour. These should definitely not be confused with electric shock collars, which are a different — and far more controversial — category of product entirely.

Many modern bark collars offer both vibration and adjustable static stimulation. While the term “static” can sound concerning, it’s a low-level, controlled electrical pulse and feels like a mild muscle stimulation rather than a painful shock. Newer collars are far more refined than older models, allowing owners to set an appropriate level for their dog.

Both the above types of device — the ultrasonic boxes and the collars — are designed based on the same principle:  interrupt the barking in the moment and create a window for the dog to make a different behavioural choice. Neither is designed to cause pain.

Are These Devices Cruel?

It's the first question most owners ask — and the answer is no, not when used correctly.

"An ultrasonic bark deterrent device emits a high-frequency sound that is unpleasant or distracting for the dog and does not cause physical harm in any way," McFall explains.

"The goal is not to punish the dog, but to interrupt the barking behaviour and create a moment where the dog can learn to make a different choice. For many dogs, it simply acts as a pattern breaker."

At What Age Is It Appropriate to Use a Bark Deterrent Device?

McFall recommends avoiding bark deterrent devices on puppies under nine months:

"Puppies are still developing emotionally, socially, and cognitively — and barking is a normal part of communication and learning."

For young dogs, the better approach is positive training, structure, enrichment, and reinforcing calm behaviour.

The key question for the owner of any barking puppy, she says, is:  Why is my puppy barking?

"Often the answer is boredom, fear, loneliness, over-tiredness, or lack of guidance."

A dog behavioural specialist herself, McFall provides the following helpful advice for employing alongside any devices — and in the case of puppies, before the nine-month mark at which the devices would be added into a strategy, if they're still required:

Here are a few things you can do to address these common root causes of barking:

Boredom: If a puppy is barking out of boredom, the solution is finding more appropriate outlets for their energy. This means daily walks that are suited to their age, short training sessions, food enrichment (such as puzzle toys or scatter feeding), and interactive play (hide and seek or tug toys). Puppies need mental stimulation just as much as physical.

Fear:  When a puppy is barking from fear, the focus should be on building confidence around their trigger rather than avoiding it altogether. However, you should also be cautious not to flood the puppy with what is scaring them as that can make them shut down. Instead, gradually expose them to the trigger from a distance and at low intensity and pair it with something positive, like treats or play. The goal is to change how the puppy feels, not just how they behave.

Loneliness:  Puppies that are left too long or too suddenly can bark due to distress and confusion. The solution to this is to build up independence gradually. Start with very short absences and slowly increase the duration, while giving the puppy something safe and engaging to do like a kong or food toy. Crate training and using a puppy play pen is also very useful to get your puppy used to being separated from you. Making departures and arrivals low-key also helps reduce anxiety.

Over-tiredness:  An overtired puppy can become more vocal and reactive, much like an overtired child. Puppies need a lot of sleep, often 16-20 hours per day, so keep play and training sessions short but frequent. It's a good idea to have a separate space that is calm, and quiet to put them in such as a crate.

Lack of guidance:  Sometimes puppies bark simply because they haven’t been taught what is expected of them. In these cases, owners should focus on teaching calm behaviour by rewarding quiet moments, being consistent with boundaries and manners, and introducing cues like “quiet” or “settle”. Clear communication from owners goes a long way in preventing future barking habits.

Do All Dogs Respond the Same Way to Bark Deterrents?

No — and breed, temperament, and the reason behind the barking all matter significantly.

"Sensitive dogs respond quickly because they notice the noise more," McFall says, "compared to dogs with higher drive levels, who may be less responsive — especially if they are deeply focused on what they are barking at."

By "higher drive", she explains, this means dogs that have a naturally higher level of energy, motivation, and responsiveness to their environment. They have strong instincts to work, chase, or react to movement or noise. These are dogs that are likely to develop behaviours like excessive barking "because they're constantly looking for an outlet for their energy".

Naturally vocal breeds — terriers, spitz breeds, herding breeds, and most spaniels — may find an ultrasonic device insufficient on its own. (NB: Spitz breeds refer to a certain group of dogs that share a common look and ancestry. Examples include Huskies, Pomeranians and Akitas — but there are many more dogs in this category. They were bred for working or hunting and need a lot of enrichment. This is a particular issue in New Zealand, where these dogs are popular for their visual appeal, but they're known for their barking.)

