Bark Collar Basics
- 6 Sept 2022
What is Bark Collar?
A bark collar is a device designed to deter a dog from barking by providing a negative stimulation. The stimulation is delivered while the dog is barking so that they can associate the consequence with the act of barking (operant conditioning). If the correction delivered by the collar is stronger than the dogs desire to bark, the barking will stop very quickly. In nature, negative reactions to an animal's behaviour plays a key role in the survival of all animal species, in that an animal learns that certain behaviours have consequences and need to be avoided. Accordingly, your dog will quickly learn that no barking means no correction.
There are Four Main Types of Bark Collars
ELECTRIC/STATIC BARKING COLLARS
These bark collars issue a very low static pulse, similar to a tens machine at your physiotherapist. The correction is physically harmless to the dog. Most electric bark collars are activated by the vibration of the dog's vocal cords when they bark. Meaning that other dogs barking cannot activate your dog's collar. They are the most effective type of bark collar.
CITRONELLA SPRAY COLLARS
These collars send a blast of citronella in the direction of your dog's snout when they bark. The citronella spray is harmless to your dog. Most pet breeds of dogs respond well to a spray bark collar. However, they are less effective with working breeds as there is generally no ability to increase the correction levels. They can also be expensive to maintain.
ULTRASONIC COLLARS
This type of collar delivers a high-pitched tone (inaudible to humans) that is unpleasant to the dog. Some dogs are not susceptible to this tone. Also in multi-dog situations, all dogs will receive the correction whether they are barking or not. For this reason, they are best suited to single-dog scenarios. There are also stationary devices that deliver the same type of ultrasonic tone.
VIBRATION COLLARS
This type of collar delivers a vibrating sensation to the dog's neck when they bark. They can be useful for very timid dogs or young pups.
Need Help Choosing a Bark Collar?
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Choosing the right collar for your dog and your circumstances is key to successfully fixing your dog barking issue. Unlike many others say, there is not a one fix for all dogs. Let us help you choose the right collar for you.
