iPhone app - Dog Tricks & Bark Machine

Back in early February, I was given a promo code for the iPhone app Dog Tricks & Bark Machine (website) I have been having so much fun with this app that I forgot to write a review :-)

This is two applications in one - Tricks and Bark Machine. This app works on both the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

Bark Machine

This is the part of the app that I have been having the most fun with. There are eight different sounds (woof, meow, doorbell, fire truck, click, squeaky, high frequency whistle, and door knock) Playing with these can drive my dog nuts, and cause me great amusement! There can be a training aspect to the sounds as well - my dog is very reactive to a knock on the door, so I have been able to start to desensitize her to the sound with this app!




Tricks

Tricks is a dog training app, that gives you a bunch of basic commands, as well as some games and tricks you can teach your dog. There are also sections for advice on behaviour issues, and some useful tricks/games specifically for puppies. The developers have added some fluff in the application as well - some cute photos and a mini encyclopedia of common dog breeds.

You can choose "All Tricks" for an alphabetical listing of all the information available in the Tricks part of the app, or you can choose "Random" and shake your iPhone to randomly pick a trick with a Bark Machine sound. There is also a "Search" button if you know the name of the command you are looking for.

Each command is first shown as a couple of clear photos, and then you can press "info" for the step by step text instructions. I found the instructions were pretty clear and easy to follow.

Overall, I think this is a great little app, and is well worth $2.99 (although according to the website it is currently free for a limited time). While I recommend seeking out a professional dog trainer if you are new to having dogs or if you are having issues with your dog, I think this app is a great addition to your training package!