Is a Bark Collar the Answer for Your Dog’s Barking Problems?
By Steven Resell
Barking… It’s part of owning a dog. But it doesn’t take long before a dog’s bark becomes annoying and disruptive to others. So, for some people, a bark collar is an option for them to purchase to end the incessant barking. Dogs bark for all kinds of reasons, whether it’s for fear, to get some attention, being protective of their home or owner… In any of these scenarios a bark collar can be used to keep your canine from barking. You may want to seriously consider a bark collar if you have neighbors close by or if your dog’s barking is scaring your or the neighborhood kids. Not to mention the fact that many feel safer when they see a bark collar on the dog as they are walking by and such, since many people get “scared” or nervous around animals, particularly barking dogs.
There are a couple of options when choosing a bark collar. One is the citronella collar and the other is the traditional shock collar. The citronella collar is a more humane and safe way to prevent a dog from barking (in my opinion). In case you are wondering, this type of a collar sprays a light spray of citronella when a dog barks, that goes right in front of a dog’s nose. This prevents the dogs from barking since they generally dislike the citronella scent as well as the hissing noise that the bark collar makes when they bark. It doesn’t take long for dogs to figure out that it’s letting out this scent when they start barking… which, in turn reduces the barking. These collars have been shown to be twice as effective in reducing barking, as opposed to the other alternative, the shock collar. In any event, there are several types of these citronella collars on the market these days so be sure you choose carefully. Now the shock collar is in my opinion a way more aggressive approach in quieting your canine from barking. The concept behind the shock collar is essentially the same as the citronella collar, except that instead of spraying citronella, it gives your dog an electric shock! Obviously it takes no time before the dog learns to stop their barking since it gives them a painful jolt and many feel this is an inhumane handling of your canine. Still, some opt to use a shock collar over the alternative even though they have shown to be less effective than a citronella collar. Also, some shock collars are made so that the intensity of the shock increases the more the dog barks.
So choose wisely, since your decision will greatly impact the way your dog feels. The worst case scenario for any dog would be a surgery for debarking. This is generally frowned upon by veterinarians and they discourage this type of action. So, if your dog has a barking problem, the better choice would be to go with a citronella collar to help quiet your best friend in the most humane way possible.
Steven Resell is a successful Webmaster and Publisher of UrbanDogz.com. He provides more information and details on dog training, dog collars and ways to choose an appropriate bark collar for your dog on his website.
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