"These breeds are triggered easily by environmental stimulation and excitement, so an ultrasonic bark system may not resolve the barking permanently."

Dogs barking from anxiety or fear need a different approach entirely.

"They may have underlying emotions that need to be addressed rather than simply suppressing the barking."

When barking is driven by fear or anxiety, says McFall, the goal isn’t to stop the noise. It's to change how the dog feels.

"Start by identifying the trigger e.g. being left alone, strangers, noise, cars — and reduce your dog’s exposure to it where possible. Then slowly re-introduce that trigger at a low, manageable level and pair it with something positive such as food or play. This will help your dog build a new, calmer association over time.

"To manage the trigger, you can block it visually (fences or windows), provide a safe, quiet space, and use calming enrichment to help him or her relax; that can make a big difference."

When Nothing Works

If barking has been rehearsed for months or years, it can become deeply habitual and self-reinforcing.

"In those cases," McFall warns, "devices may reduce barking — but they won't solve the reason the dog is barking."

Again, common underlying causes include separation anxiety, barrier frustration, boredom, territorial behaviour, lack of exercise or stimulation, and reinforced attention-seeking behaviour.

"The next step is a proper behavioural assessment. These bark control tools should always be supported with training — and in some cases, a dog trainer or behaviourist may be required to assess and provide a plan."

"But if the barking persists, escalates, or is linked to pacing, destruction, or intense distress when he or she is left alone, you've really got to bring in a professional. A qualified trainer or behaviourist can create a structured plan, and in more severe cases, a vet may also need to be involved to support a dog's anxiety through medication."

Box Device or Collar — Which Is Better?

Both have their place — and understanding the difference helps owners choose the right tool for their specific situation.

Box devices, like the outdoor Barkmate unit made by DogMaster Trainers, are designed to cover a defined area.

The Barkmate operates on the ultrasonic principle described above — detecting barking and emitting a high-frequency sound to interrupt the behaviour — and is effective within 15 metres of the dog as long as there are minimal obstacles between the device and the animal. Fences, walls, wind, and background noise can all reduce its effectiveness — so positioning is critical.

"The best scenario is positioning the bark box in a kennel, crate, or directly in the bark zone area," McFall explains, "rather than expecting it to cover a large property."

Bark control collars, however, are significantly more reliable in most situations.

"The biggest difference is consistency and precision. The collar activates directly from the dog wearing it, so it is much more reliable — because it responds specifically to that dog's bark in the moment. You can also adjust the settings on collars to suit your dog."

McFall recommends collars for dogs with higher drive levels, for multi-dog households where one dog is the primary barker, and for situations where there isn't one specific location where the barking occurs. (Again, "higher drive" means dogs that have a naturally higher level of energy, motivation, and responsiveness to their environment. They have strong instincts to work, chase, or react to movement or noise.)

"Collars are much more accurate and have a higher success rate for reducing barking than box devices."

A range of bark control collar options is available at DogMaster's website.

The Bottom Line

Bark control devices are tools, not solutions.

"The device is designed to interrupt barking — but it's the owner's job to teach the dog the correct behaviour," McFall says.

"Owners should reward calm behaviour using food, physical or verbal affection. Rewarding calm behaviour, teaching a 'quiet' cue, providing regular exercise and mental stimulation — these are what actually build lasting change.

"A good way to think about bark control devices is that they create an opportunity for learning. It's up to us as owners to teach our dogs — and the best way to use these devices is as a tool in the training toolkit."

A Note From DoggieMamma

This is not a sponsored piece.

I've published this article because I was impressed with the quality of advice — and the time invested by Gabrielle in providing it — when I was personally forced to seek solutions to the incessant barking of multiple neighbouring dogs.

My local council, Masterton District Council in New Zealand, has failed to provide any meaningful resolution to what has now been an ongoing, documented, and formally complained-about situation for two and a half years.

Three separate anti-barking box devices purchased at my own expense have not solved the problem — because, as Gabrielle McFall explains above, they are tools, not solutions. The solution requires action to be taken by the owners and, where they are unwilling, the council. So far, those parties all remain completely unconcerned about the significant and frequent disturbance caused by the dogs in question.

If you're in a similar situation — as a sufferer of a neighbour's barking dog, or as an owner wanting to make sure yours isn't causing misery — I trust this article gives you somewhere to start.