Have you ever used a bark collar on your dog?

1. 93

   Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years ago

   Have you ever used a bark collar on your dog?
   
   Our dog is an extremely loud and obnoxious barker and we are surprised that we have not had complaints from the neighbors yet.  Have you had any success fixing a barking problem and if so how?

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   fpherj48posted 11 years ago

   NO....but have read up on it and want VERY much to get one......I don't honestly know why I hesitate.  I will be watching the replies to this question....closely!!! Thanks for posing it!!   Mostly....I'd like be assured it will do the trick before investing in it....and trying it, only to be disappointed and frustrated, not to mention how my dog will fair through the whole ordeal!

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      They are definitely not cheap which is why we are taking our time deciding.  I'm getting some good help here.

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      fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes...that's what I'm looking for...info from those who have used the collar...I do know that even VETS say they are NOT cruel and are better than constantly screaming or punishing.  hmmm..wonder why they don't they have collars for rotten kids?

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      DrMark1961posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      They do not have them for kids because they are cruel and unusual, just like incarcerating a dog in a little box that supposedly mimics a den.

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   Sapperposted 11 years ago

   They work for some breeds. Dogs with a higher pain tolerance, mostly working class dogs, have a higher chance for them to not work.
   
   For example, out of high school I got a Rottweiler. At about 6 months, she started barking at everything, and I didn't want my neighbors to start complaining, so I got her a bark collar. I put in on her, and after a while she barked. She stops for a second, gets a confused look, and starts running around my apartment barking up a storm, happy as can be. I figured the collar was broken, but decided I would make sure before I took it back. So I put my finger across the leads, and tapped it on the table. My arm went numb past my elbow, it worked perfectly fine, she just loved getting shocked.
   
   The best way to stop barking is the same way you do any other training, positive re-enforcement. If they are barking at you for attention, ignore them till they stop. If they look out the window and bark, remove their access to the window. Most importantly, if they are laying around behaving, give them treats and attention. It will take a little longer, but eventually they will learn that barking is unacceptable.
   
   Another thing to keep in mind is barking is one of the main ways a dog communicates. You shouldn't be trying to stop all barking, just the unnecessary and excessive barking. There are just some situations that no matter what, a dog is going to bark.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Part of our problem is that we want a quick fix and I think you are right...try some positive reinforcement.  Thanks.

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      fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh Sapper.....you just busted my bubble of hope.  My dog is the Working King of the "working class dogs".....A purebred Border Collie.  I'd be better off buying the ear plugs, huh?

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   Just Ask Susanposted 11 years ago

   I used a bark collar on my female Newfoundland dog and it does work. At first I thought how cruel but it took no time at all for her to catch on that the more she barked the higher the static correction. I think it took about a week and a half for it to work. Now if she happens to bark for no reason all I have to say to her is "Do you want the collar on?" and she immediately stops barking.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Wow - I'd love to get to the point where my dog would stop just on a verbal command.  Thanks!

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      Just Ask Susanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Glimmer I found a place that will give you your money back if the collar doesn't work. http://www.hitecpet.com/barkterm1.html

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   Theophanesposted 11 years ago

   My mother has four little poodle mixes. One was too small to find a collar for (unless she wanted to pay $130 for it) but something had to be done. One would bark at the wind and then they all would. Then they'd forget what they were barking at and stop but as long as one or two kept going they'd all start in again, this time none of them even knowing why they were barking! By now twenty minutes could have gone by and they show no signs of stopping. So three got collars. At first they worked GREAT. The collar's packaging suggest taking the collars off intermittently so the dog learns not to bark without it on. Well guess what? As soon as they were off the dogs started yapping non-stop. The collars went back on. This time they were turned off - maybe the dogs can be fooled. That didn't work either. Eventually they had barked to the point they were being zapped at the highest level, and having gotten used to that they didn't bother to stop..... I have a feeling shock collars are a real hit and miss depending on the dog and the situation.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is one thing I am worried about...that it can be hit or miss.  I hate to spend all that money for something not to work.  Thanks.

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      fpherj48posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Do any of the companies who sell these collars, offer a money-back guarantee, or is that too much to ask?

