Looking for the best dog deterrent on the market? Want to protect your kids or your loved ones against dog attacks? You’re in luck since, in this guide, we’ll cover all best dog repellents worth buying. You’ll learn how they work and which types are well worth shopping for. We’ll also review the TOP 11 Best Dog Repellents: Sprays and Deterrent Devices, among which are strong and reliable repellers against stray dogs, and mild, non-aggressive pet correction deterrents that would keep your neighbor’s dog barking at bay.
- What is a dog repellent and why you need one?
- Types of dog repellents
- TOP 11 Dog Repellents
- Tips of dealing with aggressive dogs
- Pros and cons of dog repellents
- FAQ
When I was a child I had a German kurzhaar who had long floppy ears, broad muzzle, strong but yet elegant legs and brown, kind, and genuinely inquisitive eyes. She was the best dog I’ve ever had in my life. She was intelligent, boisterous, and very affectionate. However, not all breeds are like that.
Some can have destructive and hyperactive tendencies that result in their aggressive behavior toward both their owners and strangers alike. But the most dangerous are those who were abandoned by their owners and left to starve and aimlessly roam the neighborhoods.
Stray pets suffer from injuries and hunger which make them depressed, anxious, and aggressive. And while we recommend contacting city authorities or local animal shelters to take care of loose dogs, we understand the immediate danger of street animals approaching you and your family. It is, thus, imperative that you learn how to protect yourself and your kids against these possible encounters.
What is a dog repellent and how it works
A dog repellent is a substance or a device that works by repelling dogs either by smell, taste, or sound aversion. Dog deterrents against stray dogs are usually those that contain inflammatory chemicals to deter attacking dogs, or ultrasound devices that repel dogs off your property or try to deter them in confrontation. Also, If you have dogs chewing and destroying your furniture, you can try a repellent that will keep your dog from scratching or licking any areas inside your house or yard.
How long does a dog spray last?
A dog pepper spray (just like any other pepper spray) lasts from 20 minutes to a few hours (up to 3).
How does a dog repellent work?
Dog repellents work by sound, taste, or smell aversion. Pepper sprays work by irritating the mucous membranes and causing temporary blinding and difficulty breathing, among other unpleasant things.
Is dog repellent effective?
They can repel aggressive dogs, but they won’t stop them, just buy you some time to escape or cry for help or use other self-defense devices. As to pets, they can teach your dog good manners.
Types of dog repellents
There are different types of dog repellents, but they all roughly fall into several categories.
- If you’re trying to fight an aggressive dog – pepper sprays might prove to be helpful. The spray that contain pepper extract with its inflammatory properties will subject a dog to temporary intermittent blindness, difficulty breathing, confusion, and disorientation. This is exactly what you want if you’re dealing with an aggressive dog.
- For people who would like to get rid of dogs in their yard electronic repellers and motion activated sprinklers might do the job. Ultrasonic repellents are not scientifically proven to repel animals, but some of the good models really work well, and you’ll discover which ones in this review. The principle behind these devices is ultrasonic high-pitch frequency waves that dogs cannot tolerate but which are inaudible for humans. By hearing this device, dogs supposedly run away. Frightening devices have been effective in reducing coyote predation on flocks of sheep, and are likely to be effective with feral dogs.
- Dog barking deterrents. This type includes horns, whistles, and other pet correction devices, which intend to teach a dog to stop barking when she hears a particular sound that she associates with a particular behavior.
- Then there are sprays containing citrus, vinegar, ammonia, bitter principles of apple, or some other herbs that work well in teaching pets not to chew or gnaw on certain things. These sprays usually contain natural and organic ingredients that are, by no means, harmful for your pet but will avert her by smell or taste and stop the unwanted activity.
That covers the major types; now let’s look in greater detail at the best devices available on the market.
TOP 11 Best Dog Attack Protection Devices
We’ll cover major ultrasonic bestsellers and will find out which one is the most reliable and effective, we’ll also walk through some available sprays, and motion sprinklers.
FOR STRAY DOGS
In this top category, we’ve chosen the best and proven devices and methods that would surely keep you protected against street dogs. Here you’ll find the best pepper spray that’s been used for decades by US mainmen and the most effective ultrasonic repeller that’s been successfully field tested by consumers.
Dog Repellent Spray | Halt
Halt is an American company that was at first designed to help mailmen deal with aggressive dogs. And, in fact, the USPS has been using Halt products since 1960s.
