Microphone to hear what is setting my dog off?
 

Can anyone recommend a reasonably-priced (under $100) microphone that I can place or use in my back yard to get an idea what might be upsetting my dog?

She started barking at something about four weeks ago, and I can't figure out what it could be, so I thought I'd try to see if it is something she is hearing that I can't hear.

Obviously it could be a new smell or something else in the neighbourhood, but I thought I'd start by seeing if it's a sound.

I've tried walking all around the neighbourhood to see if I can find anything new, but so far everything seems to be the same as before she started barking.

I'm not sure what I would be connecting the microphone to. I guess I could get one of those ones where it's a dish kind of thing and you listen through headphones? I have made a few search attempts on Amazon, but haven't found anything like what I was expecting so far.

Thanks!

Except that a microphone that could pick up sounds beyond human hearing (20 - 20k htz ) would not work unless you also had a playback system that goes beyond 20-20k .. And even then even while you might be able to see signals being generated beyond human hearing hitting some kind of meter, you would still not be able to hear it, without some kind of software (if it exists) that can render the signal back into the human range, which may still make it not distinguishable as to source.

My thinking was that the dog could hear something too quiet for me to hear, not too high-pitched.

Well, if it's above 20k, it would also be quiet to you.

Did someone at the other end of town just buy a banjo...? :eek:

LOL, could be, it's the right part of the world.

Unfortunately, it could be anything.
Things to look for.....
New construction within a mile or two - You'd be surprised how far they can hear, and the vibrations in the air can be quite upsetting to some animals. Also, reversing beepers at the construction site travel a great distance.
New pets in the area - Maybe even new neighbors
Possums in the trees
Mice skittering around the house
She's not on heat at all?

Something to consider, purchasing one of those compression comforting dog blankets/coats.

I hope you find a solution, nothing worse than having the authorities or neighbors knocking on your door complaining about the noise, been there, dealt with that a number of times.

Uhh, how about 'don't leave your dog outside at night'?
An animal rustling through the bushes or in the neighbor's yard - racoon, skunk, cat...

No, she was spayed years ago.

I'm not sure what gave you the idea that I leave her outside at night, but I don't--I don't leave her outside EVER; she has a doggie door to come and go onto the deck and into her fenced-in yard as she pleases.

Any way, thanks for the responses so far. Does anyone have any actual suggestions for the type of microphone that I am thinking of? This would be a microphone that I could use to hear things that my dog might be hearing that are too quiet for me to hear, as opposed to being out of the range of human hearing.

Usually my dog barks when she sees or smells another animal. Also if she hears another dog barking, there's about 25 dogs in out neighborhood. My wife doesn't notice the little things that trigger our dog, often they're subtle.

Well "assuming" the sound is too quiet as opposed to out of human range ( a 50/50 chance at best) I am guessing by your posts what you are talking about is a parabolic listening device/mic headset combination, like https://www.ebay.com/itm/Parabolic-S...75.c1#viTabs_0

There are cheaper ones just google "parabolic listening device "
BUT be aware not only is it likely very much " you get what pay for "
But even a good one is going to be very directional and will pick up all sounds including wind and all typical neighborhood sounds and may not really inform you as to what is actually setting off your dog .... just sayin'

My first thought - probably a raccoon, squirrels or even something like chipmunks burrowing under your porch?

Doesn't take much to set them off.

When my dogs bark at something, they invariably stare intently in the direction of whatever it is they're barking at, which gives me a pretty good idea of where to look to see what's causing it. Could be squirrels, raccoons, birds, people . . . . We used to have an really wound-up little terrier mix who, especially as he got older and his eyesight started to go, would bark at leaves falling off of trees. :rolleyes:

Of course, it's also really easy to inadvertently train a dog to bark just to get its owners' attention. (Done that.)

Thank you, the word "parabolic" was what was missing from my searching, so that helped, but it showed me that I would need to spend way more than would be justified. I am tempted to get one of the "toy" ones to play with, but I'll probably just leave it and just explore all the other possible reasons for my dogs change in behaviour.

Yes, my dog does exactly that, but I can't see what she's looking at, or thinks she's looking at. I've walked over to where she's looking at, and around the area, but I can't find anything that wasn't already there before she started barking, which has now been going on for maybe a month.