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   Nettlemereposted 11 years ago

   
   
   I bought  a bark collar for a terrier cross I had, called Roger (pictured) - it was one which let off a squirt of air to surprise them into stopping, but he would just bark until the air ran out, so didn't find it successful. I felt it might have been more successful if I'd got it shortly after the problem barking started, so that the behaviour wasn't so thoroughly ingrained. (He used to bark in the car on the way to walks). I ended up driving with ear defenders on.
   I possibly could have gone along with a training program of stopping driving as a soon as he barked or something like that, but I never did get around to it.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I've seen the kind that squirt lemon scent too.  I am also worried about the dog having barked too long.  They are pretty pricey to go out buy one, but I think we will probably need to. 
      
      What a sweet picture of your dog!  Thanks.

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   Kimberly Vaughnposted 11 years ago

   No I haven't. Luckily my six year old black lab rarely barks. I think I have only heard him bark three times in the last six years and only when he felt like we were threatened. I feel for you though. I don't know what we would do if we were in that situation. I would definitely explore the bark collar option or see about a training class.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Kimberly.  I'm edging towards getting a collar.

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   cdmwriterposted 11 years ago

   We use a Tri-Tronics Bark LImiter on our bichon frise, who is an anxious dog and would bark nonstop when he is in his crate overnight or when we put him outside in our back yard for bathroom breaks. This bark collar is the only thing that keeps him from barking, and it works quite well. The collars are expensive, and they don't last terribly well -- 1-2 years at most. We are now on our third one. But without a bark collar, life with our barker would be unbearable.
   
   We had neighbors who left their barking dogs outside all day many days, and tried one of the remote bark control devices on them. It worked to a degree, but not enough to call it a success.

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks cdmwriter.  I'll have to look into this one.  If only our dog would just listen when we tell him not to bark!  :-)

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   Teamninsposted 11 years ago

   I have a Maltese that I tried a collar on a couple of years back. Since I have two Maltese I purchased the collar that would sense the vibrations from the vocal chords and barking sound before it would "shock". The level of "shocking" was adjustable so I felt comfortable with this setup for obvious reasons. I did not want one dog barking and the other getting shocked. As luck would have it, my Maltese was too smart and quickly figured out that if she scratched at the collar and it rotated off her vocal chords then it would not shock her. So much for training her. I guess she trained me!

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Teamnins.  I never thought about zapping another dog.  We don't have one so it would not be a problem.  I'm always amazed at how smart dogs can be.

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    agilitymachposted 11 years ago

    After reading the responses, all I can say is how sad.  I'm so glad I know how to train a dog using positive methods.  My boys aren't shocked for bad behavior, but rewarded for good.
    
    My advice - ditch the abusive shock collar and go to a dog trainer who can teach you, using positive methods and other methods - how to control the barking.
    
    I own three shelties.  For those who don't know, shelties were actually BRED TO BARK.  They heard livestock with their voices, annoying the livestock into moving.  So these dogs were actually bred to make lots of loud noise.  I have heard sheltie breeders say it's impossible to stop shelties from barking if you have three or more.  This is so untrue.  I have trained my dogs to a "quiet" command.  They stay in hotels for agility trials about 20 weekends a year, and they are quiet as mice regardless of the variety of noises outside the hotel room.
    
    Teaching a "quiet" command is very easy if you can get the one-on-one help.  Look for a clicker trainer in your area.
    
    It's so sad that people turn immediately to violence to "train" dogs rather than to truly train the dog to know what is expected.  Zapping is just brutal.
    
    BTW - I have used shock collars before and am a professional dog trainer.  I've been training for 35 years and yes, years ago we did use punishment, including shock collars, to train.  I'm so glad I've found the positive road.  My relationship with my dogs is SO much better.
    
    Don't shock guys.  Train.

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       Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Although I agree with you, there are some dogs, not breeds, just dogs, where positive reinforcement plain doesn't work. Intelligence and extreme stubbornness can make 100% positive reinforcement training impossible at times..

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       Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thank you agilitymach.  Training is one of our options, again though, price prohibitive.  I may have to look into this since we have not made up our minds about a shock collar or not.  Even with all of the good answers here I remain undecided.

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       agilitymachposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Sapper, I'm not a 100 percent positive trainer. When I add punishment, it is mild (soft verbal corrections, redirection). However, i would never resort to a shock collar. Also, I have trained over 1,000 dogs. Punishment based methods aren't needed.

