Customer Help: No Sound

 

When was the last time you jumped into the snow because you heard a mouse?

QUESTION: What the heck? I can't hear any sound!

We estimate that 5-10% of our customers cannot hear the toy even when it is working correctly. This is because the sound is around 12 kHz, which is very high pitched, kind of like a dog whistle. This is the upper end of human hearing, so humans with normal age-related hearing loss will not be able to hear it.

Even for humans who can hear it, it doesn't sound like any toy they have heard before. It is much quieter at about 70-80 decibels. This is about the loudness of a whisper up close.

QUESTION: What a crazy sound. Why would you use that? 

We chose this sound because it is similar to the sound a small rodent makes--like a gopher or a rat. We believe that dogs are naturally interested in this type of sound.

Some dogs feel some strange feels. 

Some dogs go absolutely crazy for it.

In the wild, canines hunt a lot of small rodents, so they are very attuned to this type of sound. 

That fox can hear the mouse even though it is beneath a foot of snow! That's incredible!

Here is what it sounds like:

This video plays the sound 4 times starting at 00:02. It has been made a lot louder, so it's easier to hear. If you can't hear the sound in this video, you won't be able to hear the sound in real life.

QUESTION: How do I know this isn't just a big bamboozle? How do I know there is any sound in that video? 

Here is a video of the toy being tested with a decibel meter. The meter starts at 42db, which is the ambient noise in the room, and jumps to 70-75db when the toy is activated. 

Notice how little it takes to activate the toy. You don't have to hit it or shake it hard. Just a little shake is enough.  

Again, if you can't hear the sound in this video, you won't be able to hear it in real life. 

QUESTION: What if my dog can't hear the noise?

Most dogs can hear the toy no problem because they have a wider range of hearing and their hearing is 4x better than ours. But if your dog has age-related hearing loss, they might not be able to hear it. A good test for hearing loss is to say one of your dog's favorite words quietly from across the room (my buddy's favorite words are 'treat,' 'dinner,' 'walk,' and his name) . Then see if your dog reacts.

Unfortunately, some toys are defective

This is less than 1% of toys. But if you are worried about this, please send us a video of you giving the toy some gentle shakes in a quiet place. And we will listen and tell you whether we can hear the toy. And if the toy is defective, we will get you a new one. 

You can reach us at: contact@superruff.com

QUESTION: Do I really have to send a video? I'm a busy person. 

Unfortunately, yes. Back when we did not require videos, 5 out of 6 returns worked perfectly fine. We can't pay for that much free, mistaken return shipping. And we aren't willing to make other customers pay for it either. We need a video to solve this problem.