Driveway Alarm

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swirt

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This came up in one of the other threads. We have a driveway alarm (Reporter - Wireless Alert ) that that alerts us to people pulling into our driveway or parking area. It consists of a receiver that plugs in at the house and a motion detector outside that sends a radio signal to the receiver when it is triggered.
driveway-alert.jpg

We use it because my office is in the basement and so is my workshop so it gives me a few extra seconds to get upstairs and get the dog put into the back before they knock on the door and he starts barking (he typically only barks if someone knocks) So it lets me intercept them before they knock and I can usually meet them in the parking area with their paperwork for check-in.
I don't recommend it if you have a lot of traffic or people walking in or around your driveway entrance as you may get a lot of false alarms, but out here in the country, the only people pulling in are either guests, or deliveries.
We unplug the alarm after all of our check-ins have arrived...we don't need to know about their comings and goings after that.
In our particular case, our parking area is a little oddly shaped so we have an extra motion detector that talks to the same receiver.
Overall it works pretty well. Occasionally it stops alerting us to cars and it either means the batteries in the detector are dead (we only need to change them once a year (4-AA) ) or spiders have built too thick a web in the opening of the detector so I have to go out with a q-tip and wipe out the cobwebs.
We've had ours for 6 years now and it is still working fine.
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!
 
We love ours. Our house is fairly soundproof (I built it that way) so it's good to be alerted when someone shows up. We turn ours off at night as well because it gets set off A LOT by deer, raccoons, etc.
Our drive is about a quarter of mile long and winding through the woods so we don't know if anyone is here until they're practically at the door. As word has gotten out about us, we're starting to get the nuisance drop-in looky-loos. We may end up getting a keypad lock on our front gate.
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries.
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
SweetiePie said:
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries.
Yeah but the clean-up stinks ;)
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
We have both the reporter and the four-legged model. However, the four legged model is admonished NOT to bark in the house...our being small, and her having a big voice, barking is strongly discouraged!
 
We love ours. Our house is fairly soundproof (I built it that way) so it's good to be alerted when someone shows up. We turn ours off at night as well because it gets set off A LOT by deer, raccoons, etc.
Our drive is about a quarter of mile long and winding through the woods so we don't know if anyone is here until they're practically at the door. As word has gotten out about us, we're starting to get the nuisance drop-in looky-loos. We may end up getting a keypad lock on our front gate..
We love ours.
Do you have the same kind, or something different?
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
.
We never could figure it out. We'd change the battery, clear away the webs, reset it....it always went from bad to worse. We went through two of them.
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
.
We never could figure it out. We'd change the battery, clear away the webs, reset it....it always went from bad to worse. We went through two of them.
.
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
.
We never could figure it out. We'd change the battery, clear away the webs, reset it....it always went from bad to worse. We went through two of them.
.
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
.
swirt said:
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
It's the Dakota Alert WR-3000. It's been doing great now for a couple of years.
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
SweetiePie said:
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries.
Yeah but the clean-up stinks ;)
.
You're right but we have the all-purpose model which makes it worth it. He has mastered table scrap cleanup, dishwashing and vacuuming but we're still working on the Swiffering. He gets overexcited at times and knocks the knicknacks off the table.
 
We love ours. Our house is fairly soundproof (I built it that way) so it's good to be alerted when someone shows up. We turn ours off at night as well because it gets set off A LOT by deer, raccoons, etc.
Our drive is about a quarter of mile long and winding through the woods so we don't know if anyone is here until they're practically at the door. As word has gotten out about us, we're starting to get the nuisance drop-in looky-loos. We may end up getting a keypad lock on our front gate..
We love ours.
Do you have the same kind, or something different?
.
Dakota Alert WR-3000
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
We have both the reporter and the four-legged model. However, the four legged model is admonished NOT to bark in the house...our being small, and her having a big voice, barking is strongly discouraged!
.
How DO you get them to learn to use their indoor voice?
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
We have both the reporter and the four-legged model. However, the four legged model is admonished NOT to bark in the house...our being small, and her having a big voice, barking is strongly discouraged!
.
How DO you get them to learn to use their indoor voice?
.
SweetiePie said:
How DO you get them to learn to use their indoor voice?
Haven't you seen that commercial for the little carpet cleaner where the woman runs a doggie daycare in her house? 'Use your inside voice,' she tells the dog (Mr Jingles).
Depending on how old the dog is and how long s/he's been using the outside voice, what I have found is that acknowledging the dog on the first woof, 'Good boy/girl, you let me know!' usually calms them down. They have done their part now it's in your hands. If you ignore them or tell them to be quiet without acknowledging that they have done their job, they have to keep it up.
From that point, if they don't have to howl to let you know what's happening, they usually bark once and are done. It'll take a few weeks of consistent acknowledgment and reward. (Whatever you use to reward the dog with- treats, pats, whatever.)
If you're ok with barking but don't want it to be loud you have to go to the dog while it is barking and hold its mouth closed and tell it to (pick whatever command will mean 'shhh') and keep doing this until the dog barks quietly. You can also teach a hand signal at the same time.
My dog 'woofles'. No barking, she just does this little 'woof woof' when the doorbell rings. We thank her for the warning and then go answer the door. She goes back to sleep (unless I leave the door open, then she comes out to take a look).
When I got her she was the loudest dog in the pound. Hurling herself at the gate and barking like there was no tomorrow. If she hadn't been so dang cute, I might have gone with a quieter dog.
 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
.
We never could figure it out. We'd change the battery, clear away the webs, reset it....it always went from bad to worse. We went through two of them.
.
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
.
swirt said:
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
It's the Dakota Alert WR-3000. It's been doing great now for a couple of years.
.
Oh I get it, its a probe you bury in the driveway. I was picturing a rubber hose like at the gas stations.
dakota.jpg

