Petsafe PBC-1000 Stationary Ultrasonic Bark Controller Reviews

• Your Mileage May Vary...

  
  By on 2004-06-17
  My family adopted an adult silky terrier who loves the sound of his own voice. Since we don't know how he picked up the barking habit (he was running stray, background entirely unknown) our efforts to break this habit have been trial and error -- mostly error. Suffice it to say that he still barks at everything, and sometimes at nothing.

  I saw this product advertised in a catalogue and decided to give it a try. Nothing else was working and I am still reluctant to try shock collars. The Ultrasonic Bark Control device is handheld and operated with a 9 volt battery. The owner's manual states that an internal microphone can pick up the dog's barking within 10 feet and automatically emits the ultrasonic sound that is meant to stop the barking. There's also a red button that you can push to emit the sound, and the dog will hear it if he is within 20 feet of the device.

  Having used the device, I can tell you that the noise is out of range of human hearing. I've heard some complaints about other brands being just as annoying to the humans as to the dogs -- not this brand. However, I'm no longer confident that's a plus -- the noise might not be irritating enough. The first day I used the device, it worked beautifully. The dog would bark once or twice, look puzzled, and then settle down. The second day he was barking for a good twenty seconds before my frantic use of the manual button would settle him down. Now, he just ignores the noise and barks 'til his heart's content and our eardrums are vibrating. I'm thinking of giving the Ultrasonic Bark Control device to another dog owner I know in hopes he has more longterm success from it than I did.

  I must add that our dog has an unusually stubborn and ornery temperament. For a sweeter-tempered habitual barker, this device might be the perfect solution.
  
  

• Don't waste your time or money.

  
  By A17R0CK898R36F on 2005-02-02
  Our dogs didn't even notice it. We have three small terriers and I thought this would be a suitable device for a few house slippers. I was wrong - the kept on barking...
  
  

• Dog interested in noise, not detered from barking

  
  By A1REA4IZ1LE0OL on 2005-08-12
  My beagle (13 mo.) cocks her head showing that she hears something with a slight pause in the barking process but does not deter her from barking at a later time. Does nothing for howling and will only go off for loud barks, not smaller barking or any form of whining (even if extremely loud).
  
  

• For the price works moderately well

  
  By A27QFPJD2YPHH2 on 2005-10-25
  I have a 3 1/2 year old Boxer that barks, cries, whines, and howls when I go to work...ALL DAY...I know, I recorded it. I went to Petsmart and picked up this gadget. Brought it home and it the manual correct button. She bolted. She hates the ultrasonic noise that it makes. It reduced the amount of noise that my dog makes but only in a certain area and I don't crate my dog when I'm going to be away for more than 8 hours.
  
  So if I'm just running out for a few hours I stick her in her crate with this right in front of her but if I'm going to work I use it in conjunction with the petsafe electric shock bark collar.
  
  My girlfriends dog does not really notice it if he's otherwise engaged but my dog hates it. Worth the price in my opinion. Best advice is to take it home and try it. Some dogs react to it. Others don't.
  
  

• No effect on the dogs

  
  By A3UYUOCZYG5SBV on 2006-01-11
  I picked this up after reading the 50/50 reviews. One of our dogs ran over to it and jumped up to see what it was as it buzzed away. The other just wandered around and took no notice. Neither seemed scared/bothered at all. This product had zero affect on our dogs' barking. I'm going to return it.
  
  
• no more doggy fueds with neighbor
  By A2MIZF0XN0RBG3 on 2005-12-31
  i absolutely love this product. my neighbor has four little yippers and my shepard/chow mix was antogonized by the yipping on our side of the fence. I hung the device on my side of the fence and the noise keeps the neighbors dog from picking "arguments" with my dog. all barking and fighting has ceased. all the surrounding neighbor as well as me can get a good nights sleep now.
  
  
• Useless... But if you're fired up to buy one, I'll take $20 for mine...
  By A3ENI90DBBULIA on 2006-02-16
  Yeah, Absolute crap, If you are looking for an appliance to slowly drain your 9v batteries, buy this and a smoke detector, no wait, just buy a smoke detector, that way if your house catches on fire hopefully it will work and you'll get out ok. If this item worked then your dog might not alert you to a fire and you could die from smoke inhalation, so man I should have talked myself out of this before I bought it and just went with the 8 smoke detectors, now I am stuck with a barking dog, a useless 9v draining device and aparently a unsafe home. Good luck...
  
  
• worked great for me
  By A2C28JW7CI9OIF on 2006-01-20
  Push the button and dogs go away silently!
  On a different note, product proved my ex-wife isn't a canine after all....
  
