There’s been a lot of hype around ultrasonic pest control, not to mention marketing efforts. Electric pest repellers range in cost from $10 all the way up to $800. The reason they’ve received so much publicity is because many ultrasonic pest control devices position themselves as “safer” or “easier” ways to control pest populations in homes. But, the big questions are, how do these devices repel pests and do they actually work?
Ultrasonic Pest Repeller devices use high-frequency, ultrasonic sound waves that are above the range of sounds that humans can hear or process. In theory, the noise from the device causes a psychological response in pests that leads to distress. Pests will then flee from the room or area where these signals are present, freeing homes of pests without chemicals or much effort at all.
Most of these ultrasonic pest repellers are intended to be plugged into wall outlets and claim to protect the room in which they’re located. According to the instructions, harder and more reflective surfaces like cabinets, mirrors, and countertops increase the effectiveness of electric pest repellers. There are also battery operated options marketed toward individuals who enjoy spending time outside and want to keep mosquitos away, along with rodents, birds and other bugs often found outdoors.
Signs Your Dog Can Hear the Repellent
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.
If your dog hears an ultrasonic pest repellent, watch for:
More signs to look for include:
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.
Science Behind Dogs Hearing Pest Repellers
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.
Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Affect Reptile Pets
So many families have settled on keeping reptile pets like lizards and snakes. Snakes are known to hear through vibrations and wouldn’t be affected by either frequencies or volume from repellents.
However, lizards are highly affected by ultrasonic repellents. Therefore, there are specific ultrasonic repellents that are marketed for freeing homes of geckos and lizards.
Therefore, if you keep snakes as pets, you can use ultrasonic repellents. However, you should avoid them by all means if you have other reptile pets.
FAQ
Do ultrasonic pest repellers bother cats and dogs?
Do pest repellers hurt dogs ears?
Do rodent sound repellents bother dogs?