 
I'm glad you've gotten 6 years of use from that model. We had that same one and got less than 1 year. After replacing it with a new one, the new one wasn't consistent with alerting us either. We finally went to a different system where there is a hose on the driveway and when they drive over it the alarm goes off in our house and in the inn's kitchen (since that's where I spend so much time).
Having a monitor is wonderful! No longer am I always on alert listening for car doors or wondering if someone has arrived. I do keep mine on 24 hours a day, so if someone drives up late at night after all our guests are in and they are looking for a room, etc I can head them off at the pass before they get to the front door and ring the doorbell which could disturb 1 of my rooms. In fact, it happened just 2 nights ago....some guy drives in at 10:30pm looking for a room. It's going to happen more and more even though we are definitely off the beaten path and in the past you had to know where we were to find us. Now with GPS, it's happening more. Ugh!.
Hee hee... that brings back memories of the Ding-Ding when you'd drive into a gas station.
Do you know what went bad on your first one? (detector or receiver?)
I've actually been surprised I haven't had to replace a detector as they sit outside in some pretty bad weather year round. For the price, I never expected it to last as long as it has.
.
We never could figure it out. We'd change the battery, clear away the webs, reset it....it always went from bad to worse. We went through two of them.
.
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
.
swirt said:
That's strange. Do you have the make or name of the one you use now?
It's the Dakota Alert WR-3000. It's been doing great now for a couple of years.
.
Oh I get it, its a probe you bury in the driveway. I was picturing a rubber hose like at the gas stations.
dakota.jpg

.
Interesting! They've changed it since we bought it a couple of years ago. Our IS the rubber hose like at the gas station. This one looks better, so if our hose ever goes out, we'll try this one.
 
We have the original driveway alarm. It is the Woof Woof model. Always alerts us when someone is here and doesn't require new batteries..
We have both the reporter and the four-legged model. However, the four legged model is admonished NOT to bark in the house...our being small, and her having a big voice, barking is strongly discouraged!
.
How DO you get them to learn to use their indoor voice?
.
SweetiePie said:
How DO you get them to learn to use their indoor voice?
Haven't you seen that commercial for the little carpet cleaner where the woman runs a doggie daycare in her house? 'Use your inside voice,' she tells the dog (Mr Jingles).
Depending on how old the dog is and how long s/he's been using the outside voice, what I have found is that acknowledging the dog on the first woof, 'Good boy/girl, you let me know!' usually calms them down. They have done their part now it's in your hands. If you ignore them or tell them to be quiet without acknowledging that they have done their job, they have to keep it up.
From that point, if they don't have to howl to let you know what's happening, they usually bark once and are done. It'll take a few weeks of consistent acknowledgment and reward. (Whatever you use to reward the dog with- treats, pats, whatever.)
If you're ok with barking but don't want it to be loud you have to go to the dog while it is barking and hold its mouth closed and tell it to (pick whatever command will mean 'shhh') and keep doing this until the dog barks quietly. You can also teach a hand signal at the same time.
My dog 'woofles'. No barking, she just does this little 'woof woof' when the doorbell rings. We thank her for the warning and then go answer the door. She goes back to sleep (unless I leave the door open, then she comes out to take a look).
When I got her she was the loudest dog in the pound. Hurling herself at the gate and barking like there was no tomorrow. If she hadn't been so dang cute, I might have gone with a quieter dog.
.
I agree with Bree as to training method. As the "Omega" of our little pack here, LG feels like it is her job to be the lookout and the first to raise the alarm. When we first got her, she was about a year old and it was pretty difficult to get the barking to stop. But I too figured out that when you praise her for alerting you and don't scold her or get frustrated, she quiets right down. Plus, I keep the jar of treats on the counter when I go out to greet guests. She knows she gets one if she does not bark once they are in the house. This in effect makes check in a positive thing for her.
Most of the time, guests would never even know that we have two big dogs if they didn't want to. They always exclaim "They're so quiet" or "They're so well behaved!". I tell them that they have no choice given their professions!
Getting frustrated is the best way to lose control......hmmmm...same applies with guests and LIFE!
 
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