Can Dogs Hear Ultrasonic Pest Repellers?

Many people have issues with pests inside and directly outside their homes. Naturally, most people are keen to take action and rid themselves of the problem, as pests can cause everything from health issues and hygiene problems to damage to the property or just general nuisance.

Whatever the reason for wanting to get rid of a pest problem, one effective solution is to invest in a high-quality pest repellent, which is a safe yet proven means of ridding yourself of common pests. However, what happens if you have a pet pooch in the house? Will they be able to hear the ultrasonic noise from the repellent and, if so, how will they be affected?

While we humans cannot hear the sound that emanates from pest repellents, you have to remember that dogs are capable of hearing sounds at much higher frequencies than us. This means that your dog may well pick up on the high-frequency sound that comes from the pest repellent you are using. 

This does not mean that your dog will be bothered about it, as many dogs just let it go right over their heads. Others of a more nervous disposition may feel more uneasy about the noise – it really depends on how chilled out or nervous your pooch is. Each dog will react differently to hearing the noise, but, in general, it is nothing to worry about.

There are a number of signs that could indicate your dog has heard the ultrasonic sound from then pest repellent. Some signs include looking around in a confused manner, head tilting, running up to the area the sound is coming from, whining, backing away from the sound, and barking. Some dogs will be nervous about the sound and the signs they display will reflect this. Others simply won’t care or may be intrigued so they will just run up and explore the area where the sound is coming from.  

Your dog’s body language will also give you a clue as to whether they can hear the noise from the pest repellent and whether they find it bothersome or not. Turning and running in the other direction, backing away, and tail tucking are all signs that your pooch is not happy about the noise. Running up to the area, sniffing around, jumping up and barking, and looking around are all signs that your dog can hear the noise and is either curious or simply doesn’t care. You will be able to tell from the body language which of the categories your pooch falls into.

In years gone by, keeping pests under control inside and outside the home was very difficult. People were forced to use all sorts of questionable products packed full of chemicals and irritants in order to try and control pests. 

However, in today’s digital era a range of new solutions have become available and one of these is the ultrasonic pest control device. This can prove very effective in terms of helping to frighten off pests, although there are concerns that the pests in question will soon get used to the noise and this could make it ineffective eventually.

Another worry that people have had over the years is how these devices can affect their dogs. We know from historical research that dogs have excellent hearing and that they are able to hear high-frequency sounds such as those that emanate from these devices. 

This means that there is a good chance that your dog will be able to hear the ultrasonic noise from the repeller but this does not necessarily mean that it will bother your pooch. It will certainly do your dog no harm but with some dogs, it may cause them to become nervous or distressed simply because it is an alien noise to them.

So, what is the science behind dogs and pest repellents? Well, it all comes down to the very sensitive hearing that our pooches are blessed with coupled with their ability to hear very high-frequency noises.

Because of this, the ultrasonic noises from these devices can be picked up by dogs but the way in which they react will differ based on each individual dog. The purpose of the repellents is to give off a very high pitched sound that will deter pests but cannot be heard by humans. However, dogs can hear frequencies that are as high as 45-67 KHz.  

If you are thinking of investing in one of these pest repellents or you have already purchased and installed one, you need to think about the effect that it may have on your dog. Of course, you won’t know this until you start using one, so if you haven’t yet purchased one, it may be worth trying it out to see how your dog reacts. 

As mentioned earlier, these repellents will not cause any harm to your dog and, in many cases, will not bother your pooch at all. However, if you do have a dog that is quite nervous in nature, you may want to monitor its reactions and consider an alternative if necessary.

When you have the repellent installed, make sure you keep a close eye on your dog to see how it reacts when it is in the area the device is installed in. If your pooch displays signs of curiosity, the chances are that after a short while, when it gets used to the sound, everything will be fine. 

If your dog completely ignores the sound, then you clearly have nothing to worry about. However, if your dog shows signs of nerves or distress at the noise, monitor its reactions for a few days. Some dogs will get used to the noise and start ignoring it – problem solved. If not, you may need to look at an alternative means of pest control.

If you feel that your dog is not reacting well to the pest repellent you have installed, you can get advice from your vet with regards to any alternatives that you may be able to use. This way, you can benefit from effective pest control methods without it impacting on your dog. There are various solutions that you may be able to consider as an alternative to an ultrasonic device.