Most of the times, dogs bark for a justifiable reason. Some though dogs are very active or restless and tend to vocalize very often. Dogs are extremely attached to their owners and feel their absence; they usually become noisy when they are left alone in the house.

Because it happens when the owner is not around, it is also one of the most difficult to control. At one time, this usually led to a difficult decision: have the dog de-barked, or send the dog away. 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.

Since then, bark collars have evolved. There are now three types available: spray, sonic, and static. All these collars use the same principle. When the dog produces sounds and vibrations within a certain range or frequencies, the collar starts functioning. The combination of vibration and barking makes the collar react only to the dog’s noise. Having adjustable volume and frequency monitoring, these collars will not be triggered by reactions such as fear or stress.

bark collars based on citrus spray release the substance when they’re triggered by barking; the sonic ones produce a sound that irritates the dog and static collars give the dog a mild shock. No mechanism included in dog collars can harm your dog. 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. The bark collar will also reset to a lower setting if the dog is silent for a preset amount of time. This idea is meant to encourage the dog to only bark when needed.

A bark collar is intended as an aid in training your dog not to bark inappropriately, not as replacement for training. Anti-bark collars are meant for use over a limited period. If the dog literally only barks when no one is home, and you cannot instigate it by leaving the dog outside while you are inside, ask a neighbor if they would act as monitor when you are not there. He will be more than glad to do it, since he’s the most affected by your dog’s behavior. Make sure it is someone the dog knows and is friendly with.

This monitoring is crucial in the beginning to ensure your dog reacts within normal parameters for effective training. Again, do not use the collars alone, without combining them with training. Use the training system based on rewards, rather than on force and constraint.

Resource Box

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.