Ultrasonic Dog Repeller: How to Keep Stray Dogs Out of Your Garden
Greetings from Tyrol · CES Innovation Award 2023 · Made in Söll
Ultrasonic dog repeller: how to keep other people’s dogs out of your garden
The neighbour’s dog in your flower bed, dog poo on the lawn, strays along the fence — and you want neither a row with the neighbour nor to hurt the dog. An ultrasonic dog repeller solves exactly that. Here’s how it works, where its limits are and which device is actually worth it.
See IREPELL.one — €269 Jump to comparison
In short
An ultrasonic dog repeller emits sound between 20 and 65 kHz — inaudible to people, unpleasant for dogs. The dog avoids the area without being harmed. What matters: motion sensor, changing frequencies and range. Cheap fixed-frequency units lose their effect within weeks; AI-controlled devices like IREPELL.one don’t.
Contents
How ultrasound works on dogs
Dogs hear up to roughly 65,000 Hz; we humans manage 20,000 Hz — and by 40 most of us stop at around 16,000. A dog repeller uses exactly that gap: it emits sound that is silence to you but a piercing whistle to the dog. The dog links the sound to the place and avoids it.
Three things decide whether that lasts:
- Motion sensor. The device only emits when a dog actually approaches. A constant tone dulls the effect and drains the battery.
- Frequency change. A dog gets used to an always-identical tone within two to three weeks. Devices that vary frequency and pattern stay effective.
- Sound pressure and angle. Ultrasound travels directionally. A device with one speaker protects a cone, not a garden. IREPELL.one has six speakers for full 360°.
IREPELL adds a second stimulus: a strobe light that boosts the surprise effect at night, and a predator-sound element that triggers the flight instinct. The dog isn’t punished — it gets a clear signal: not here.
When ultrasound doesn’t work — honestly
I’ve seen enough dogs in Tyrol to know this: no device works the same on every dog. Know these cases before you buy:
- Old, hard-of-hearing dogs. If a dog can’t hear any more, it won’t react to ultrasound either. With a 14-year-old Labrador, a fence helps more.
- Cheap fixed-frequency units. One tone, one frequency, no sensor — after two to three weeks the dog ignores it. That’s behind all those “doesn’t do anything” reviews.
- Wrong placement. Device behind the hedge, sensor facing the house wall: the dog comes from the other side and the device never notices.
- Your own dog. If your dog lives in the garden, only switch on the modes you need — otherwise you drive him off too. More on that below.
- Highly motivated dogs. A bitch in heat next door or the cat’s bowl on the terrace: for a moment that drive overrides any deterrent. Remove the attraction first, then set up the device.
For everything else — the neighbour’s dog that pees in your bed every day, strays at the bins, dogs running along the fence — ultrasound is the cleanest solution there is.
Dog deterrents compared: what actually works
I lined up every method garden owners use. Judged on what counts: does it still work after three months, what does it cost per year, and does it cause trouble with the neighbours?
| Method | Effect | Habituation | Neighbours | Cost/year | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI ultrasound (IREPELL) | high, 360°, lasting | none — frequency changes | invisible, inaudible | €269 one-off, power ~€8 | irrelevant |
| Cheap ultrasound (€20–40) | moderate at first | after 2–3 weeks | discreet | ~€60 (replacements + batteries) | often not rainproof |
| Dog whistle | only while you’re there | fast | neighbour sees you whistling | €10 | — |
| Spray / granules | weak, lasts days | yes | smell, chemicals in the soil | €80–150 | gone after rain |
| Motion-sensor sprinkler | high at first | after weeks | soaks the postman too | €60–120 + water | frost = off |
| 1.80 m fence | high | none | “What have they got against us?” | €1,500–4,000 one-off | irrelevant |
Costs are typical market figures, not guarantees. The fence is the only real competitor — but only if looks, cost and neighbourly relations don’t matter to you.
Keeping the neighbour’s dog out — without losing the neighbour
Recently at a friend’s alpine hut near Söll: the neighbour’s Border Collie came across the meadow every evening and marked the herb bed. My friend didn’t want a row — they meet at the farmers’ market, the kids go to school together. A fence would have looked like a declaration of war.
The fix was unspectacular: IREPELL.one by the bed, dog mode, sensor facing the meadow. After four days the Collie still came to the edge of the meadow, turned around and left. The neighbour never found out why his dog suddenly preferred to stay home. That’s the point: ultrasound settles the problem without you having to raise it.
