Citronella Collar For A Small Dog?

[hotdogs]

We have inherited a Jack Russell X Chihuahua who is an avid barker (I know, what else could we expect).

The problems are that apart from driving us and our neighbours mad, he is teaching our docile old Labrador to bark at the gate, passing birds, any other thing that irritates him.

We have tried Bark Busters (no success) and various other training techniques.

Last year we rented a Citronella collar from the vet and this semmed to work - but it was WAY TOO BIG for his tiny frame.

Does anyone know of a small-sized Citronella collar to suit this dog?

I have looked at all the websites I can find but all the collars still look better suited to medium to large dogs.

Hoping someone here can help.

[Erny]

I'm not a fan of the citronella collars. Citronella is a toxic and some dogs are more sensitive to it than others .... this has caused major reactions to them and I believe in a number of cases, death. Seems that your boy isn't one of those. But that aside, think of this ....

The smell of Citronella is an aversive to the dog. That's why it is used. To make the act of barking unpleasant. Sounds pretty much what you want. EXCEPT, that the Citronella, which is oil based, stays on the dog's coat after it has been sprayed and therefore after the dog has stopped barking. Which means the dog continues to receive an aversive (albeit a lesser aversive than the actual moment of spray) even when he is behaving well.

Contact K9 Force and ask him for the best size/type collar for your dog. He sells them.

[Jigsaw]

It can also stain the coat if you dog has a white coat and they smell like it all the time. My dog learnt to bark through the citronella spray!

[Erny]

Aside from 'type' of collar ..... have you worked out (with the help of BB or not) what the 'cause' of your little dog's barking is? Always important to address this IMO. No point putting a bandaid on an infected wound unless the infection itself is treated.