Big Bark

No more shouting

Supplier: Sound Riding
Reviewed independently by: Bob Sharpe & Eleanor Balchin

Description: The product is a small personal PA system, comprising of a speaker which is attached to a belt around the instructors waist, and headband microphone, allowing an Instructor to be easily heard either from distance or more usually over-excited barking dogs.

                    Main Features

What we liked:

Eleanor: As an agility instructor for the past 20 years, I have always had a problem with getting people to hear me. Imagine my delight when flicking through an equestrian free ad mart to come across Sound Riding and more specifically the Big Voice (subsequently known as Big Bark), a product which seemed to offer everything I was looking for at a price I could afford. I phoned my order through straight away and a few days later it arrived.

Many dogs bark when they are working and it is hard to give handlers that crucial instruction at exactly the right time. Even when they stop, the dog may still be excited and will keep barking while you try to explain what went wrong.

In a class situation often dogs waiting to work will bark and although you can explain to an individual handler what has gone wrong it would benefit the rest of the class to share this information and save having to make the same point again and again because the rest of the class can't hear what you are saying.  With this in mind I have for several years been looking out for some kind of voice amplification system which was relatively inexpensive and also portable without having to resort to a megaphone. 

Bob: I was initially sceptical as to the amount of use I would give the product, but it has become a useful tool and a constant companion at indoor training sessions. It has certainly made class teaching much easier and more productive.

It allows me to give clear instructions from a distance much greater than when relying solely on their own voice. It is ideal in indoor equestrian centres where the sound of over excited barking dogs makes it impossible to give instructions from all but the nearest vicinity.

It is of particular importance when directing training exercises from a distance and allows the Instructor greater freedom of movement allowing instruction to be given to groups rather than individuals. How often do a succession of handlers make the same mistake but the instructor has to correct and comment each one individually because of the noise in cramped indoor areas. With this system all participants can hear solutions immediately and hopefully correct prior to working, thus saving both instructor and pupil valuable learning time

Could be improved:

Bob: The system on first viewing seems a little bulky and not particularly pleasing on the eye but this should be ignored for within minutes the wearer is oblivious to its presence and can move freely without any thought that they are wearing the product and, therefore, enjoy the benefits.

Eleanor: On the negative side the head set is not that comfortable unless you are wearing a hat. Ironically the hard of hearing cannot hear it - something to do with the frequency, but apart from that I would not be without it.

Design & production:

Eleanor: The product consists of a belt which holds the speaker and a headset for the microphone, the two being connected by a single wire. The battery pack which is contained in the speaker belt charges overnight and is said to last for 12 hours. I teach 16 hours a week and, although I don't use it so much in the classes where there are two groups running as it can cause confusion, if I turn the speaker off when I'm not using it I can go for up to a month without recharging the battery.

Bob: On first inspection, the speaker appears a little bulky, but on use that is not the case. The mouthpiece which is attached to a headband stays in place well although you do need to wear some form of headgear to ensure it stays in place. There is an adaptor to recharge the batteries and a very solid carrying/storage case all which results in a solid robust package.

Price: £99.00, including courier delivery in the UK. Special discount price of £89.00 for dog agility trainers, when quoting this reference: WOOF1

Value for Money:

Bob: This is a personal matter and depends on what the Instructor wants to offer. I personally make a good living from training and therefore treat this system as ONE tool in a bag that makes me a little better than my competitors. I treat training seriously and would justify its purchase in this manner. It may be harder for the infrequent, volunteer Instructor to justify the outlay but in that case it would be quite affordable for a club to purchase and share.

Overall rating:

Bob: Initially I thought it would be a 7/10 as I would have limited use for it, restricting myself to use in small indoor arenas. I have since used it outside where the barking was less off putting. While I thought it would be less effective, the handlers commented on how much clearer the instruction was and classes have progressed quicker than previously.

My wife Pauline has also used the system when teaching in her larger pet obedience sessions and finds it ideal in an environment where one is continually giving instruction to handlers with less well focused dogs. I would therefore score an 8/10 and improving.

Eleanor: The product has done everything I wanted it to do. When I tell the class the course, I no longer have to repeat myself again and again.  I can give instructions to the handler before something goes wrong so that their timing can improve and the rest of the class can now listen to the instructions I am giving out on the course so that they can learn from others mistakes. No more shouting, no more sore throats.

About the Reviewers...

Bob Sharpe has competed in agility for six years. He runs his rescue dog Meg in G7 and brothers Flynn and Moss in G6 and G4 respectively. An avid follower of Greg Derrett's training methods, he runs The Field of Dreams Agility Training School in North Lincolnshire with Hannah Houldsworth.

He could not do it without the fantastic support from his long suffering wife, Pauline.

Eleanor Balchin has run  Pachesham Agility Dogs with her husband Ian. She has been competing and instructing in agility since the 1980s since. She lives in Surrey.

First published  26/04/09

First published 07/05/09

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