BarkSkip didn't start as a product idea. It started as a list. I kept the list in Apple Notes at first, then moved it into a spreadsheet. Back then, we used this list to decide what could go on the TV. Here it is, exactly as I wrote it:
Things we can't have on TV because Gus reacts by rushing to the screen. Howling. Growling. Searching behind walls for things that aren't there while barking and howling aggressively. Chaos with the hounds.
Babies…mostly close-ups, screaming, crying, running, and holding hands.
Buddy the Elf…scary, large human, in a costume.
Cats playing piano
Cats. Any cat.
Children holding hands…small humans are scary.
Dogs. Definitely not allowed. Ever. Not even a whisper of a dog.
Donkey from Shrek…I think this one was personal.
Doorbells
Door knocks
Fast movements of any kind.
Football…Gus is not a sports fan. :-(
Hockey… close-up fast movements are not permitted.
Homeless people…scary or weird. Could go either way with Gus.
Horses. Oh, hell no.
Pippit the black lab.
Large insects…enough said.
Leeches…gross.
Men in red robes…that's definitely scary.
Motorcycles…Vroom vroom, get Gus out of the room.
People moving in general.
Rain/stormy scenes…Scary.
Salamanders yawning
Sea creatures…animals that Gus wants to eat or be best friends with.
Sports trophies
Swimming frogs…so cute
Swimming…Gus would have a stroke.
Tall buildings coming at you
Tennis Bracelets
The Olympics (see sports)
Violence…Violence made Gus' voice more violent.
Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover
How the List Became BarkSkip's Categories
When I realized other people were dealing with the same thing, I wanted to build a solution.
When I built BarkSkip, many of the categories were already on this list, waiting to be grouped.
Animals: Cats (any cat), dogs, horses, sea creatures, large insects, and leeches.
Loud Noises: Doorbells, door knocks, and motorcycles.
Babies/Kids: Babies and children holding hands.
Violence: This one got its own toggle.
Weather: Rain and stormy scenes. Weather doesn't have a toggle yet; it skips automatically.
Then there are the in-between ones. A large human in a costume, or men in red robes? Depending on the scene, those could fall under Scary Things or Weird Things.
Turn on only what your dog reacts to.
What No Toggle Catches
Some items on this list don't fit any category. There's no toggle for tennis bracelets, sports trophies, or salamanders yawning. And "people moving in general" would mean skipping the whole movie.
That's part of why BarkSkip gives you a 10-second warning before each mapped trigger (you can cancel it), and why the “Report at current time” button exists. If your dog reacts to something I missed, one tap sends me the movie and the timestamp. You can also report a trigger on barkskip.com/report-trigger. Your dog's list matters too.
Every title in the catalog is hand-mapped, with the same question behind it as this list: What would Gus do?
BarkSkip is a movie-night management tool, not a replacement for professional training or veterinary advice.
Start Your Own List (Or Skip It)
Got a list like this? Install BarkSkip for free, turn on your dog's triggers, and press play on a supported Netflix title in desktop Chrome or Safari. If it works for your dog, Pro is a $15 one-time purchase that unlocks the full catalog.
Install for Chrome | Install for Safari | Browse the Catalog
-Newton, Founder of BarkSkip