This beast is essentially a pepper spray. It has an impressive range of 12 ft and contains 0.35% capsaicin (which is essentially a pepper). This is the exact product you want to purchase for an attacking dog.
The customers did indeed try it out on aggressive dogs and were ultimately pleased with the results. However, the pepper spray might not stop the dog but repel it so you would again buy yourself sometimes to use other devices or escape.
Price: Check current price
Sound Defense K9 Warning Device
This product has a powerful video demonstration that makes you want to buy this thing:
However, it looks kind of bulky and you wouldn’t want to take it with you every time you walk in the neighborhood or ride a bike. It’s a handheld deterrent that emits a high pitched sound aimed at repelling dogs. The manufacturer says it covers 25 ft and has a wide effective field. The sound is clearly loud and not very pleasant even for a human being.
It’s very easy to use: just press the red button. The battery (which is included) is good for 30 minutes of continuous use (however, you’ll only need 2-15 sec per use, as claimed by the manufacturer). The customer response for this one was very mixed, with people saying it scared them rather than dogs.
Price: Check current price
Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent | Dazer II
This bestseller from Dazer comes in a compact design and has a belt clip for ease of use. It’s on the higher end of the price spectrum, but it also seems to be more reliable. It covers around 40 ft, is battery operated (included) and made of very lightweight plastic. Although the customers had a varying degree of success with this device, I found several field test drives that clearly showed that this device worked:
Because of the successful test fields and overall positive consumer feedback, this product comes highly recommended against stray dogs (however, also have your pepper spray ready at all times).
Price: Check current price
DOG DETERRENTS FOR YARD
In this category, you’ll learn about the most effective ultrasonic devices for yard, as well as a motion activated sprinkler that will keep unwanted dogs off your property.
DOGTEK Sonic Bird House Bark Control Outdoor/Indoor
This device looks like a birdhouse, but it is much more than that. It’s yet another high-frequency ultrasonic dog repellent that has 3 built-in bark sensors and one large ultrasonic loudspeaker that ensures all dogs in the vicinity of 50 ft will hear the high-pitch unpleasant sound. There are 4 sensitivity settings that you can tune to ensure the device hears the exact barking level that you want to prevent. It’s waterproof and durable for outdoor use. It’s not as small as previously described handheld ultrasonic devices, but can still be taken with you on a camping trip.
Customers, who complained, said the device worked great initially but then stopped working after a while for various reasons. Anyway, this device is rather expensive, but it doesn’t require you to be near the device and works well in the yard by itself. So in case you want an outdoor solution, then this device might be worth considering.
Price: Check current price
Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler
Orbit is another type of animal deterrent that works not only on dogs but on any other unwanted pests that can come to your garden in search for food or shelter.
The device features a passive infrared motion sensor for day or night operation and 120-degree field view. It has an adjustment option to adjust the sensor up and down, left or right. It also features a flow-through riser that allows you to add additional sprinklers and hoses that are all controlled by the valve and activated off the base unit. The latching solenoid valve can be cycled up to 7,500 times on one setup battery. You can increase or decrease the range of sensitivity and the duration of the sprinkler.
There’s also a 30 min time cycle button, which, when pressed, activates the sprinkler and shuts it off after exactly 30 minutes. You can also set a day, night or always positions (meaning it would work both day and night), or when you’re done using it, set it to the off position. The sprinkler can cover an area of up to 35 ft.
Customers are mostly pleased with using the device, praising its capabilities and deterrent qualities. Those left unimpressed said there were no replacement parts available for this thing when it broke down.
Price: Check current price
FOR PET OWNERS: DOG BARKING DETERRENT DEVICES & BEHAVIOR CORRECTION
This is by far the most extensive category in this guide that covers various dog barking deterrents like whistles and horns, a few ultrasonic devices that will keep neighboring dogs at bay, and an organic spray that will teach your dogs to avoid certain parts of the house or prevent unwanted behaviour like chewing on shoes.
Ortz Dog Whistle to Stop Barking | Ultrasonic Patrol Sound Repellent | Deterrent Whistle
This product is aimed at dog owners and serves as a behavior modification tool. It has a very high pitched noise which dogs supposedly don’t like. So in case your dog barks a lot or behaves aggressively, this dog whistle is aimed at changing that behavior. You can actually play with the pitch a little bit: take the little metal prod from the whistle and either tighten the screw or loosen it up a bit to change the pitch of a noise.
To make sure you’ve chosen the right pitch, blow the whistle while the dog’s asleep and see if she reacts to it, and she doesn’t, then you obviously need to change the pitch again. It’s priced affordably but the customer response was somewhat mixed with a lot of people not noticing any change in behavior at all.