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       Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh, I'm not saying beat them. I just meant sometimes, minor negative works better on some dogs. If I had enough room for an example, I would give one, but of the 10 dogs my wife and I have had, we only had to use any neg on 1. He's an asshole.

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       agilitymachposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, they don't give us enough room in answers to comment.  It's hard to give examples with such limited characters available!

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    GlstngRosePetalsposted 11 years ago

    I have a great Dane and when she is outside that's all she does is bark. I did purchase a bark collar from Walmart and I have to say the collar really does work. If I put her outside without it she knows and she will bark but when the collar is on her she is quiet. LOL Sometimes if I forget to put it on while she is outside and when she does bark I just go to the window with the collar and show it to her and she will be quiet. I paid fourty dollars for the collar and I have to admit it was worth the money.

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       Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Well that is good to know that it works and a Great Dane is a big dog.  Thanks for commenting.

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    Klavdija Frahmposted 11 years ago

    No, I think it's kind of cruel...there are other (better) ways...

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       Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for commenting.  There are a number of people who agree with you.

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    sleepylogposted 11 years ago

    I have a Border Collie who would bark incessantly whenever we were outside, unless he was allowed to run free. Anytime he was restrained or in his pen he would bark and bark. We bought a pet collar from an online pet store and it worked from the first time we put it on him (and it was on the lowest setting). Now we don't even have to put it on him anymore. Now if he starts barking we just show it to him and he gets the message. I definitely recommend the use of an anti-bark collar on problem dogs.

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       Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Wow - just showing it to him works.  That is encouraging.  Thanks for commenting.

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    Jmiller17posted 11 years ago

    I have used both a shock based bark collar and a shock based off leash training collar. I have had great success with both, My dog is a Husky, and a fast learner so it didn't take her long to realize why she was being shock and how she could stop it. Within 3 days of using the bark collar, just putting the collar own was enough to stop her and today we rarely even use it a she is such a good girl.
    
    As to the off the leash collar. We are able to take her to large open fields and unenforced parks and she generally stays with 20-50 years of us. This collar has a function where you give a warning beep first, then if no response, a shock. Today we just used the warning beep and she comes right back, with the exception of a few weeks ago when she was chasing a deer and it took a light shock to get her attention.

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       Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I'm glad to hear that just the beeps deter the dog.  I fell like it would not be hurting my dog as much if he reacted the same way.  Thanks for commenting.

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    H-Chrisposted 11 years ago

    Many years ago, I had a Great Pyrenees and she never stopped barking. I'd received numerous complaints so tried a bark collar and it didn't work AT ALL!
    
    I even shaved the area around her neck because I thought maybe the fur was too thick. Then on Halloween she was barking at some people trick or treating and I grabbed her collar and accidentally touched the shock part.
    
    It was working all right! I swear if someone shocked me like that every time I yelled, I'd never open my mouth. It never phased my dog one bit.
    
    In the end I had to get her surgically DE-barked.
    
    I guess it just depends on the dog.

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    breathingposted 8 years ago

    Bark collars can be effective controlling the bark of dogs. But only if you can use them effectively. Most of the people who fail to get the desired results with bark collar is due to the improper use. There are certain things you should and also certain things you must avoid. Only then you can get the best results. Here I’ll discuss those things so that everybody going for a bark collar can get the desired results:
    
    Things to Do
    
    * First and foremost ensure that the collar is comfortable for your dog. If you want to wear your dog all the time then there is no slightest of room for compromising with comfort zone.
    * Purchase the collar keeping the temperament of the dog in mind.
    * The collar’s features should be compatible with the dog’s environment.
    * Buy bark collars which have good reviews.
    * Compare the prices online against that of the local stores.
    
    Things to Avoid
    
    * Strictly avoid the sound only bark collars.
    * Avoid settings of single level.
    * Don’t make the dog wearing the collar for long time at the first stages.
    * Don’t just use any bark collar not keeping all the other requirements in mind.
    * Don’t go with proprietary batteries.

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    Gayle Harrelsonposted 6 years ago

    bark collars are what I'd call cruel to your pet,
    they shock the dog & has really harmed pets.
    
    Please don't use any harsh treatments to stop
    the natural habits that God gave your pet :>{

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