Bark collars were invented as a solution to the frustrating problem of dogs barking all the time, for no apparent reason. If you have the bad luck of living in a neighborhood where there are many such dogs, your life can turn into a nightmare.
Originally, there was one style of bark collar, the static or ‘shock’ collar. As with many new technologies, there were some unforeseen complications. The device wasn’t able to tell one dog’s bark from another and it often reacted randomly, even if the dog wearing it wasn’t at fault. There were a few reported cases of physical or extreme psychological harm because a dog was left unmonitored before finding out how it would react to the collar.
While the mechanisms have been developed, the basic idea of these devices stays the same.
These collars are not dangerous and they merely annoy the dog and make it bark less often. (Not only these collars can correct excessive barking, but they can also teach the dog to avoid other annoying behaviors).
Nowadays, bark collars come in three versions - static, sonic and with spray. The bark collar in the first category use a strong scented citrus spray that annoys the animal and make it stop barking. This spray is not harmful for the dog. The sonic one uses high-pitched sounds only dogs can hear. Both the sonic and citrus collars are safe to use on animals that are very sensitive to physical stimulation. The collar with citronella musn’t be used on scent hounds, which are extremely sensitive to scents.
The static collar seems to be the most appreciated among all three versions. Static collars can be triggered by continuous barking for a certain period of time. Requiring that both systems be activated prevents the collar from reacting to another dog barking. Also having a volume and frequency requirement helps prevent the collar from being triggered by fear, pain, or other vocalizations not tied to problem barking. These devices have adjustable steps and automatically shut down if the dog barks for a period longer than the one preset. This collar can also reset to a lower level if no barking occurs for a certain amount of time. This system helps in teaching the dog to bark only when needed.
Like all training aids, a bark collar works best when owner helps the dog understand what the desired behavior is. They shouldn’t be used as a single method of training. Praise and play for good behavior, exercise to help reduce restlessness and anxiety, and activities to keep the dog occupied when alone are all positive items that can help reduce the perceived need to bark for attention.
Anti-bark collars are the most practical and humane methods of teaching the dog it shouldn’t bark all the time. Most definitely they are preferable to other alternatives, such as the invasive debarking surgery or alienating the dog.
Even though the first versions of bark collar weren’t perfect, they have been improved in time. Most types of dog collars can be adjusted manually or digitally. If you want to find out more about different types of bark collar, click here.
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