If you are a dog owner,like myself, hen I am sure you have no problem with your lovable pet barking.  It is what they are supposed to do.  Getting mad at the fact that your dog barks is like getting mad at your newborn baby for crying.

What can get extremely annoying, however, is incessant barking that never seems to end.

The individual living next to school, busy street or anyone with neighbors might find himself getting a daily headache from the daily barks his dogs make whenever they see any sign of life on the outside.

What is the solution?  As you might have guessed from the title: an anti bark collar.

When I started this blog two years I had a pug that I loved dearly.  He was the cutest dog you have ever seen.  But I could not get him to shut up.  It got to the point where it was going to be me or him.  And, since Woodstock (my dog) could not make the house payment it would be him.

I broke down and got him a shock collar.  It cost me a little more than $118.  It had various settings so you could adjust it as needed.  Within a day I started to see its affects.  It took a couple hard “zaps” and I did feel sorry for the little guy, but it did what it was designed to do.  The loud barks went from crazy earth shattering noises to nothing.  He learned quickly that he was not going to be able to bark at everything.

Eventually, he did adjust.  He learned that the device only went off after three barks and that it did not activate if he barked soft.  I can live with that.  Again, it was never the fact that he did bark but what drove me crazy was the fact that he barked loudly at everything and at all times of the day.

When using these anti bark collars, though, here is what I have learned from experience:

Take Them Off At Night

So your dog does not get a rash it is a good idea to take them off before going to bed.  Just make sure you put the collar back on him or her as soon as you wake up.

Check the Battery

As long as the battery is good then a green light will be blinking.  When it is not then the battery is dead.  Its good to have some spare ones available just in case this happens.

Adjust Settings Over Time

As your dog learns you can lower the settings.  I am a firm believer of putting it on full blast for the first two days and then lowering the settings over the next week or so as your dog learns to adjust.

There are three types of collars on the market.  They are shock, sonic and citronella dog collars.  Each one has its own pros and cons and are all discussed in depth on this blog.  Read on to find out more about them.

Why?

To make a long story short, they work.  If you are a person who is tired of hearing your dog yap all day, no matter who cute he or she is, then you need to purchase one of these devices.  There is not another training device that I know which has proven more effective than anti bark collars.  Time and time again they have shown to be the quickest way of stopping excessive barking.

Dogs bark.  That is not expected nor is that something new.  Nobody gets new puppies expecting them to never bark. What is not expected is constant non stop barking that seems to never end!  There are some breeds out there who will bark at just about anything and depending on where you live (like in a busy neighborhood) it can last seemingly all day long.

What does an anti bark collar do?

It administers a safe form of punishment  to your dog whenever their barking is deemed out of control.  This can be via tiny shock, citronella spray, or an ultrasonic wave that only they can hear.

Do these bark collars work?  Absolutely.

You will see results from using them in less than two days.  Quickly your dogs will find out that they cannot bark loud and non stop as they are used to.  True, they might be depressed at first.  Who likes not being able to do whatever they want??  But, they will quickly get over it and adjust.

I promise that almost any anti bark collar you see on the market (in the US) have been tested and approved.  If they were a safety threat to your dog then they would be banned.  These items are sold at every major national pet retail store and would be promptly taken down if they were defective or it was proved they “hurt” your dog.

These collars have two sensors on them.  They sense sound and vibration and know when your dog is barking out of control.

The “Petsafe Dog Bark Control Collar” comes stocked with a Temperament Learning System which makes these anti bark collars able to work across different breeds of dogs.

Keep in mind that there are two models available depending on which size dog you have.

There is the “PetSafe Deluxe Little Dog Bark Control Collar” and the “PetSafe Big Dog Bark Control Collar.”

The models are virtually the same but one is for smaller dogs while the other is for the more larger breeds.

One would be excellent for use dogs the size of pugs and terriers.  The one is good for dogs the size of golden retrievers (those breeds do not bark that much though) or German shepherds.

Petco makes excellent anti bark collars that train your dog not to bark by the use of zapping, or shocking, him or her when the barking gets to become excessive.

The sensors are wonderful at detecting whether your dog is barking loud or if he just barks a couple times.

Keep in mind that dogs are smarter than we give them credit for.  I found that my two dogs learned that the device would only go off after at least three very loud barks.  So they learned to bark just two times and quickly shut their trap.  I’m okay with that.

If me and my wife are at sleep, during night, and someone is trying to break into my home all I need is two barks to warn me.  Otherwise, in the middle of the day, I do not need my dogs to tell me every time someone passes by my house.

Petco Dog Bark Control Collars are a great buy.  You can usually get them for around $100.  A definite must buy if you want a little peace and quiet. Petsmart has every sort of collar you could want and as far as I know they are offering $5.99 flat rate shipping on orders of $60 or more

Luckily there is a special collar that has introduced to the market years ago that helps individuals solve this problem.

They are called “anti bark collars” and they can effectively stop your dog from barking.  There are three kinds and they each work a little different but the result is the same.

Each of them work by inflicting some sort of physical, though totally harmless, punishment on your dog when he barks out of control.  It psychologically teaches him or her that the action they are doing is bad and gives a negative feeling to them for doing it.

