PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer - YorkieTalk.com Forums

jinhopark · 01-08-2011, 02:18 PM

We are having some issues with our little Rocci...he is sweet as pie when he is home alone with the family, but the minute we have guests or he sees another dog walk by our front windows, then he starts BARKING like crazy. Then he gets our Reeses all wound up and then it takes a few minutes to calm him down...it is sort of unsettling for our guests, but the fact he is so small probably keeps them from becoming truly nervous. We have heard about squirting water or shaking pennies in a metal can...personally not a big fan of having water sprayed around, nor am I a fan of adding more noise to our house with banging coins...plus I'm sure guests don't want to get wet nor be startled by clanging metal.

In any event I was sharing my woes with a friend of mine at work, who is a fellow dog lover and has 3 Siberian Huskies, he told me about a product called PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer. He told me that his dogs didn't have a barking problem, but instead they would greet guests by jumping up on them or they would chew on shoes and other items lying around. Last Christmas his sister, who was a constant recipient of being bowled over by his 3 huskies, jokingly bought his family one of these AS SEEN ON TV products. For kicks they put batteries in to see if it worked, and to their amazement the dogs immediately responded by stopping whatever it was they were doing. Now a year later he says this product actually works as advertised and guests are no longer jumped on...the dogs do get rowdy and shoes do get chewed on, but now he says all he has to do is act like he is going to press the button. It has even gone so far as him not even having to have the actual unit in his hand, he can have TV remote in his hand and act like he is going to press it and they stop in their tracks.

I told my DW about this PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer and when she was at Petco she saw it for sale and purchased it. You can also buy it on Amazon, there appears to be mixed reviews:

Amazon.com: PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer: Kitchen &...
We tried it on our dogs and they also responded immediately, and appears to be working. So here are my concerns:

1. Will this cause any sort of hearing damage to my dogs? I imagine this is like one of those dog whistles, where it is silent to us but the dogs can hear it.

2. Will this cause any ill psychological effects to them? Sort of like some sort of slow torture, where it would be like hearing nails on a chalkboard.

We try to limit the times we use it, because we don't want to risk damage to their hearing in any way...also we don't want to make the dogs desensitized to the sound so that it becomes background noise for them and they no longer respond.

I am always weary about these AS SEEN ON TV type products, but this one appears to work...just not sure of the long term effects, or if these type products need to be approved by the FDA or some other regulatory agency, which I'm sure it's not.

Anyone else have any comments or experience with this or similiar type products?

Britster · 01-08-2011, 06:05 PM

My dad used the Sonic noise trainer thing for his 2 dogs. And it definitely began working. It unfortunately died after a month of having it and we never replaced it, but it was definitely working.

Their rescue dog, Buddy, has an issue with barking at strangers in the house.... even if they have been there for 2 hours, the minute they get up and move off the couch, etc, he barks. Well they would just point the Sonic remote thing and say the word 'quiet' and then give him a treat and praise when he was quiet and listened. I think that's the key, like you said, you have to use it just as a training tool, and not over-use anything. You can't just expect to be pushing the button all day every time they bark and expect miracles. You have to TEACH them what you want them to do and why you want them to do it.

Eventually, we only had to start saying 'quiet' most of the time and it would work. It's a shame we stopped with the training when we did because it had just begun being successful. But yes, it definitely worked. I don't think it would damage their ears, but you do have to use it at a far distance away. I think 10ft.

capt_noonie · 01-08-2011, 06:09 PM

I have heard products like this do work. And yes, some dogs will become trained that you can pick up any remote and they will think it is "the one" so eventually you will not have to actually use it.

The problem I see with tools such as this, is you are not finding out the root problem of why the dog is barking or acting up. If the dog starts barking bc he sees another dog, then allow the dogs to greet each other (if this is at all possible) or simply pick up the dog and say, yes look a dog, and carry the dog away and bring him into another room with you.

If the dog is jumping up at people, make them sit and calm down before you open the door. This way is much harder and takes a much longer time, which is why people invented the quick fixes such as the remote. You've seen on the Dog Whisperer or other shows, they have to do the excersizes over and over again and it's not easy.