If you do want to mention it, a good line: “I’ve put something up that gently keeps him away — it doesn’t hurt him.” No accusation, no argument.
Where to place it: driveway, flower bed, toilet corner
Most disappointments with a dog repeller are placement errors. Do it like this:
1. Where does the dog get in?
Don’t place it where the dog wants to go, but where it arrives. Driveway, gap in the hedge, end of the fence. The sensor has to see the path before the dog is in the bed.
2. Height 30–50 cm
Dog knee height. Mounted too high, the sound passes over it; too low, the grass dampens it. Wall mount and stand are included with IREPELL.
3. Clear line of sight
Ultrasound doesn’t go round corners. A planter in front of the device halves the range. The 250 m² apply to an open garden — with hedges, sheds and walls count on about 150 m².
4. The toilet corner separately
Dogs have fixed spots. If the corner is behind the house and the driveway is at the front, you need two positions — that’s what IREPELL.duo is for. Alternative: secure the corner first, because the dog will usually then avoid the whole garden.
5. Got your own dog? Limit the modes
In the app you pick only the species you want to keep away. “Dog” mode off, marten and cat on — your dog notices nothing, the marten in the carport does. For other people’s dogs, switch dog mode on while yours is indoors and toggle it from the app.
Practical tip: keep a diary for the first three days — when the dog comes, and from where. Then adjust the device. After a week it’s usually quiet.
Is an ultrasonic dog repeller legal?
In Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the UK: yes, on your own property. What matters under animal-welfare rules is that the animal suffers no pain or harm — ultrasound is unpleasant, not injurious. That’s what separates it from electric fences or spike mats.
Two rules to follow: don’t aim the device deliberately at the neighbouring property, and don’t use devices that produce audible sound above 85 dB. IREPELL works in the range humans can’t hear, so that issue doesn’t arise.
Why we build IREPELL in Söll
Neighbour’s dog, strays, poo in the flower bed — peace within a week.
Try it for 30 days. If the dog keeps coming, send it back and get every cent returned.
Order IREPELL.one nowIREPELL.one or .duo — which suits your garden?
IREPELL.one
- One access point: driveway, terrace or bed
- Up to 250 m² open, approx. 150 m² built-up
- Battery + mains, app, 16 species
- 30-day money-back, 2-year warranty
IREPELL.duo
- Two positions: driveway and toilet corner
- Up to 300 m², synced via app
- For yards, apartment blocks, large gardens
- Cheaper than 2× .one
Anita knows every device
We’re a small team in Söll. Anita checks every IREPELL before it goes out to you — speakers, sensors, app pairing. Not a mass-market product from the Far East, but Tyrolean craft with a CES Innovation Award 2023. Free shipping.
Frequently asked questions about ultrasonic dog repellers
Does my own dog hear the ultrasound too?
Yes, if dog mode is active. That’s why you switch on only the species you want to keep away in the app — for martens, cats or mice your dog is unaffected. Deter other people’s dogs while yours is not in the garden and toggle it from the app.
What range does an ultrasonic dog repeller have?
IREPELL.one up to 250 m² in an open garden, about 150 m² with hedges and walls. Ultrasound doesn’t go round corners — a clear line of sight from the device to the access point matters more than the number on the box.
Is ultrasound against dogs legal?
Yes, on your own property. It causes the dog no harm. Just don’t aim the device deliberately at the neighbouring property.
Do all dogs react to ultrasound?
Most, but not all. Old dogs with poor hearing barely react; highly motivated dogs (bitch in heat, food) briefly won’t. Dogs get used to cheap fixed-frequency units within two to three weeks — AI-controlled devices change frequency and stay effective.
What frequency does a dog repeller need?
Between 20 and 65 kHz — above human hearing, within canine hearing. More important than a fixed number is that the device varies the frequency.
Does ultrasound help against dog poo in the garden?
Yes, if you place the device where the dog has its fixed spot and cover the access point. Also clean the old spots thoroughly — otherwise the smell keeps attracting.
What’s the difference from a €30 repeller?
One speaker instead of six, a fixed frequency instead of AI variation, usually no motion sensor and no app. Those devices work at first but lose their effect within weeks — hence all the disappointment.
How fast does it work?
With dogs, often within the first few days. After a week it’s quiet in most cases. If not: check the placement, remove attractions — and you have 30 days to send it back.
More on dogs in the garden
Your garden. Your peace. No row with the neighbour.
30 days risk-free · Free shipping · 2-year warranty · CES Innovation Award 2023
Order IREPELL.one for €26930-day money-back · Free shipping Order now
