Stop Barking Collars

[unika]

I am considering buying a barking collar. I know of 2 varieties: citronella and electric impulse. I've heard that collars with electric impulse are not allowed in some states. Is this true? Which collar would you recommend? Do they work?

[pgm]

I would recommend the electronic bark collar. If you want more info, check out this site: www.k9force.net

Look up the training articles. I think electronic bark collars are allowed in most states, but don't take my work on that.

[ninaandted]

We've used the citronella collar.

We didn't have much luck with it I'm afraid. The cylinder holding the citronella needs to be refilled quite often, so is not effective in detering the barking longer term unless you are there to refill - otherwise you can't really use it as it is intended - i.e. on the dog and working all the time.

I couldn't tell you if it would actually work as directed, as we are out during the day and Nina could bark to her hearts content once she had emptied the cylinder - which didn't take long with her! So she didn't really learn anything. When it did operate it did stop her barking immediately though.

Don't know about not being able to use the electronic collars in NSW but I have seen them in some of the bigger pet warehouse places for sale. there are two kinds - one that just makes a noise (and costs about $100) and one that does the "impulse" and/or a noise. it was the one that gives the "impulse" that I saw for sale.

my question would be - how much does that hurt?? I was freaked out enough by the idea of the citronella collar, but I am a wuss - with a dog that still barks!!

Edited March 3, 2005 by ninaandted

[unika]

Thanks a lot for your replies. Looks like citronella would be the waste of money.

I suppose electronic impulse one would probably hurt. I also wonder why they are not allowed in some states? In which states? Is this because they are consided animal cruelty by some authorities?

If somebody have used electronic impulse collar, please give us your opinion on them.

Thanks.

Edited March 3, 2005 by unika

[Tilly]

Our neighbour has a no bark collar - they work great. The dog learnt almost immediately - no problems since. The now only put the collar on when they are going out - he knows the difference and that is enough - most times they don't even turn it on.

I have heard bad things about the citronella ones.

[ninaandted]

I don't know if they would hurt... I just assumed they would... If it was annoying for the dog rather than painful I would certainly consider trying one.

Unika - I don't know about your circumstances but because we aren't home all day and due to the kids next door razing Nina up, our normal training around her barking only works when we are home and then we can get her quiet (but not prevent it in the first place) and we keep her inside with us as much as possible.

so I think we need something that will also work while we are out.

Tilly - what kind of collar does your neighbour have? does it hurt the dog at all?

[Miranda]

Unika, aren't your dogs just baby puppies? I might be wrong, but haven't you just purchased two baby cav puppies? I think I remember you saying that you've just started showing them

[Pheebs]

It would depend on the reasons as to why you've got an issue with barking in the first place as to what solution I would offer to rectify the problem.

[ninaandted]

Hi Phebble,

In my case I would really personally prefer to exchange her barking behaviour for something a bit more positive by using positive training methods and we have been gradually more successful with this over time when we are home.

It is a natural reaction on Nina's part to protect her territory and I can understand that but our neighbours still don't really find it acceptable and it is a bit over the top given that she has been razzed up completely in the past by the kids over the fence.

This is one area I am really interested in having some more progress with because one of our other neighbours has an unpredictable temper, sometimes he's understanding about her barking and can see that we are trying to do something about it and sometimes he goes completely psycho, and I am worried (maybe needlessly) that he might try and poison Nina if he gets annoyed. he's a bit odd.

We can manage it when we are home, my concern is when we aren't so I am only guessing that success in training around this might be limited because of our absence and that something like a collar might be useful.

Edited March 3, 2005 by ninaandted

[unika]

So nice that people remember me. Yes I have 2 baby cavaliers, and they are not barking (YET?). The nuisance barker is my Maltese-Shih tzu girl and she is mature girl. She really barks at nothing. I mean maybe she hears something to bark at, but I could not hear or see what she is barking at.

A few times a day she looks in a random direction (bushes, fence, veg garden) and starts barking as something horrible scary is in there. I usually come and check what she is barking at, but can't see or hear a thing. She can carry on for quite a while barking and barking. When I am at home, I can't stop her by growling "No". I have to take her somewhere where she cannot see what she is barking at, and then she quiets down.

I have to be away from home for some time every day and I do not want her to disturb my neighbours. They did not complain yet, but when I ask them whether she is barking, they answer positively.

As I have 3 dogs now and might need a collar for one of my Cavaliers in the future, I thought it would be a good idea to buy one.

K9force site also mentions that we should check whether collars allowed in our state before ordering. That's why I would like to find out why some authorities ban them.

Edited March 3, 2005 by unika

[Tilly]

Tilly - what kind of collar does your neighbour have? does it hurt the dog at all?

I believe it is call "No Bark Collar". It is a black web collar with a little black box that sits on the throat. It has adjustable settings so you can have it up high or very low (not sure how many levels there are). After one day they put the setting at very low and most times they even leave it turned off - just wearing the collar stops the barking now. I have actually tried it on myself and it is like a little tingle - doesn't hurt at all. They also did some additional training - but this dog used to only bark when they were away (sometimes 3 to 9 hours non-stop).

Another friend of mine has a similar collar but it has a remote control (only works if you are there). She mainly uses it in the car as her dog is a really bad barker when in the car - she gives the quiet command and then hits the remote if the dog continues barking.