As for long term damage from using the remote, I have no clue, but if it can stop a dog in its tracks I wonder how it feels. Personally i wouldn't use one on my dog. I prefer to get my dog's attention with a yummy piece of chicken.

Sweet Girls · 01-08-2011, 07:54 PM

Any training tool can be a good tool in the right hands and used correctly. However, I think it is important for us all to be aware of the fact that just because we cannot hear the noise, it must be very irritating/aversive for the dogs to cause them to stop so quickly. Is that really the way you want to train your dog? With such a strong correction?

If you are going to use it, I would recommend pairing it with positive reinforcement as well. Thus, it might look like this...dog barks, you say "quiet", dog continues to bark, you press button, dog stops barking, you say, "good quiet" and reward. Eventually you do not need the correction (irregardless if there is a remote in your hand or not), and the dog responds to the word, and reinforcement for the command. This will be much more positive for both your dog and you, leaving you with a better relationship than pure punishment. After all, if you are not around...or the dog hides your remote, why should he listen to you? What does he get out of it??

JMO,

Princess10 · 02-19-2011, 11:18 AM

i bought the sonic pet trainer for princess about a month or so ago. i'm sure i've used it less than 10 times. i mainly wanted it to control her relentless barking at my neighbors in our complex, also air disturbances sometimes rattle our door. i also wanted it to use when she has something she's not supposed to. she is soooo fast i just can't catch her!
so when i have used it, i do so very briefly. i also use it with a command such as "drop it" or "no barking". she has had an amazing turn-around. she still notices the neighbors and their pug she despises but does not go on a lunatic rampage. i can now tell her "no barking" in any setting and she actually responds. when she has something in her mouth she will drop it, at worse i have to extend my arm but i don't even have the remote in my hand. i think it should be used to compliment training in addition to positive reinforcement and simple commands....and yorkies are sooo smart as you all know, so i'm sure it wont be needed for an extended period of time.

01-08-2011, 02:18 PM	#1
jinhopark Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Bolingbrook, IL, USA Posts: 59	PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer We are having some issues with our little Rocci...he is sweet as pie when he is home alone with the family, but the minute we have guests or he sees another dog walk by our front windows, then he starts BARKING like crazy. Then he gets our Reeses all wound up and then it takes a few minutes to calm him down...it is sort of unsettling for our guests, but the fact he is so small probably keeps them from becoming truly nervous. We have heard about squirting water or shaking pennies in a metal can...personally not a big fan of having water sprayed around, nor am I a fan of adding more noise to our house with banging coins...plus I'm sure guests don't want to get wet nor be startled by clanging metal. In any event I was sharing my woes with a friend of mine at work, who is a fellow dog lover and has 3 Siberian Huskies, he told me about a product called PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer. He told me that his dogs didn't have a barking problem, but instead they would greet guests by jumping up on them or they would chew on shoes and other items lying around. Last Christmas his sister, who was a constant recipient of being bowled over by his 3 huskies, jokingly bought his family one of these AS SEEN ON TV products. For kicks they put batteries in to see if it worked, and to their amazement the dogs immediately responded by stopping whatever it was they were doing. Now a year later he says this product actually works as advertised and guests are no longer jumped on...the dogs do get rowdy and shoes do get chewed on, but now he says all he has to do is act like he is going to press the button. It has even gone so far as him not even having to have the actual unit in his hand, he can have TV remote in his hand and act like he is going to press it and they stop in their tracks. I told my DW about this PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer and when she was at Petco she saw it for sale and purchased it. You can also buy it on Amazon, there appears to be mixed reviews: Amazon.com: PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer: Kitchen &... We tried it on our dogs and they also responded immediately, and appears to be working. So here are my concerns: 1. Will this cause any sort of hearing damage to my dogs? I imagine this is like one of those dog whistles, where it is silent to us but the dogs can hear it. 2. Will this cause any ill psychological effects to them? Sort of like some sort of slow torture, where it would be like hearing nails on a chalkboard. We try to limit the times we use it, because we don't want to risk damage to their hearing in any way...also we don't want to make the dogs desensitized to the sound so that it becomes background noise for them and they no longer respond. I am always weary about these AS SEEN ON TV type products, but this one appears to work...just not sure of the long term effects, or if these type products need to be approved by the FDA or some other regulatory agency, which I'm sure it's not. Anyone else have any comments or experience with this or similiar type products? Last edited by jinhopark; 01-08-2011 at 02:22 PM.