Price: Check current price
SAFETY-SPORT DOG HORN
This horn is also aimed at changing a dog’s behavior by producing two distinct sounds that can get your dog’s attention for you to take control of the situation. It works both for pet owners and those without pets who’d like to keep dogs off their property.
The price for this product falls within the same range as the previously described item, meaning they are both priced affordably. Again, the customer’s response was not unanimous, with many people saying the dogs didn’t react to this thing at all, and some customers humorously saying that it did work but only on the adult pet owners who were scared of the horn and put their dogs away.
Price: Check current price
Hoont Electronic Handheld Dog Repellent and Trainer with Flashlight
This guy from Hoont is both a training aid and a dog deterrent. It comes with the additional perk of an LED flashlight which works with the deterrent sound and independently. There’s something, however, that is not clearly stated in the instructions, but was discovered by customers: the on/off switch is for flashlight only and when it’s on, the device won’t emit any sound, even if you press the sound buttons; however, when the switch is off, and when you press the sound button, you will hear the sound and see the flash.
The device is rather small (unlike the Sound Defense) and can fit in a pocket. However, the manufacturer says that despite the device being so small, it is still very powerful and covers an area of 50 ft.
Despite all of this announced great functionality, the consumers were still not impressed with the product’s performance.
Price: Check current price
Handheld Bark Control Device | First Alert Bark Genie
The First Alert Device is another ultrasonic option that works by emitting a high pitch ultrasonic noise that only dogs can hear. It covers 15 feet and works on all breeds. It’s cheaper than Dazer, but certainly bulkier and looks like a classic flashlight, although it doesn’t have any flash. As with any other ultrasonic devices on our list, this one has received both positive and negative reviews, with positive slightly prevailing. One customer, who worked in an animal shelter, said that the device was hit and miss since some dogs just didn’t care for the sound at all, while others seemed to appear quieter.
Price: Check current price
Pet Corrector Behavior Training
The device from the Company of Animals looks like a regular spray, but it’s not just that. When pressed, it emits a hissing sound through a quick burst of compressed air that mimics hiss of a snake or cat that distracts the dog. It can be used both as a deterrent and as a teaching tool to train your dog to not excessively bark, steal food, dig, chew, etc. One bottle costs slightly more than 10 dollars, but you can save by purchasing two or more.
Surprisingly enough, this product has received an overwhelming amount of positive reviews, with customers mostly trying it on their own pets, and not as an active animal deterrent against aggressive stray dogs.
Price: Check current price
Grannick’s Bitter Apple
This thing won’t stop a barking or aggressive dog, but will definitely discourage your pooch from chewing on your shoes, biting fur, gnawing on your furniture, or licking on her own bandages or wounds. It’s completely safe and organic, so there’s nothing to worry about in terms of safety of your dog. Simply spray the solution on the problem area and walk away. Simple as that! Besides, it works great, judging by positive consumer responses. It doesn’t cost much, so might be well worth the purchase to train your four-legged some good manners.
Price: Check current price
Well, and if nothing else worked against the annoying animal, then try this, maybe? JOKE!
12 rules of dealing with aggressive dogs in case you don’t have the repellent with you
Joggers, cyclists, fast moving people are usually get attacked by stray dogs because dogs react to movement, which triggers their chasing instincts. Besides they consider some of the areas as inherently theirs and if you happen to trespass into that area you might get in trouble. These are a few tips, according to veterinarians, to help you deal with an aggressive dog:
- Try to avoid the confrontation – don’t panic. There’s a belief that dogs can somehow “smell” human fear, well it’s not exactly that, but very close: dogs become more confident when they see that their target is intimidated. So no matter how hard it is, try to stay calm. Because if the dog sees that you’re not scared, it might, in turn, think that you’re dangerous.
- Don’t try to run. Dogs are faster so there’s no chance you can get away. Also, you can provoke the dog to attack you even if at first the dog didn’t mean any harm
- Stand still. If you are running, stop and stay calm. If the dog saw you running then it might have thought that you were a danger trespassing on her property. If you suddenly stop the dog might soon lose interest in you.
- Try to look elsewhere. Do not make an eye contact with the dog, which can make the dog more aggressive.
- Clinch a fist: in case a dog decides to bite off your fingers, it would be harder for her to so with a fist.
- Distract a dog with another object. For example, if you have a bottle of water with you, throw the bottle in another direction, if there’s nothing you can throw away, pretend that you are throwing something away.
