[Red Cabbage]

I'm looking into anti bark collars for my parents, they have gone away until April and left the dog in charge of my son who is house sitting. It's a silky x Maltese, and there has now been complaints from the neighbours as my son works long hours, yet the neighbour is a shift worker. So the dog is obviously barking when no one is home. I stayed there for a couple of days and he hardly made a noise.

Dad would like an anti bark collar as he isn't home to deal with the issue in any other way. Can anyone please share their experiences, and which to get. I have never used them, don't even know how they work, so happy to hear all stories, success or not.

Thanks

[Allie_D]

I wanted to stop one of my dogs barking at our pet birds.

I didn't want to buy one that actually hurt the dog (like a shock collar or one that sprayed stuff in his face) so I bought an ultrasonic one that emits a sound (that humans cannot hear) every time he barks. It was meant to distract him until he worked out that every time he barked it was squealing, and so would learn not to bark.

Didn't do a bloody thing

[MoonPie]

We have a chronic anxious barker, we bought our 'final option' bark collar about 18 months ago. Best Thing Ever. Not for every dog of course, but for Sam, the citronella and ultrasonic collars did nothing. Putting the collar on him frees him from the need to bark, and he's an entirely different, relaxed dog instead of getting overwrought and beside himself over the smallest things.

The first day was awful, he would bark once and yelp three times as he got a shock. We also had an issue a couple of weeks ago when we replaced the battery for the first time because he'd worked out it was flat. Overall though, not only did it mean we could keep him, it also made him a much happier dog.

We implemented daily long walk/runs at the same time.

[CharliMarley]

You can get anti-bark collars which spray an amount of citronella every time the dog barks. You don't have to be home to use these. The other option is the anti-bark collar which you have to push a button on a remote every time the dog barks and it gets a small electric pulse into the neck. You can make it any degree of discomfort you want - high or low.

However, you would have to be around to train the dog with this collar and the dog would need to wear the collar while everyone is away, and dogs are very smart and they work out that no collar on, means no zapping.

Some states will not allow these collars, so you need to check with the company who sells them. The citronella ones can be used anywhere. You can go online and just google "barking dog" to find the collars.

[*Spikey*]

You need either a sonic or a citronella bark collar. The shock collars are illegal in many states, and ought to be illegal in every state. If the dog barks in a particular place, there are things you can use that will work like a collar - but are safer to use. Things like the Motion Activated Sprinkler and the sonic bird house that is aimed at dogs barking along fence lines.

You might want to ask the neighbour if he can identify what the dog is barking at - and see if you can eliminate that first. Sometimes screening out the object of barking is enough, or blocking access to a front fence where they can see the street (and things to woof at). And let him know you're working on it. Ask him to keep a diary of when the dog barks and for how long - that will give you some clues as to whether there is a specific trigger (like kids getting home from school or some such thing).

Also, ensuring the dog has plenty to do while your son is out - so Kongs, bones, toys, a digging clam with sand and 'surprises' buried in there are things that keep dogs entertained for hours.

I'd also suggest that a visit from a behaviouralist who specialises in barking dogs would be a good investment - that way, the dog learns not to bark, even if the collar is not on and the other things aren't there either.

[MoonPie]

You can get anti-bark collars which spray an amount of citronella every time the dog barks. You don't have to be home to use these. The other option is the anti-bark collar which you have to push a button on a remote every time the dog barks and it gets a small electric pulse into the neck. You can make it any degree of discomfort you want - high or low.

However, you would have to be around to train the dog with this collar and the dog would need to wear the collar while everyone is away, and dogs are very smart and they work out that no collar on, means no zapping.

Some states will not allow these collars, so you need to check with the company who sells them. The citronella ones can be used anywhere. You can go online and just google "barking dog" to find the collars.

Ours is a shock collar that works automatically as the dog barks. Starts as a tingle and works its way up. Petsafe brand, I believe, cost about $150 from a pet supply shop.

[Lightning_bug]

We had a citronella bark collar.

The dog barked at it until it was empty every time I put it on.

He literally tried to chase the spray

$160 down the drain.

I thought about the shock collar but you can't get them in Australia (I thought) so I sought out another solution - I bring him into the laundry.

This post has been edited by Lightning_bug: 28/12/2012, 11:05 AM

[FiveAus]

I have used a shock collar as a last resort (before I strangled the bugger) with instant success. It was amazing how quickly it worked. But it was on a dog considerably bigger than a Maltese.

[Old Grey Mare]

I'm looking into anti bark collars for my parents, they have gone away until April and left the dog in charge of my son who is house sitting. It's a silky x Maltese, and there has now been complaints from the neighbours as my son works long hours, yet the neighbour is a shift worker. So the dog is obviously barking when no one is home. I stayed there for a couple of days and he hardly made a noise.

Dad would like an anti bark collar as he isn't home to deal with the issue in any other way. Can anyone please share their experiences, and which to get. I have never used them, don't even know how they work, so happy to hear all stories, success or not.

Thanks

Glad I was sitting down when I read this one. My parents can be annoying too, but collars?

[skylark]

My dad looks after my sister's dog for her, there was never any barking trouble until my dad's dog died and my sister's dog was then lonely. She is an older maltese x, not particularly mild-mannered temperament, but the citronella collar was incredibly effective for her. She only had to wear it for a day or two before she stopped barking. Now they just show her the collar if she is getting a bit yappy and she will stop.