Loud and prolonged dog barking can take a toll on human nerves, but barking is a normal means of communication for any dog. A possible solution, in this case, is a dog anti-bark collar. We explain what it is all about, the advantages and disadvantages of anti-bark collars, and which properties are particularly important.
Of course, an anti-bark collar is not always necessary, because suppressing the natural behavior does not solve the problem. Finally, barking can be a sign of danger, and the dog should not be deterred from fulfilling its innate duty as a protector. But sometimes boredom is the trigger: a four-legged friend who has to be alone too often or gets too little work loudly expresses his displeasure. Fear, stress, or pain can also be the cause of frequent barking. Perhaps the dog is only excited when the master or mistress comes home.
Are bark control collars useful?
An anti-bark collar can be used as a training aid to stop the dog from barking in certain situations. However, it only has a supporting effect and must not accompany the four-legged friend around the clock.
Dog Bark Control Collars – Various Types and Uses
An anti-bark collar can stop barking in the short term, but will not address the root cause. It should therefore only be used in exceptional cases to prevent unwanted sounds in very specific situations. In addition, it can serve as a useful aid in anti-bark training. If you want a quiet dog, it is best to use pedagogical means and a lot of patience to ensure that your four-legged friend refrains from making unnecessary noises when he is a puppy. Dog owners who train their darling at an early stage can later look forward to a pleasant companion who remains calm without a collar. There are the classic anti-bark trainers that are put on the dog as a training collar and counteract its barking impulse. These collars respond to the vibration of the vocal cords or the first sounds.
In the meantime, you can also buy remote trainers on the market where the signal is triggered via remote control. The owner can therefore decide for himself when to intervene and when to let the dog bark. There are other possible uses for remote trainers, so that dangerous situation can also be circumnavigated. For example, the dog can be called off before it eats something poisonous or runs in front of a car.
Signal types in anti-bark collars: electricity, vibration, spray, and ultrasonic
Classic systems, which are still widespread abroad today, work with electricity. As soon as the dog wants to bark, he gets an electric shock. Collars with electricity have been banned in Germany since 2006 because they cause pain to the dog and can lead to aggression and anxiety. But anti-bark collars and animal welfare don’t have to be mutually exclusive, fortunately, there are now gentler methods.
For example, an anti-bark collar with a spray that reacts to the barking impulse with a small spray has a gentle effect. These are harmless liquids that do not harm dogs or humans. An anti-bark collar with vibration also works painlessly. The dog feels a vibration impulse every time it wants to bark and over time learns to understand this as a request to be quiet. There are also ultrasonic collars that emit a high, unpleasant sound at the first bark that only dogs can hear but not humans.
How does an anti-bark collar work?
An anti-bark collar sits on the dog’s vocal cords and responds to the vibration of the vocal cords when barking or the first sound of barking. Depending on the model, it then generates a vibration, sprays a liquid, or emits a high-pitched sound at an ultrasonic frequency.
Pros and cons of anti-bark collars
A device with ultrasound has the advantage that the signal is inaudible to humans. A disadvantage, however, is that not only the barking but possibly also an ambient noise can trigger the signal. This confuses the dog and the educational effect cannot take place.
An anti-bark collar with vibration can sometimes be triggered by a movement of the dog so that the four-legged friend cannot understand which behavior he should refrain from. The advantage of vibrating collars, however, is that when the dog is working properly, the vibration can only be felt when the dog is barking or has just barked. If he stays still for a longer period of time, the collar will also stop vibrating.
An anti-bark collar with a spray is the least uncomfortable for the dog and can be used in a relatively targeted manner. The spray droplet can only miss if the dog jerks its head to the side. Incidentally, sprays are a simple and inexpensive way to support long-term effective anti-bark dog training.
Donning the Bark Control Collar correctly
When putting on such a training collar, it is important that it lies exactly on the thinnest part of the neck. If it is attached to a thicker area, it can slip so that there is no longer contact with the skin. However, a typical anti-bark collar cannot be effective without skin contact. Basically, the training collar is laced a little tighter than an everyday leather or nylon dog collar. Since dogs have harder throats than humans, no undue caution is needed when doing this. Of course, the collar must not cut painfully into the skin or even interfere with the dog’s breathing. If the collar doesn’t want to be tight at all, it may help to shave off a small strip of fur to adjust it there.
An anti-bark collar is only to be understood as an aid in dog training, so the dog should not wear it permanently, but only for manageable periods of time. Maybe he’ll be trained with it for two hours a day in the beginning, but later he’ll only need the training once a week for a small refresher course. After a while, even without a collar, he will stop barking in certain situations.
How can I stop my dog from barking?
In the case of acute constant barking, it is advisable to calm the dog down by stroking and massaging it and to distract it with concentration exercises. In the long term, a combination of an anti-bark collar, treats and toys can make your four-legged friend calmer.
Features an anti-bark collar should have
A small, compact collar offers the greatest possible comfort for the dog, and its low weight is hardly noticeable. Since dogs like to splash and spontaneously jump in puddles, an anti-bark collar occasionally ends up in the water. It should therefore be a waterproof and submersible model. A sufficient manufacturer’s guarantee promises good quality and durability. The collar must be selected according to the dog’s measurements for an optimal fit. Puppies fit a special anti-bark collar for small dogs.