- If nothing stops the dog, then try to firmly and confidently command her to back away.
- If that doesn’t work and the dog starts to attack you then your task becomes that of survival. Try to fight back: hit her on the nose, in the throat, or the back of the head. Try to press the dog’s neck as hard as you can. Try to press the dog against the ground with your weight.
- Cry for help as loud as you possibly can
- Protect your face and your neck
- If you managed to escape, see a doctor immediately because a series of shots might be necessary for protection against rabies.
- Report the incident to authorities
Pros and cons of dog repellents
Pros
- Can teach your dog good manners and adopt a better behavior
- Can repel aggressive dogs and save your life
Cons
- Most of the things we’ve covered are targeted at domesticated pets, so they might not work against the truly aggressive stray dogs
Comparative chart of Dog Repellents
| Product | Features |
|---|---|
| Sound Defense | For deterring 25 ft range |
| Dazzer | For deterring 20 ft range Belt clip |
| Halt | For deterring Pepper spray 0.35% capsaicin |
| DOGTEK | For deterring 3 built-in bark sensors and 1 XL ultrasonic loudspeaker 4 sensitivity settings 50 ft range |
| Orbit | For deterring 120-degree arc motion sensor 35 ft adjustable impact sprinkler 30-minute timed watering setting Over 7,500 activation cycles |
| Ortz | For dog training Whistle with adjustable frequencies Landard strap |
| SAFETY-SPORT | For dog deterring Horn with 2 distinct sounds |
| Hoont | For deterring 50 ft range Flashlight |
| First Alert | For deterring 15 ft range |
| The Company of Animals | For deterring 15 ft range Pet Corrector Behavior Training For deterring Compressed air spray |
| Grannick's | For deterring Ingredients: water, isopropanol 20%, bitter principles, and extracts |
FAQ
Is dog repellent the same as pepper spray?
Not really. Dog repellents is a huge category of products that covers ultrasonic devices, motion activated sprinklers, organic, pepper, and air-compressed sprays.
Is dog repellent safe?
All devices that we’ve covered are totally safe.
Are there any plants that are dog repellent?
You can try and grow the following plants that are believed to be unpleasant for dogs: coleus canina, ruta graveolens, mustard, citronella, rosemary, lavender, and lemongrass.
Can dog repellent be used on humans?
Ultrasonic devices have no effect on humans whatsoever. However, pepper spray will work.
How to make dog repellent?
I strongly advise staying away from doing DIY sprays, because it might be just a waste of products, resources, your time, among other things. However, if you want to try, mix the chili powder, water, oil, and alcohol (like vodka) and put the mixture in the spray bottle. This thing can hurt your beloved dog, though, so don’t try this on your pooch, please.
How to make dog repellent for furniture?
You can place a lemon water on a table nearby or spray this water on your furniture to keep your pooch from chewing on it. However, it might not be as effective as you might think.
How to make dog repellent for gardens?
Place slices of oranges or lemons throughout the flowerbeds, spray the pepper spray or lemon water on the plants.
What does dog repellent smell like?
Pepper sprays smell like pepper (surprise!), and bitter apple smells a little bit like apple vinegar.
What is a natural dog repellent?
We’ve covered a very effective product here in this guide, namely Grannick’s Bitter Apple. It works wonderfully and has been recommended by veterinarians.
Are dogs repellents legal?
Yes, totally.
Why stray dogs are dangerous?
Despite the obvious chances of getting bitten by stray dogs, there are other common concerns that are associated with having stray dogs in the neighborhood:
- Uncontrolled barking and howling, which causes threatening feel, disturbing atmosphere, and can scare young children.
- Scattered garbage from trash cans that are opened by stray dogs in search of food.
- Harming or killing domesticated pets or livestock.
- Spreading fleas.
- Spreading rabies, a deadly disease that can be passed on to humans. According to the US National Animal Interest Alliance the rabies epidemic is a global public health issue, causing tens of thousands of deaths every year.
Conclusion
Always try to avoid confrontation with a dog first. If you can and are allowed to do so by law then it might be a good idea to carry a stun gun, an air pistol, or Taser wherever you might encounter dangerous people or animals. If there’s no chance you can carry these devices, then opt for pepper spray (we’ve covered one above) that can deter an aggressive dog and buy you some time to escape. In case, you just want to scare your neighbor’s dog away, opt for Dazer ultrasonic device, which, according to consumers, works super well in these cases.
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