We have a year and a half old (21.5 lb.) Cockapoo and were just about to get a new 7 wk old puppy of the same breed. Our Cockapoo barked a bit more than we'd like-especially at the very busy coming and goings at our neighbors' home across the street from us. Our neighbor is a preacher and there are guests coming and going at his home every single day, many times a day especially on weekends. Our attempts to curb our dog's barking seemed to be falling on deaf ears. We tried shutting our blinds ( I hated blocking the natural light and view, but he could still see plenty through the cracks in and around the blinds anyway). I tried the simple "time out" by saying "no barking" and putting him into his pen for a few minutes but that was not very effective (even though he could not see out the front of our home while in his pen). I really didn't want to try a shock collar and wasn't terribly interested about the spray collars either. Our dog is typically quite friendly and curious, but at times can be non-aggressively timid. I worried that a behavior correction device might make him fearful or more timid. I was hesitant to try this device based on its' lukewarm ratings, but I figured, "If this thing works for us and costs less than $30, it will be amazing!" When I first tried the device during a barking episode I very calmly said, "No barking" and turned it on. My dog stopped dead in his tracks and looked toward me (I stood right next to the unit on the high kitchen counter) and had the expression of "What in the HECK was that?!?" He showed no fear or worry (thank goodness), just literally like "Holy smokes, WHAT WAS THAT?!?" and then he walked over to his favorite spot on the couch and quietly laid down. I have used the device about at least 6 more times (over a two week period) and almost every time he does the same thing, stops barking and goes and lays down on the couch. He shows no sign of stress or freaking out. I have continued to very calmly say "No barking" right before I turn on the unit during his barking episodes. I have noticed a dramatic decline in his barking, sometimes he'll stop with just my voice command, or sometimes he won't bark anymore, but rather uses a very hushed gentle "woof-woof" which I think sounds cute and sweet. I didn't want him to teach our new puppy to do excessive barking or have the two of them feed off each other and exacerbate the episodes. I also don't expect to have silent dogs and do not use this device all the time or when they are playing and just being regular dogs. As a matter of fact, I use the device much less often and for very short durations (literally a minute or two) because it has proven to be so successful in our home. I know that everyone's success rate will vary, as dogs are all individuals, but I am so very thankful that I went ahead and decided to just try this thing out. I can not hear anything when it goes off. The blinking green light lets you know it's on and working, when the red light flashes you know that a two second ultrasonic sound is being emitted. I gave this unit 4 stars instead of 5 only because it does not have an on/off switch-if the battery is in, it's always on and to make it so that it doesn't "alarm" you must remove the battery. For me, this means the battery sits on the counter next to the unit with the battery door laying on the counter beside it, and I have to connect and disconnect the battery each time I want to use the device. Having an on/off switch would be SO much more user friendly, but it works and I'm keeping it!! I try to be very gentle with the battery wire adapter so as not to short out the wires. As per the directions, if you have more than one dog and any one of them barks when this thing is on, they are all going to hear the "correction sound"-something to consider for you and yours. I am so glad there are options other than shock and spray collars. I really like that I can control when this thing is on and off and that my dog does not need to wear an additional collar device. Two big thumbs up!! March 6, 2013 update. So we've had this device for over a year now. It continues to work as I described above. I wanted to mention that I do NOT leave the unit "on" hardly at all. I still basically just plug the battery in when they start barking away for ambient noise or alarming sights (to them, which is almost anything and anybody) outside or a knock at our door. Perhaps because of the "mostly off/only on when I want barking to stop" manner of using this device has a lot to do with my continued success. They still seem to not like the sound, but have not "gotten used to it, or desensitized" and they also have not developed any adverse or fearful behavior because of the sound. About half the time all I have to do is hold up the device so they can see it and say, "no barking" and I don't even need to put the battery in. My dogs seem much more easily set off now that we have two of them; if one has any "alarm" trigger the second jumps in immediately as back up. I can't say that I didn't expect this however. I'm still on my original battery. Occasionally another sharp, loud sound will trigger the device to emit it's sound, but I do not find the device to be overly sensitive. I can see how people who leave the device on all the time would have trouble with their pet becoming desensitized, fearful, and probably confused about the sound emitting when they didn't bark. My house is silent now and my cell phone just rang (volume on highest) as it sat literally 3" from the "on" unit and the unit did not emit a signal. The phone scared me and made me jump, but the device did not trigger! Sharp noises seem to trigger it, like a clap of hands or slapping your hand on a table or counter, or a yell. A cough or sneeze has not set it off. Based on the reviews, you're still going to take a gamble whether this device "works" on your dog(s), but if it does then I think you will find the benefits very much worth the price.
