Dogs usually bark for a legitimate reason. There are situations though when dogs make a lot of noise due to stimuli people don’t always detect. Among the most common situations (and the hardest on neighbors) are dogs that suffer from separation anxiety and bark nearly constantly while alone.
Because there is no supervision whatsoever, it is difficult to control their behavior in this circumstance. At one time, this usually led to a difficult decision: have the dog de-barked, or send the dog away. Of course, these are rushed decisions which should only be used as a last resort. Yet, if neighbors complain constantly, there’s not much the owner can do.
Luckily, bark collars can help in these situations. First bark collars were not flawless. They often mistook other dogs’ barking for the sound they needed to stop and started functioning even if it wasn’t the right moment. Others could not discern between a normal barking reaction and constant barking.
bark collars have improved massively since their beginnings. For instance, you can find them in three different types – the citrus spray, ultrasonic and static collars. All three work on the same principal. When the dog produces sounds and vibrations within a certain range or frequencies, the collar starts functioning. The combination of vibration and barking makes the collar react only to the dog’s noise. Having adjustable volume and frequency monitoring, these collars will not be triggered by reactions such as fear or stress.
Spray bark collars work by releasing a strong scented fluid such as citronella (not recommended for scent hounds such as bloodhounds or beagles); sonic collars emit a sound too high for human ears, but audible to dogs; static collars use an electrical discharge to ‘shock’ the dog. No mechanism included in dog collars can harm your dog. Many of the static bark collars have adjustable steps (and increasing levels of correction); and most have an automatic timed shutdown if the dog barks for an extended period without cease. They can also be switched to lower settings if the dog barks less often than before. This idea is meant to encourage the dog to only bark when needed.
However, even if you buy a bark collar, this does not mean you should not train your dog as well. It should not be left on all the time, and initial sessions with it should be monitored. If the dog literally only barks when no one is home, and you cannot instigate it by leaving the dog outside while you are inside, ask a neighbor if they would act as monitor when you are not there. He will probably be glad to be of assistance since he’s the most affected by your dog’s noise. Make sure it is someone the dog knows and is friendly with.
Monitoring your dog constantly can be very useful. Dogs need much more than an anti-bark collar in order to learn how to behave. You must train them constantly, especially during their first year of life.
Instead of resorting to extreme solutions, consider purchasing bark collars instead. These devices can prove to be very efficient in educating your dog. If you want to know more details about these devices and the mechanisms they use, read more about bark collars here.
Tags: bark collar
