I bought the Bark Begone Anti-Bark Device because my Shih Tzu barks at practically every person and dog that passes by. I wanted something that could help interrupt this behaviour, particularly indoors, where the constant barking can become frustrating. The device itself appears to function, but getting my dog to respond to it has been another matter. He sometimes turns towards me or the device and barks even more, while my cat becomes so frightened by it that I cannot comfortably use it inside the house.
I also tried taking it along on dog walks, replaced the battery, and contacted customer support when I wasn’t getting the expected results. Unfortunately, none of this has made Bark Begone a product I can confidently recommend.
Table of Contents
- My Experience Using Bark Begone
- What Other Customers Say About Bark Begone
- Smarter Alternatives to Consider
- Conclusion: Is Bark Begone Worth Buying?
My Experience Using Bark Begone
My Shih Tzu can hear Bark Begone, but it hasn’t stopped him from barking. When someone or another dog passes by, he still reacts, and sometimes he turns towards me or the device and barks even more. Rather than interrupting the behaviour, it seems to irritate him. Using it indoors has created a separate problem. My cat gets frightened by the device and becomes too stressed for me to continue using it around her. That makes the product difficult to use in the very environment where I need help with my dog’s barking.I decided to try it during walks instead. I have used it several times when my dog encounters people and other dogs, but it hasn’t really fazed him. He carries on barking as usual. I’ll continue trying it outdoors for now, because I haven’t completely ruled out the possibility that he may eventually respond, but I haven’t seen a noticeable improvement yet.
I also replaced the battery because I wanted to rule out a power issue. The indicator light worked, and the device appeared to activate, but my dog still didn’t respond as expected. At times, he seemed to hear nothing at all, despite having acute hearing. This is what makes the experience particularly frustrating: I can see that the device is switching on, but that doesn’t mean it is actually doing what I purchased it for.
What Other Customers Say About Bark Begone
I also looked at other customers’ experiences to see whether my results were unusual. I found complaints that echoed several of my own problems, particularly dogs showing little or no response to the device and owners feeling that it made no difference to persistent barking. One particularly similar account described a small dog that continued barking at other dogs passing a window, regardless of which controls the owner tried. Other critical feedback mentioned inconsistent results and difficulty getting useful assistance when something went wrong. The feedback isn’t entirely negative, though. Bark Begone’s own review page contains positive accounts from customers who say their dogs responded to the device, sometimes after combining it with commands, treats, and praise. Some owners also describe results that improved with consistent use. So there are buyers who appear satisfied, but that doesn’t change what happened with my dog. I also tried contacting customer support by telephone, but nobody answered. Some calls were simply disconnected. When a product isn’t producing the expected results, being unable to reach someone for help makes the experience even more disappointing.
Bark Begone Pros and Cons
Pros
- Portable and easy to carry on dog walks.
- Indicator light comes on when the device is activated.
- Can be tried in different environments, including indoors and outdoors.
Cons
- Did not stop my Shih Tzu from barking.
- Sometimes seemed to make my dog bark even more.
- Frightened my cat when I used it indoors.
- Made little noticeable difference during walks.
- Replacing the battery did not improve the results.
- Customer support was difficult to reach, with calls going unanswered or disconnecting.
Smarter Alternatives to Consider
After looking into other options, I would rather consider something that helps me understand and manage why my dog is barking than keep relying on another device that produces a sound he may ignore.
One interesting option is the Furbo 360° Dog Camera. It has barking alerts, two-way audio, and a treat dispenser that can be controlled through an app. It won’t automatically train a dog to stop barking, but it can help an owner monitor what triggers the behaviour and reward calmer moments. It is more useful as a monitoring and training aid than as a direct bark-stopping device. Another approach is reward-based training with a qualified dog trainer. Since my Shih Tzu reacts to people and dogs passing by, learning to redirect his attention and rewarding him when he stays calm may be more productive than repeatedly activating an ultrasonic device. Gradual exposure to barking triggers and positive reinforcement are also worth considering.
I would be careful about simply replacing Bark Begone with another ultrasonic product. Devices such as the PetSafe Indoor Bark Control use a similar sound-based approach, and customer feedback is also divided. Buying another product based on the same principle doesn’t guarantee a better result.
Conclusion: Is Bark Begone Worth Buying?
I wanted a practical way to manage my dog’s barking, but Bark Begone hasn’t given me one. The fact that it activates is not enough to make it a successful purchase, especially when I cannot comfortably use it indoors and my dog continues barking during walks.
I haven’t completely given up on it, but I wouldn’t recommend spending money on it expecting reliable results. I’d rather put that money towards an approach that helps me understand my dog’s triggers and teaches him what to do instead of barking.
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