Bark Collars

I know that a great many people just hate the idea of having to use bark collars on their unruly barking dogs, but sometimes you just have to take this step.

Some dogs will not respond to normal dog training methods no matter what you do, so rather than alienate all your neighbors and family try to put this into perspective.

This type of training collar most usually has several levels of correction so you need not be afraid that you are putting him through a lot of discomfort. Naturally he is going to feel something or there wouldn’t be much point to the collar, but with several strengths of shock you can make it as gentle or otherwise as you choose.

Usually these bark collars have a time-out period whereby if the dog has been barking a lot and has therefore had a number of stings, it will switch off to give him a rest from correction. Then after a specific period it will start up again.

These time-out periods have another use, they give the dog time to realize that it is when he barks that he gets the sting and this is really part of the learning process.

Some of these collars increase the level of ’stimulation’ if the dog continues to bark, but I would think this wouldn’t have to happen many times before he cottoned on to why this was happening.

It is rather difficult handling this excessive barking. For one thing you really don’t want to discourage protection type barking, that is probably why you have a dog in the first place, as some protection. An early warning system if you like. This is the right sort of barking,but what you don’t want is barking all the time and at any little thing. This has to be the most annoying sound ever and can lose you a lot of friends and give rise to a lot of animosity between neighbors.

Another way to look at it is that your dog doesn’t have much fun if you are always having a go at him. He won’t realize it at the time but I am certain he will know the difference when he has learned bark control and you can stop chastising him all the time.

There are different sizes to suit different size dogs, naturally you wouldn’t need a collar that you would use on a labrador for a small dog like a pug, You can pick from a number of sizes, one that is quite suitable for your pet.

I have only dealt with the shock type of collars up to now but there are also ultrasonic bark collars. This type are good for very small dogs where a heavier collar type might not be totally suitable. The ultrasonic type can also work to correct other bad habits like chewing, jumping up, or digging etc.

You can have outdoor ultrasonic bark control systems, I have seen some that look like a little bird house. They can detect a bark up to 50 feet away and have 4 levels of operation. These are quite durable and completely weatherproof.

Some have a lesser range, for instance 25 feet. You don’t need to have any type of receiver or collar, the dog will get the ultrasonic sound and it is going to associate it very quickly with his barking – and stop, pronto!

If none of the previous types of bark collars appeal to you you could always look into the ones which emit a spray of citronella near to the dogs nose when he barks. Animals really do not like this odor and again, they soon learn to associate the smell with the bark and cease barking.

Animals may appear stupid when they bark at what we think is nothing, but they are anything but stupid. When something affects them they will learn what is necessary for their own comfort.

I have read where a person only had to use a shock type corrective collar twice. Now that is quick study in any ones language.