If used correcting the collar can stop your dog’s excessive barking within a week.  If you use it consistently for two weeks then you might be able to permanently stop your dog from going bonkers and barking excessively.

Here are the three types of collars for you to pick from starting with the most popular.

Shock Collar

These devices give your dog a small shock when they bark.  It is not a large shock but just enough so that they immediately feel a slight sting when they bark more than three times and over a certain decimal.

Spray Collar

These collars work by spraying citronella (an insect repellent) into your dog’s face when the barking gets too loud.  Canines have a strong sense of smell and this scent irritates their nose to no end (does not cause any damage though!!).  Some people feel this collar is more humane to use than the “shock” or “zap” collar mentioned previously.

Ultrasonic Collar

This particular collar trains a dog by releasing a high pitched sound in the air when the dog starts yelping out of control.  Humans cannot hear it because the tone is too high for our ears but dogs can.  Like the citronella it annoys them getting them to stop barking immediately.  You can actually purchase this device to go around a dog’s neck or it can be a stand alone product that goes in a middle of a house or even in your front yard.  This is probably the least evasive collar out of the three yet it is still effective.

No matter which anti bark collar you choose consistent use is key.  You want to make sure you take it off a night and put it back on first thing in the morning.

Also keep in mind that different dogs will respond to different collars.  You might have to test them and see which one you like best.  No matter which route you go make sure you that you follow the owner’s manual and buy an extra set of batteries.  The juice runs out quick.

Here are the choices you have: shock collars, citronella collars, and ultrasonic collars.

Shock Collars

These dog training devices shock your dogs into submission.  They are not made to hurt your dog but they do give them a clear message.

Every time your dog barks with one of these things on he or she will get shocked.  The bark has to be more than three times and over a certain level for it to kick in.  This type of anti bark collar is by far the most popular.

They work very quickly, usually within a day, but many dog owners find this type of anti bark collar inhumane.

Citronella Collar

Dog’s hate citronella spray.  It is a substance that is also used to repel mosquitoes and quite  non-toxic.

Nevertheless, dogs cannot stand the smell and are annoyed to death by it.

There is just something about it that bothers their sensitive noses and when they get sprayed by this anti bark collar the barking ceases immediately.

A citronella bark collar is worn around a dog’s neck and once they get over a certain tone it shoots a quick burst of this spray (very little amount) into their face.

Ultrasonic Collar

A dog’s hearing is more advanced than a human.  He or she can hear sounds we could never hear.  This anti bark collar works off that premise.

It starts to emit a high pitched sound when your dog starts to bark.  Like the citronella dog’s find this very annoying.  Their acute sense of hearing just cannot take it.

They will shut up immediately. You will not be able to hear any sound but they will.  You can by this as a collar or as a stand alone device.  Many people feel that the ultrasonic bark collar is the most humane training tool out of the three.

Today we are going to take a look at the ultra sonic bark collar. Unlike the other collars which administer a punishment on your dog via a shock, or burst of concentrated spray, these collars are primarily sound based.

As you probably know a dog’s sense of smell is extremely sensitive and thousands of times better than humans. What you may not know is that a dog’s sense of hearing (sound) is also very acute and frequencies that we as humans cannot hear can bother them.

When an ultra sonic bark collar detects your dog barking too loud or excessively it sends out an extremely high pitched sound frequency. It is a tone that most dogs just cannot stand. It does not hurt them in any way but it annoys them to no end.

Your dog will get this high pitched noise (which they find unbearable) every time they bark over what is considered acceptable and will start to associate their barking with the negative response they get. As with anything that causes pain (as for humans) behavior patterns are modified to avoid it.

Again, this frequency does not harm your dog. Personally I do not think anti bark collars that operate on shock and spray mechanisms hurt your dog but obviously there is a difference of opinion on that with some people. This collars causes no pain whatsoever.

Keep in mind this also. You can buy ultra sonic devices in not only collar form that go around a dog’s neck but also ones that do not. They have for sale stand alone ultra sonic units that you can set up and make go off my remote.

You can have the unit in your living room and when your dog starts barking you press a button and it goes off. You would be surprised by the results you get. You can also use it for other neighborhood dogs. Some of the more higher quality models have a very high range.

These anti bark collars that train a dog off high pitched sound cost $100 or more. There are some that are less than that amount but they work poorly. The stand alone units are a little more.

Here is an alternative.  You can use the anti bark spray collars instead.  These collars do not shock your dog when he or she starts barking out of control.

Rather, it sprays a scent in its face.  This scent is called citronella.  Dogs hate this.  A dogs nose is extremely sensitive.  There are varying arguments about exactly how much greater their smelling ability is than humans be it is generally understood a dog can smell 100,000 times better than humans can.

I am sure you can appreciate how sensitive their nose is with all those sensors and nerve endings.  Ever try to touch your dog’s nose.  They hate it.

Now dog’s hate the scent of citronella.  They literally cannot stand it.  Spray a burst of this stuff in their face and they stop dead in their tracks.

