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Bark Collars and Detective Work: How to be Successful in Stopping Unwanted Barking
Trio Enterprises
Does your barking dog drive you crazy? Are your friends and neighbors threatening to call the animal control? Barking is a normal dog behavior but when it becomes disruptive, it can become a real problem. It can be modified with a little bit of effort on your part, okay, maybe more than a little effort but it is "doable". Consistency is the key to success!
If you have tried many types of training techniques or if you have a tight deadline for curbing the problem, you might need to use "stronger medicine". Anti- bark collars are an option to use to help correct the barking itself.
Depending on the cause of the barking, the right bark collar can produce excellent results. The automated bark collars are especially helpful if your dog is outside, unsupervised, during the day. The remote controlled bark collars are an excellent training tool but you must have time to spend with the dog for these varieties to work. Some causes of barking should be controlled by other methods so be sure to do the detective work first.
There are several varieties of bark collars available as well as specialty features developed into the traditional no-bark collars.
The types of bark collars available include:
Spray Bark Collar: This anti bark collar sprays citronella oil up towards your dog's face whenever his barking triggers it. This type of no bark collar is considered humane and has an 88% success rate. These spray bark collars can also use an unscented spray in addition to the citronella or lemon scents. Refills are easy to install into the bark collar.
Ultrasonic/Sonic Bark Collar: This type of bark collar emits a high frequency sound that is intended to disrupt the dogs barking whenever it is triggered. There are sonic bark collars which emit a sound which people can hear and there are ultrasonic varieties which emit a sound inaudible to human ears. Some are activated by the dog's bark and others are remote controlled and activated by the person. The success rate for this type of collar depends on how sensitive your dog is to the sound.
Electronic Bark Collar : This no bark collar uses static electricity to give an unpleasant stimulation (similar to a static charge we might receive from a carpet) to the dog's neck to surprise him when disrupt his barking. They come in automatically activated units as well as remote controlled units. The automatically activated collar can present with problems if it responds to any dog's bark so you should look for models that detect only your dog's barking. If you choose this type of collar, be sure to check out the safety mechanisms closely. The success rate for this type of collar depends on the unit and how it is used. It has a high success rate when the correct collar is chosen.
The main drawback to any type of bark collar is that it doesn't address the underlying reasons for your dog's barking. You may be able to eliminate the barking, but the problem will still be there under the surface and may produce other unwanted behaviors. If you decide to use a bark collar, you should use it in conjunction with behavior modification. Never use a bark collar of any kind on a dog with separation anxiety or fearful behavior.
I would recommend using these collars under supervision and never more than 8 hours at a time. Also, dogs are very smart, as you know. When your dog has quit barking while wearing the collar and you quit placing the collar on him, he knows that he won't get the unpleasant stimulus. Sometimes a "dummy" collar is needed to continue to keep the dog from reverting back to its old barking pattern. Many brands have on/off switches and some brands have dummy collars you can purchase that feel exactly like the activated unit.
Do the Detective Work! Why Dogs Bark
Dogs bark for many different reasons. Boredom, unusual noises, seeing a running animal, people or animals in his "territory" or another dog barking are only some of the reasons. To correct the problem you'll need to discover the reason for his barking.
You must discover what your dog and your neighbors are telling you about his behavior. You might not know the real reason for your dog's barking. The problem may be very different than what you think it is. You will need to find out the real reason.
Try to find out this information:
Is there a certain time or times during the day?
If it starts after you leave, can your neighbor tell you how long after you leave the barking starts?
Is the barking for short spurts or does it go on for long periods of time?
Does the dog usually bark from one location in the house or outside?
Does there seem to be trigger to the barking (squirrels, mail delivery, doorbell)?
Solutions: The first solutions are something that ALL dogs will benefit from, whether they have barking problems or not.
General Dog Behavior Solutions
Leave your dog indoors in a safe environment when you are not at home a crate or small room will serve best.
Leave the radio or TV on to mask the sounds of the outdoors.
Take your dog to a training class this will help you develop better control and communication with your dog.
Make sure your dog has had sufficient exercise most dogs need a half hour every day o burn off some of their energy. If you don't have the time or energy, consider hiring a neighbor or use something like the Hyper Bark N Bat ball launcher so the dog gets maximum exercise in the time you have available.
Work on teaching new tricks or commands for a few minutes every day. The mental stimulation will help!
Provide your dog with interesting, stimulating toys that will keep him busy for a sustained length of time. Examples of these are Kong balls, Goodie Ships or marrowbones stuffed with food. Other good toys are Nylabones, Buster Cubes and Tricky Treat Balls. Rotate the toys so that your dog has something new to look forward to every day.
Solutions: Based on Your Findings : If your dog is afraid of noises or events, the solution is different from territorial barking.
If your dog is barking out of fear, it will happen when he hears loud noises such as thunder and fireworks. He will act very timid and frightened with his ears down and tail tucked.
To correct this problem:
Keep your dog safely indoors, especially during times when fireworks and thunderstorms are likely to occur. While he's learning to be less afraid, keep him in a quiet room, such as a bathroom or basement, with a fan and/or radio on to help muffle the noises from outside.
Desensitize your dog to the noises or events that are frightening him. This may require professional help. Please consult your veterinarian or an Animal Behaviorist Specialist for more information.
Solutions: Based on Your Findings: Your dog may have separation anxiety.
Your dog may have separation anxiety if it barks, howls, or makes noise after you leave for work, and shows a strong attachment to you. He will follow you from room to room, pant or act stressed as you get ready for work every morning, and may scratch or claw at the doors. Separation anxiety is not very common in dogs, and is generally modified through a combination of behavioral therapy and medications. Separation anxiety frequently occurs suddenly, after a change in the family's schedule or living structure.
Sometimes another pet is a source of company for your dog but I wouldn't recommend purchasing another animal without discussing this with your veterinarian. Another animal will require more care and expense and should not be considered without you truly wishing to have a second animal in your home.
To correct this problem:
If your dog has separation anxiety, it is best to seek professional help in modifying his behavior.
Article submitted Saturday, October 31, 2009 & read 310 times.
Peggy Ellingson is an animal lover and a long time dog owner. She currently has hew own website selling bark collars and other items to help curb unwanted barking at http://barkcollarhome.com. Bark collars can be a helpful adjunct in controlling unwanted barking. There are even no-bark products available to control barking by your neighbor's dog.
Leave your comments through Blogz:
» left by Ruth Stewart (2 years 198 days ago.)
Thank you for this article. Dogs bark for many reasons and mostly because they are bored, or they think it is there job to be top dog. These can be controlled by adequate walking and exercise plus proper control of the dog. However, I have used antibarking collars to good effect personally with foster dogs. There are as many reasons to use anti barking collars as there are dogs!Respond to this comment
» left by Lorrie Davids (2 years 197 days ago.)
Good article, Peggy. One of our dogs is a White Shepherd and she does like to bark. An animal behaviorist taught us the "touch" command and it works for every situation except one: when someone comes home/to the door. She has her moment of barking (which encourages our Siberian Husky to "talk") then must sit quietly before the door can be opened. It works for us. Welcome to SearchWarp.Respond to this comment
» left by Brian Wong (2 years 195 days ago.)
Peggy, I enjoyed reading the article. 'Welcome to SearchWarp!'Respond to this comment
» left by Nenita Wells (2 years 195 days ago.)
The trigger is usually dogs in the street and corrected it by moving the dog towards the back of the house. Thanks for sharing this interesting article and it is very helpful.Respond to this comment
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