My dog won't bark if she sees me knock or if I ring the doorbell. I try using this method when I am home but it won't work when I'm away at college and she is at home with my parents. I think I'm just going to tell my mother to crate Autumn whenever my stepdad is at home, he's gone most of the day. The problem is she is scared of cages bacause she came from a puppy mill and she always gets really sressed out and finds ways to escape. She also barks the whole time she is in the crate and you can hear her even if the crate is in the basment. No problem solved there. I think the collar is my only option since I don't want to surgically remove her vocal cords.