However, Murakami counters: “Compare $189 to one chewed MacBook cord ($79) plus one stress-induced vet visit ($150) plus one ruined rug ($300). The DFE008 is the insurance policy for your sanity.”
Additionally, the device requires 2 hours of initial setup (mostly the audio-calibration step, where you expose the DFE008 to a recording of your own doorbell so it can learn to mask it). For impatient owners, this is a hurdle. For Murakami followers, it’s a ritual. Best for: Working owners, apartment dwellers with thin walls, high-energy breeds (especially working dogs without jobs), and anyone who admires Risa Murakami’s “quiet luxury” pet aesthetic.
Risa Murakami’s own Shiba, Mochi , has become a minor celebrity for her technique: a double-tap on the left sensor, followed by a dramatic nose-nudge to the right lever. “It’s better than television,” Murakami laughs. “You see your dog thinking. That is the purest entertainment a pet owner can buy.” No product is perfect. Some western reviewers note that the DFE008’s instruction manual is heavily Japanese-first (though English QR codes exist). Others argue the $189 price point is steep for what looks like a plastic tray.