Bark collars are a simple piece of technology that work to control your dog’s barking. The basics involve a collar with a sound and vibration sensor that you place upon your dog. When your dog begins to bark the sensor will activate and will curb barking by delivering a negative stimulus. The stimulus can be either a high pitched sound, a spray of citronella or an electric shock. Some collars combine the sound with either of the other options.
To begin it is important to ascertain why your dog is barking. A dog that barks out of boredom can, and should, be trained to stop. A dog that barks from anxiety, however, needs to have their issue confronted. Adding a collar that punishes them for being anxious will only increase their anxiety.
There are some concerns about using an electric shock collar on dogs. Although the barking collars are designed to be safe there are no industry standards. Shock collars should not be used on small or young dogs ever. Citronella collars seem to be extremely effective without any risk and most people tolerate the smell well. Regardless of the collar type, never leave your dog in the collar for more than a few hours.
When using bark collars to discourage barking you need to be an involved participant. Dogs respond best to positive stimulation so a bark collar should probably be reserved for times when you are not at home to discipline your dog yourself. A collar isn’t a substitute for an involved pet owner.
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June 24th, 2009 