  
• Works for me!
  By A1X0TDWTICLC4A on 2006-05-24
  I have to dogs and this product has reduced barking by 90%
  
  
• Don't waste your money
  By A1V320A2E88FZD on 2006-07-16
  I bought this product hoping it would solve my problem with my barking terrier. He didn't even notice it was there. I put it near his crate and it still didn't stop him from barking. I pushed the manual button and still nothing. It promises to stop annoying barking, but it didn't stop my dog for one minute. It was a complete waste of my money.
  
  
• Like the button on top!
  By A2W86OOOQBWZ38 on 2007-03-17
  It doesn't always go off when the dogs bark, but I can push the button on the top after telling the dogs to stop barking and that sets it off. It seems to have helped us be able to control the incessant barking phases they used to get into. They'd start barking and then kind of fuel each other to keep the bark fest going. We used to be able to yell, squirt them, threaten them, try to bribe them (with treats) and nothing would affect the barking spree. This seems to help stop it.
  
  
• AMAZING!
  By A2IYCVYH319OEN on 2006-04-21
  Alright... I admit... I have "yippy dogs."
  Now they bark ONCE.
  This device has saved my sanity.
  Thanks!
  
  
• Waste of Money
  By A1079DW8HPFV24 on 2006-11-05
  I tried this product for 4 days and it didn't work. My dog always barks when we are at work and the neighbors complain. We never told them we bought this product but they still complained after using it for 4 days straight.
  
  
• Bark Control
  By AC9LUX9G50T32 on 2006-11-09
  I set it up for my dogs because they bark whenever they hear a noise or if someone rings bell, I have 3 dogs, I put it on and they went beserk, they started going after each other, I didn't hear anything myself, but I am quite sure the dogs did, like I said they acted very badly towards each other, the tone must have made them lash out like that. I cannot use it anymore.
  
  
• Don't waste your time or money
  By A3VYBGY91Q23EZ on 2005-12-07
  After purchasing this item to help train our barking puppy, I actually went as far as holding it right in front of her as she barked... and it would never go off. On the other hand, it goes off regularly from normal human conversation. The sad part (and actually the only reason I didn't give it one star) is that the sound does seem to have training potential when I used the manual button. The problem is just the bark detector, which is apparently not worth anything. I'm returning this and will try a more expensive and hopefully better device.
  
  
• works good...but maybe too good...?
  By ADSJ5HQ8FW9NN on 2006-01-26
  We are returning the PetSafe ultrasonic trainer...because we are getting one that can be used manually OR automatically, instead. The PetSafe device can not be turned off...unless we pull the 9V battery out (pain-in-the-butt!) We will keep it until the new alternate one comes.
  
  We just ordered the "HavaHart Ultrasonic Trainer". It should be here within a week. The feature we like the most is that you can turn it off by turning a knob, and use it manually...targeting the bad behavior directly....with the PetSafe device, you can't.
  
  Our main reason for doing this: Our Husky (non-barker) did his adorable woowoowoo and the device went off, "punishing" the others AND him!!! He hasn't done his woowoowoo since. :o(
  
  We really just wanted this device to shut down our two females when they get their uncontrolable barking going (inside & out)....not to punish them all when they are happy & playing.
  
  We just wanted to give people the heads up before they went out to buy one of the PetSafe brand devices. If all of your dogs bark uncontrolably & you don't care about the manual option, then get the PetSafe brand...they really do work!!!
  
  
  
• Don't buy this!
  By A1SIYW73HEQ2U7 on 2006-02-15
  This is crap! Enough said. I have a 6 mth old German Shepherd Mix, and it didn't work on him at all!
  
  
• Boo hoo should have looked around
  By A2PIVBDGBGVBSM on 2006-03-19
  The Ultra sonic does not work. I have the unit less then 5 feet from where the dog barks and sometimes it does not go off and other times when it does go off the dog hears it, looks around and then starts barking again. Not worth it
  
  
• Ultrasonic sound? how do we know?
  By A39N47Z9768B1J on 2006-06-29
  This never worked once, but it did drain 4 batteries in the short time we tried to use it. Very disappointing. I would reccommend spending your money some place else.
  
  
• I am returning this product
  By A1T8LWK2YAZTQA on 2006-09-25
  Initially, my dogs found the sound interesting and slowed down on barking, but after a couple of days they acted like they didn't even hear the sound. Now, they are back to "bark all you want".
  
  
• Works for my dog
  By A196X00TOAHW1R on 2006-12-12
  I had a dog that howeled and barked when I wasn't home and my neighbors complained. After the first time hearing it, she stopped and hasn't barked since. It only works if the dog is crated since it won't pick up the barks from far away. The other thing I don't like is that you can't turn it off without pulling out the battery. That is annoying.
  
  
• Not worth it
  By A1EETXVBPE1KPE on 2007-01-05
  I found that it did nothing to keep my dogs from barking. Even though I placed it in close proximity to where they bark, it did not work at all. My daughter however, complained that it botheres "Her" ears.
  
