When was the last time the neighbor’s dog dug up your flowers? Fouled your lawn? Chased your cat or, even worse, your children? Roaming neighborhood dogs are not only a nuisance, they can be dangerous. At least once a week you hear about a child being attacked or even killed by stray or “at-large” dogs who roam the streets unattended. So, what do you do to keep yourself safe?
The obvious comes to mind, but most of us couldn’t comprehend hurting an animal, and even if you could, it’s usually a bad idea to discharge a firearm in a residential area, not to mention, illegal. Poisoning them is out of the question for many reasons. Not only do you wish to spare yourself and your family the horrors of watching an animal suffer and die, but your own pets and children can (and probably) will come in contact with the poison as well. City dog catchers are ineffective, if they show up at all. The best method for repelling dogs is to deter them from coming into your yard at all.
When looking for a dog repellent, keep in mind that there are many options to choose from, some great, some not so much. There are chemical methods, mechanical methods and scare tactics. There are solutions to fit every budget. The best methods are the ones that understand how the mind of the dog works, use that to their advantage, and is effective whether you are there or not.
With all that being said, a repellent that comes highly recommended would be a natural chemical repellent. This type of repellent usually uses the scent of a large predator’s urine. This method will work against most dogs, though more aggressive ones might mistake the odor as a challenge to its territory. This repellent is relatively inexpensive, easy to use, biodegradable, and does not harm animal friends or foes. It has the added benefit of repelling other nuisance animals as well, keeping you from spending money to rid yourself of those pesky squirrels.
Another effective repellent uses motion detection technology to trigger a sprinkler mechanism. When an animal approaches and gets within distance of the sensor, the sprinkler turns on and sprays the dog with a jet of cold water. The sprinkler will continue to run while the dog is in range. This one works well against the dogs that are resistant to chemical repellents.
Lastly, many people have had some luck using noisemakers. They work much like the sprinkler system, however, instead of water, they use a loud noise. These enjoy moderate success as most dogs will get used to the noise very quickly and most will learn to ignore it within a week.
A quick word regarding ultrasonic repellents. These devices emit a high frequency sound, above what humans can hear, in an attempt to deter dogs. The sounds are supposed to be irritating (not that we would know), and dogs are avoid areas that have them. Unfortunately, most dogs will only be mildly irritated by the sound unless they are extremely sensitive. These devices are generally expensive and will tend to be less effective than any of the means listed above.
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