Guidelines for Selecting a Device to Stop Dog Barking

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Guidelines for Selecting a Device to Stop Dog Barking

Staff Writer · Nov 24, 2009

Selecting a stop dog barking device can be confusing. There are certain aspects to consider, such as price, effectiveness and whether the treatment is humane. Years ago, dog owners had the option of having their dog’s bark removed, an operation that left the dog without a voice. This is now generally considered to be inhumane, and many veterinarians will not perform the procedure. However, most apartments that allow dogs will not tolerate one that barks all of the time. Luckily, there are many devices on the market that will get your dog’s bark under control.

Static Bark Collars

Most of the devices that help train your dog not to bark are dog barking collars. Traditional bark collars emit a static shock whenever the dog barks. Most of the devices sold in pet stores emit only a small shock that they claim only startles the dog. The collars are also sold according to the size of the dog. The strength of the static shock for a large dog like a black lab would be stronger than the strength used for a toy poodle.

The device consists of a collar with a little box attached. The collar is placed on the dog’s neck with the box against the front of the throat. There are usually a couple of rounded sensors on the inside of the box that go against the dog’s throat. For this reason, the collar should not be tied too tightly. The sensors are activated by the vibrating of the vocal cord when the dog barks. When this happens, a static shock is administered. Many bark collars have the option of emitting a beep the first few times that the dog barks, and only shocks the dog if it repeatedly barks.

Then the dog can learn to recognize the beep as a warning and will stop barking. Static bark collars can be very effective when used correctly and safely. You should never leave your dog alone with the bark collar on and it shouldn’t be left on for more than a couple of hours. If the training is effective, the dog should learn not to bark after wearing the collar only a few times.

Citronella Bark Collars

Some people don’t like the idea of their dog being zapped by a static shock. Another alternative is to use a citronella bark collar. These devices consist of a collar that contains a little canister of citronella-scented spray. Whenever the dog barks, the sensors on the collar recognize the vibration of the vocal cords and emit a little puff of citronella spray. The spray is harmless and doesn’t contain any chemicals, but the dog is usually put off by the smell. The sound and puff of spray is also enough to startle the dog a bit.

Alternatives

If the citronella bark collar isn’t effective enough for your barking dog, but you still don’t want to turn to static bark collars, there are other types of bark control collars on the market. Some of these collars will emit a vibration or a beeping noise rather than a shock. Sometimes, this is enough to deter the dog from barking incessantly.

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