Edited March 3, 2005 by Tilly

[Winterpaws]

Hi

I have an electronic no bark collar for my dog. There is a post in the general discussion group from about a month ago about my neighbour and my dogs.

My dogs does bark and she will bark to protect our property. Given that we live on a kind of battle axe property this can become troublesome as my neighbours driveway crosses over our yard.

We sought opinion and advice from K9 Force before using the collar and we did try other methods such as bringing her inside. That was not good enough for the neighbour....

I do not beleive that they hurt the dog. I would liken it to a tickle on the throat. The collars are very good and are automatic so they start at the lowest stimulant level and then increase if the dog continues to bark. My fiancee wasn;t sure about them so he put it on his neck and simulated barking. He said that the correction he recieved was minor and barely noticeable

I love it. If we didn't use it then I don't know what my neighbour would do to my dogs.....

[Mystiqview]

I have the electric one here made by Innotech. Rechargable, waterproof. It is fully automatic with a stop measure in it so that if the dog continues barking for a certain amount of time, it will stop, reset and start again to prevent a full-time electric pulse being emitted to the dog.

They can be great. Much depends on what the stimulii is causing the dog to bark in the first place.

[abbeyandsandy]

Years ago I was house-sitting for a friend with two kelpies. They had been terrible barkers and she had already had letters from the council due to neighbour's complaints. She chose to use the citronella collar. It did need refilling (not excessively) but after the dogs got the idea that barking caused an unpleasant result, it only needed re-filling each night. At the time, she only bought one of the collars and it was swapped between the two dogs alternatively. Because the wearing of the collar was so random (sometimes it was not used at all), the dogs seemed to work out that it was a better idea not to bark constantly as there were pretty good odds that they might have the dreaded collar on.

My Lab Abbey is not a barker. I managed to kurb any habit she could have had by putting her on the chain connected to her dog house for time out if she was barking and not responding to commands to be quiet. Being a social Labrador, she certainly doesn't like it and learnt very quickly from a young age that doing as she was told was far better than the 'time-out'. She hasn't been put on the chain for years now. I only need to knock on the window to let her know that enough is enough.

[Staffyluv]

I know people that used the citronella collar on a malt X and it used to make her vomit... I know that you probably need constructive advice, but is it not possible to find another means of teaching her a shhh command or it is time to be quiet - I am sure that there are trainers out there that have great success with this as it is a common problem...

Sorry do not know anything about the electric collars - but from a personal point of view - I do not really like the sound of it...

Good luck

Jodie

[whitewolf]

my sister-in-law just adopted a young dog from the pound and she soon found out he was a barker so she has been using the no bark collar with great success

I think this collar is a great way to stop barking if all else has failed as long as you use it correctly

you only put it on the dog for short intervals if the dog will not stop barking and remove it once the dog has stopped reward for no barking but put collar on if barking.

all my sister inlaw needs to do now is pick up a collar any collar and the dog stops barking right away. he wears a normal collar all the time but he seems to think that when she picks up a collar in her hand it is the no bark one.

useing the no bark collar only took her a week to stop the barking he is a great little man now and only barks if someone comes to the house which is fine with her before he use to just bark for the sake of barking.

good luck

[pgm]

whitewolf: I do not recommend putting the collar on and off as you suggested. This runs the risk of the dog becoming collar wise - barking when the collar is off, remaining quiet when it is on.

I know this has not been the case in your example, but I suspect this is more good fortune than good management.

The collar should be put on whenever the dog is left alone or at times when it is prone to bark.

Don't wait until the dog starts barking and then put in on - put it on before the dog starts barking.

Of course, one should never leave the collar on for more than about eight hours a day and you should regularly check the dog's neck to make sure the collar is not causing skin irritation.

[Mags]

Our older ACD became a barker after the loss of her life long companion. We tried a citronella collar with no useful improvement. She very quickly worked out what it was about and went and pushed the canister into the lugs of the tractor tyre and quietly woofed till she emptied it and was then free to bark again. The reason we tried a training collar is that my OH is disabled and it was hard for him to get to her everytime she woofed. The introduction of a puppy and correction when she woofed for no reason stopped her inappropriate behaviour. She is a rescue and could not cope with being alone - which is why she was barking. It is important to find the reason for your dogs inappropriate barking, if possible, and do something to rectify the situation.

[Nadia]

If you have a problem barker and you have neighbours you cannot trust or the council threatening to have your dog removed, you have to take action that works. If something sets your dog off, and your neighbours take it into their heads to do something about it and you are not home your dog may be at risk.

You have to be able to stop the dog NOW.

For me the answer was an electronic collar.

Worked first time and still works, and the dog was BAD!

It actually worked so well with my fellow, that he doesn't bark once when it is on.

I use it when I have to leave the house early in the morning or if I will be away at night. Whe I am am home he responds to commands. But home alone is a different story.

[Guest tollerblaize]

I think the e-collar idea sounds like an option for my dog. We have problems with barking but he is only 7 months old. I worry that we are allowing him to foster bad habits. He mainly barks at noises and movement along the fenceline, possums etc. He often barks at me for attention as well.

My main concern with the collar is that my dog will learn to only 'not' bark when he is wearing it. I want to fix the problem, not just move it. Has anyone had experience where they used an e-collar and now do not have to use it anymore?

Edited March 6, 2005 by tollerblaize