Olfactory Failure
Dusty has developed an annoying habit of barking. She’ll be peacefully resting on the couch next to me and then start barking. Incessantly. Or she’ll be playing with a toy (or my sneakers) and then stop, look at me, and bark. Since she’s only 5 pounds, these barks are VERY high-pitched. And since she doesn’t stop, I’ve been tempted to drop her from our 8th floor window.
Then, Matt spoke with a neighbor of ours who owns a Shih Tzu (FYI – it seems like every tenant in our building has a Shih Tzu). This neighbor said her dog went through a barking phase and they addressed it with a citronella dog collar.
Well, you don’t have to twist my arm. I ordered one and it arrived yesterday. The way it works is that a box is attached to a collar. When the dog barks, a microphone picks up the vibration and a spray of citronella comes out. The citronella is harmless to the dog – but, like mosquitos, they apparently don’t like the smell.
After spending an eternity trying to assemble the thing, I tested it by blowing into the microphone. It sprayed into the air and I realized I love the smell. I wouldn’t mind using it as a room freshener. Hell, I’d wear the damn thing.
Anyway, you’re not supposed to leave it on the dog when you’re not around so I took the collar off and headed off to dinner with a friend. When I returned, I eagerly awaited Dusty’s barking ritual so we could test it. She finally barked, I put the collar on her, and she stopped barking even without the citronella having to spray.
I did it again this morning and the same thing happened. I started to worry that I needlessly spent $100 on a dog collar when I could have just spent $2.99 for a standard collar.
And then it happened. After running around trying to remove the collar* she came over to me, looked up, and barked. I’m not sure who jumped further – Dusty or me. The spray came out and it was like she started floating. It all happened so quickly it was like the scene in The Matrix when that stop-sequence kick-action took place. Everything felt like it had happened in slow motion and I just remember the shock on her face…and all four paws hovering above the floor.
It did stop her barking, though. And, it made the living room smell fresh.
But now it makes me wonder if my nose is out of whack. I mean, I also like the smell of skunk. Wasn’t that smell specifically created to offend predators?
*the collar is supposed to fit all dogs. But Dusty is so small that I think it weighs her head down. The box is about 2″x1.5″x1″ and is bigger than her neck.
3 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
You’re not wierd…I LOVE the smell of citronella…reminds me of camping trips growing up. But, aside from the nostalgia, I think it’s a nice clean scent.
I do, however, think you are extremely odd for liking the smell of skunk. That stuff’s just nasty.
Arf! Arf! Arf! [psssst!] [???] …..
Citronella is a good smell.
I wonder if she might get conditioned enough by the special colalr that eventually any old colalr will work, and you won’t need to have her head weighed down.