Hey Google… Bark Like a Dog

Summary

The family has found a creative use for their new Google Home device to deter their cat, Peaches, from sleeping on the stereo receiver.

Abstract

Peaches, the family's cat, has a habit of sleeping on the stereo receiver, much to the annoyance of the husband, James. Despite various attempts to dissuade her, Peaches persistently returns to her cozy spot. The arrival of a Google Home device has provided James with a new strategy; he uses voice commands to make the device bark like a dog or growl like a mountain lion, effectively scaring Peaches away and proving the device's unexpected utility in the household.

Opinions

James is frustrated with Peaches' habit of sleeping on the stereo receiver and is concerned about cat hair damaging the equipment.
The wife uses the Google Home primarily for practical purposes like checking the weather or muting the TV.
James finds the Google Home's ability to scare away Peaches as a novel and beneficial feature, indicating his satisfaction with the device beyond its intended use.

Our New Google Home Proves Useful

Our cat, Peaches, likes to sleep on the receiver for our stereo. It’s nice and warm and tucked into a nook under where our TV is hung — very cozy. This annoys my husband, James, to no end. He’s sure she is filling the receiver up with cat hair, which she probably is. He’s put rolled up tape on top of the receiver, and tried a variety of other ways to keep that from being a hospitable spot, but Peaches keeps finding her way back. She’s very determined. Until now.

We got a Google Home for Christmas. It sits on the corner of the receiver. James put it there on purpose. I pretty much only use it to ask what the weather is like or perhaps to mute the TV if the phone rings, but for James, it’s got a new and wonderful purpose.

Now whenever Peaches jumps up on the receiver he says to it, “Hey Google… bark like a dog.” If she still doesn’t move, he tries again. “Hey Google… turn the volume up to 8 and growl like a mountain lion. That one usually does the trick. Poor Peaches. But at least our new Google Home is really turning out to be useful.