Dogs bark for a number of reasons, most of them legitimate. Some though dogs are very active or restless and tend to vocalize very often. Most of the times, they get agitated when they are left unsupervized for a longer period. The most affected ones are, as always, the neighbors.

Because there is no supervision whatsoever, it is difficult to control their behavior in this circumstance. There are times when dog owners do not know what to do anymore, other than subject their pets to debarking surgeries or simply take them to a shelter. 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.

Fortunately for both the dog and the owner, anti-bark collars were invented for these situations. First bark collars were not flawless. They often reacted to the barking of another dog, and could not differentiate between the types of barks, so would correct the dog when it was responding as any dog would; and did not necessarily have a safety cut-off in case the dog was hurt or panicked.

bark collars have been constantly upgraded since they were invented. There are now three types available: spray, sonic, and static. All three types are based on the same idea. When the collar detects barking of a certain range of frequencies and volume (both audibly and vibrationally) for a preset number of times, it will then be triggered. The combination of vibration and barking makes the collar react only to the dog’s noise. 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.

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. None of these devices can seriously harm the animal. The static versions can be adjusted according to the intensity and frequence of barking; if the dog does not bark for a longer period of time, they will automatically shut down. Moreover, the bark collar can switch to a lower setting if the dog doesn’t produce any noise for a certain amount of time. This system is meant to encourage your dog to only bark when it has to.

A bark collar is intended as an aid in training your dog not to bark inappropriately, not as replacement for training. It should not be left on all the time, and initial sessions with it should be monitored. If your pet only barks when you are away and there’s no possible means for you to control his training, ask for a neighbor’s help. He will probably be glad to be of assistance since he’s the most affected by your dog’s noise. Choose a person whom your dog trusts already.

This monitoring is crucial in the beginning to ensure your dog reacts within normal parameters for effective training. 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.