  
• Worthless
  By A27T1HGP2NPYBR on 2007-09-06
  I purchased this product in hopes that it would keep my 4lbs Chihuahua from barking and whining in his kennel when I'm away. I placed the producted less than 3 inches from the kennel where my Chi usually sits. The product doesn't even detect a bark! I tried it out myself by barking and yelling at varying distances from the receiver and it does not detect anything until I have my mouth practically ON the receiver. Only then does it work. When he barks, it doesn't detect it, regardless of how close he is to the product. And with that, there's a test button to press to see if your dog reacts to the ultra sonic noise - my Chi being right next to it only perks his ears. Other than that, it has no effect. Do not waste your money on this product.
  
  
• Piece of junk
  By A149BIC9NKVP3P on 2007-09-19
  This device does not work for my 10 lb. shih-tzu. She barks for hours on end while in her crate. I tested the device and know that it is working, but it doesn't stop her or slow her down from barking. I can even push the button right in front of her nose and she just looks at me. Don't waste your money.
  
  
• Worked Great for a Week
  By AJM0GLSJCCQ44 on 2007-09-20
  It worked great for a week, then the cat knocked it off the counter and it broke. Suggestion to the company is to make one that is a "rugged" model that is water proof and cat proof.
  
  
• NOT satisfied
  By AY2K7VCIL8HZS on 2007-10-06
  I have purchased two (the first was for my golden, who incessantly barks) and he ate it. I then purchased a second one for my two yappy indoor dogs (a mini schanuzer and a doxie mix) and it does nothing to stop them from barking. It does go off when they bark, and I have it sitting on top of the dog crate, but they bark right through it. Maybe it is better for puppies and younger dogs, not "experienced" barkers.
  
  I wish I could get my money back for it.
  
  
• USELESS
  By AGPPORF2CYGBQ on 2007-10-09
  Very simple...it doesn't work. I have three Beagles who bark frequently and they just ignore the sound given off. I know the gadget gives off the sound as I can pick it up with my hearing aid so: gadget sounds off...dogs ignore.
  
  
• Stupid! Terrible!! Rediculous!!!
  By A2B0P0XYAI7EEO on 2008-02-08
  I am ashamed to have bought this useless item. It never worked at all - whether my dog was barking 10' from it; 5' from it or was right on top of it.
  Don't waste your money
  
  
• Works very well for our corgis
  By AM34UEZKPB41H on 2008-02-14
  Admittedly we have only had it for a few days, but our dogs responded at once. We had trouble for years with them barking when someone was leaving the house (even though other people were still in the house!) or when visitors or delivery people arrived. Every arrival and departure was a major event, noisewise. If one dog started to bark, the other one felt compelled to join in. We tried other measures to control the excessive barking, but to no avail. This device worked instantly. The dogs bark once or twice, CLEARLY hear the sound although we can't, and stop barking immediately. The house has never been so quiet! Our dogs are Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a breed which is known to have sensitive hearing, and when used to herd are trained using whistled commands. I noticed from reading other reviews in which people mentioned their breed of dog that other herding dogs (like German Shepherds) seem more apt to respond, whereas non-herding breeds (like terriers) may be less responsive...no proof, just an impression from my research.
  
  Update on Feb. 22, 2008. This product continues to work well, and our dogs have adjusted to it. Initially they were a little cowed and appeared distressed by what, to them, must be a very unpleasant noise, but they quickly learned that one bark was OK, two was a no-no, and a gentle woof (if they really needed to make a noise, which they occasionally feel they must do as part of their duty to the family) wouldn't set off the alarm. Today it snowed here, and our neighbor plowed our long driveway, which is normally a very noisy affair, dogwise, but there were only a couple of subdued "woofs" as the dogs did their jobs of alerting us to what they perceive to be an intruder on the property and then went back to sleep, rather than continuing to bark until they exhausted themselves, and us. Our house has never been so quiet! I am delighted with this product, and very happy that our dogs have adjusted to it so quickly, and am amazed at how quickly they figured out how to "express themselves" discreetly, when they need to, without going overboard and driving us all crazy! Of course, corgis are pretty intelligent and trainable dogs, and I am as impressed with the breed as I am with the product!
  
  
• i was naive
  By AADQMLBLTVZQ on 2008-05-20
  I read the reviews before I purchased this item and hoped for the best because when my GSP gets bored when I'm at work he barks and I come home to hate mail taped on my apartment door. So with great optimism I plugged the battery into the simple unit and waited until something made him bark. Initially he cocked his head to indicate he heard a noise but he went right on barking. Two weeks later the battery needed to be changed and he acts as if he doesn't even hear any "ultrasonic" beep. I wish I hadn't spent the money. I wish I hadn't such high hopes. I wish I hadn't thrown away the box the unit arrived in, otherwise I'd return it and ask for my money back.
  
  

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