01-08-2011, 06:05 PM	#2
Britster Action Jackson ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 17,814	My dad used the Sonic noise trainer thing for his 2 dogs. And it definitely began working. It unfortunately died after a month of having it and we never replaced it, but it was definitely working. Their rescue dog, Buddy, has an issue with barking at strangers in the house.... even if they have been there for 2 hours, the minute they get up and move off the couch, etc, he barks. Well they would just point the Sonic remote thing and say the word 'quiet' and then give him a treat and praise when he was quiet and listened. I think that's the key, like you said, you have to use it just as a training tool, and not over-use anything. You can't just expect to be pushing the button all day every time they bark and expect miracles. You have to TEACH them what you want them to do and why you want them to do it. Eventually, we only had to start saying 'quiet' most of the time and it would work. It's a shame we stopped with the training when we did because it had just begun being successful. But yes, it definitely worked. I don't think it would damage their ears, but you do have to use it at a far distance away. I think 10ft. __________________ ~ Brit & Lights! Camera! Jackson! CGC ETD TKP ~ Follow Jackson on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacksontheterrier

01-08-2011, 06:09 PM	#3
capt_noonie www.yorkierescue.com Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas & Orange County Posts: 17,408	I have heard products like this do work. And yes, some dogs will become trained that you can pick up any remote and they will think it is "the one" so eventually you will not have to actually use it. The problem I see with tools such as this, is you are not finding out the root problem of why the dog is barking or acting up. If the dog starts barking bc he sees another dog, then allow the dogs to greet each other (if this is at all possible) or simply pick up the dog and say, yes look a dog, and carry the dog away and bring him into another room with you. If the dog is jumping up at people, make them sit and calm down before you open the door. This way is much harder and takes a much longer time, which is why people invented the quick fixes such as the remote. You've seen on the Dog Whisperer or other shows, they have to do the excersizes over and over again and it's not easy. As for long term damage from using the remote, I have no clue, but if it can stop a dog in its tracks I wonder how it feels. Personally i wouldn't use one on my dog. I prefer to get my dog's attention with a yummy piece of chicken. __________________ The T.U.B. Pack! Toto, Uni, & Bindi RIP Lord Scrappington Montgomery McLimpybottom aka El Lenguo the Handicapped Ninja 10-12-12

01-08-2011, 07:54 PM	#4
Sweet Girls YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ontario Posts: 273	Any training tool can be a good tool in the right hands and used correctly. However, I think it is important for us all to be aware of the fact that just because we cannot hear the noise, it must be very irritating/aversive for the dogs to cause them to stop so quickly. Is that really the way you want to train your dog? With such a strong correction? If you are going to use it, I would recommend pairing it with positive reinforcement as well. Thus, it might look like this...dog barks, you say "quiet", dog continues to bark, you press button, dog stops barking, you say, "good quiet" and reward. Eventually you do not need the correction (irregardless if there is a remote in your hand or not), and the dog responds to the word, and reinforcement for the command. This will be much more positive for both your dog and you, leaving you with a better relationship than pure punishment. After all, if you are not around...or the dog hides your remote, why should he listen to you? What does he get out of it?? JMO,

02-19-2011, 11:18 AM	#5
Princess10 Banning Queen Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Home of the Kalamazoo Wings, MI. Posts: 3,122	i bought the sonic pet trainer for princess about a month or so ago. i'm sure i've used it less than 10 times. i mainly wanted it to control her relentless barking at my neighbors in our complex, also air disturbances sometimes rattle our door. i also wanted it to use when she has something she's not supposed to. she is soooo fast i just can't catch her! so when i have used it, i do so very briefly. i also use it with a command such as "drop it" or "no barking". she has had an amazing turn-around. she still notices the neighbors and their pug she despises but does not go on a lunatic rampage. i can now tell her "no barking" in any setting and she actually responds. when she has something in her mouth she will drop it, at worse i have to extend my arm but i don't even have the remote in my hand. i think it should be used to compliment training in addition to positive reinforcement and simple commands....and yorkies are sooo smart as you all know, so i'm sure it wont be needed for an extended period of time.