Will Noise-Cancelling Headphones Block Out Dog Barking? (Explained)

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If you’re at the end of your rope and looking for peace from loud dog barking, should you fork over extra dollars to get a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones?

Noise-cancelling headphones are great for completely blocking out steady sounds and diminishing noises that are louder or irregular. Your headphones could completely block out a dog’s bark, depending on how close you are and how loud it is. 

Noise-cancelling headphones decrease noise, so you can enjoy more of what you love without distractions! In the rest of this article, we’ll explain how these noise-cancelling headphones help you block out all the annoying sounds in your life. 

Will Noise-Cancelling Headphones Block Out Dog Barking?

Being around a loud dog can be frustrating, especially when trying to enjoy your favorite shows or music. 

Dog barks range from simple growls to large and loud howls. Regular, rowdy barking can reach up to 90 decibels- without howling. If you’re constantly hearing dog barking, a pair of quality noise-cancelling headphones might be your best solution!

The exact amount of noise cancellation will partially depend on the type of headphones. Cheaper headphones will not work as well as some premium brands. Check out the below video to help you choose the right one for your needs. 

Another factor in fully blocking out a dog’s bark depends on how close you are to the sound. If the dog is near and loud, a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones will minimize the sound but not eliminate it. If the dog is farther away and not as loud, you won’t hear it with your headphones on. 

Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out All Sound?

Often, noise-cancelling headphones will not block out all sounds around you but dampen them. The noise level will decrease significantly with headphones on if you are in a very loud environment, such as an airport or cafeteria. However, using your headphones in a quieter area with steady sounds, like at home or in a coffee shop, may block out all noise. 

Noise-cancelling headphones have extra components that set them apart from noise-reduction headphones. One of these components is the little microphones that allow them to acknowledge certain noises at lower frequencies to reduce noise pollution. 

Simply put, noise-cancelling headphones remove sounds at the same frequency, like a plane engine or tires on the road. They don’t work well with loud or irregular sounds, like a dog’s bark. Barking does not stay at the same frequency, making the sound harder to detect. 

Will Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out Loud Music?

Maybe your neighbor doesn’t have a loud dog but plays their music loud all the time. It’s frustrating trying to focus when bass-thumping music is pounding through your skull. 

Noise-cancelling headphones will help dampen the sound of loud music, but it is unlikely that they will fully remove it. Music is often inconsistent, mixed with lower and higher frequencies. Thus, noise-cancelling headphones will have difficulty blocking out all the sounds. 

However, while the extra microphone in your headphones may have trouble monitoring the differing sounds, the padding around the earpieces will still provide you with some noise dampening.

Your best bet is to play music on your headphones at a loud enough volume to cancel out the extra decibels that your headphones cannot cover. 

Will Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out TV?

We all know that one person who keeps the TV just a little too loud. It can get frustrating if you’re trying to work on something and the TV is on. If you can’t get them to turn it down quieter by politely asking, then noise-cancelling headphones should be on your to-get list!

A good set of closed-designed noise-cancelling headphones will block out about 80% of TV sounds. While it won’t remove all the noise- especially on shows with horrible compression editing, it will dampen it enough for you to focus.  

Why Don’t My Noise Cancelling Headphones Block All TV Noises?

TV shows and movies notoriously have unbalanced sound profiles. Conversations between characters are quiet, while theme songs, background tracks, and explosions blow you away. 

The differing levels of sound are hard for your headphones to follow. It does best with sounds that stay at the same level, such as a regular conversation between characters. The headphones are unprepared for a sudden loud noise, like an explosion. 

Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out Snoring?

Light sleepers sharing a space with loud snorers can all commiserate about getting a bad night of sleep. You can eliminate the sound of snoring with a good set of noise-cancelling headphones. 

Besides cancelling the snoring with their built-in sound-proof features, you can also play music on them. Playing soft music to fall asleep can be very soothing and is an extra sound coverage if the snoring is still too loud. 

Can You Sleep with Noise Cancelling Headphones On?

It is completely safe to sleep with noise-cancelling headphones- much safer than sleeping with traditional earplugs or corded earphones. Noise-cancelling headphones are a great alternative because they comfortably fit over your ears and do a great job of blocking out sounds. 

While they are completely safe to sleep with, you might have trouble trying to get to sleep wearing them. They are often clunky and uncomfortable. Sleeping on your back while you wear them will give you the most comfortable position possible. 

Will Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out Drilling?

Drilling is a loud and annoying process, and if your walls are right up against someone doing DIY work, you’ll hear it often. 

The best way to drone out the frustrating sound of drilling is with noise-cancelling headphones. 

One perk about drilling is that it is a steady sound. Your headphones can block most of the sound because the frequency will stay stable. 

Final Thoughts

If you are around loud noises regularly, a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can help! These types of headphones work by removing steady, lower-frequency sounds best. A dog’s bark has a wide range of sounds that noise-cancelling headphones may struggle to follow. While it may have trouble completely blocking the noise, it will still greatly diminish it!