That is exactly how an anti bark spray collar works.  Much like the shock collars it has a sensor on it that can tell when your dog is barking loud.  When that happens this device is triggered and its shoots some citronella odor in your dog’s face.  I think it overloads his or her nose for a couple seconds.

They stop barking immediately. Many have found that these collars work great and are better than the various other dog training collars used.  From the reviews I have heard they are equally effective and a great alternative to the ones that shock.

The only complaint I have heard about these anti bark spray collars is that citronella gets all over the place.  I have only hear that from a few people and I think its exaggerated.

These collars do not spray tons of citronella in the air.  Its just a quick little burst.  Enough to do the trick.  If you are not looking for it then you can barely see it.  I doubt it “gets all over the place.”

Give this collars a try.  I have not heard a single story where the people who bought said it did not work.

First, you need to make sure the collar is snug.  Fitting this barking collar the right way is crucial if you want to have any success.  You do not want the collar to be too tight, obviously, because you do not want to choke your dog.  Even though you are trying to train your dog through a form of punishment you do love your pet and want him or her to be comfortable throughout the day.

Having said that if the bark collar is not tight enough its sensor will not be able to  detect your dog’s voice or vibrations and it will be useless.

Second, if you have a dog that has thick hair or a lot of hair you need to have him or her.  Hair is a another barrier to the sensor. Pugs have light hair so the anti bark collar worked great on mine.

I had a lasso dog (very boring breeds I might add, he got dumped on my by my last girlfriend/ fiance) who had a lot of hair and it almost never worked.  I had it on him for a whole week and the device never sensed his bark.

If you have a breed that has thick hair bring it to a groomer and get his or her hair cut as low as possible.

Third, you need to make sure the batteries are good.  I cannot tell you how many times people I have know, or myself, have used an anti bark collar and the batteries were dead.  The battery on the collar is small and the power runs out quick.  They usually have a light so you know if it is good or not.

On my Petsafe shock collar it would have two blinking lights as long as the battery worked.  When they were in fact dead a red light would come on.  Kind I handy I think.  Obviously, if there is no power going to the collar it is not going to work very well.  Its one of those items that should be really self explanatory but we all forget from time to time.

Follow these three items and your anti bark collar should work the way its designed.  To shut your dog up in the middle of the day!

Many people love their dogs but cannot stand when they constantly bark.  True, we want them as a guardian, we want them to protect us, alert us of any danger, and let us know if a guy dressed in black is trying to creep into the window.  We also want our beloved dogs to tell us when they have to “potty” and need to be taken outside.

Having said that, when barking goes from what I just mentioned to barking all day long, at everything, it becomes a huge problem.  When they bark at every little noise they hear (dogs have acute hearing) or person they see or when a guest comes over it gets annoying.  And when your neighbors start to get annoyed you know you have a problem.

There are various methods to train your dog.  Some view some ways more humane than others.  Oh course, by the title of this blog, you know I am referring to anti bark collars.  It is one of the best options on the market today.

Contrary to what many people believe these bark collars are not inhumane and do not hurt your dog.  I have found for myself that they are very effective at doing what they are supposed to do.

If you are a person who just cannot handle your dog getting shocked I recommend a citronella bark collar.  This devices stop your dog from barking by spray a lemon scented spray in the dogs face that he or she will not be able to stand.

Regardless of if they receive a shock or spray these collars will produce effects immediately and stop your dog from ending up in the pound.

Trust me, an anti bark collar will make your dog stop barking immediately. And when I say immediately I mean on the spot.  Follow the directions to the letter and it will produce the results you want.

Take the collars off before you and your dog go to bed.  If not the anti bark collar will cause a rash.  Make sure you apply it again to his or her neck in the morning though.

People who own dogs that bark a lot can find themselves, rather quickly, at their wits end.  There are tons of ideas and methods out there on how to stop excessive barking.  Its funny because they are always advertised as “full proof” or guaranteed to work by so called “certified dog trainers.”  They sound good but I doubt many of these things will work on stubborn dogs like a terrier, pug, or various types of hounds.

It can really make confused about what to do because on one hand most owners love their dogs but one the other hand they find themselves at times wanted to remove their dogs voice or put it to sleep at some moments.  When you get to this point you need a tool that will deliver results.  You need a tried and tested tool.

The device you need is an anti bark collar. Contrary to what certain animal lovers say these  no barking shock collars are not inhumane.

I have never seen an instance where these collars have failed when you use them as directed.  As easy as this sounds the majority of the people who buy these fail to do just that.

Fit the collar correctly around your dogs neck.  Make it snug but not tight.  You do not want to choke your dog.  The sensors need to lie under the neck.  Its even better if you can place it directly in the center of the voice box.

Try to spin the collar and see if it spins easily or not.  If it does not than you have it on tight enough.  Remember, while you do not want to put it on overly tight if it is not snug enough the sensors will not be able to hear the bark.

Be sure to take this device off right before bed or it can leave a rash.

Get into a daily routine when it comes to using the anti bark collar.  Put into practice putting this on your dog the first thing in the morning.  Do not skip days.  I repeat, do not skip one day, out it on him the next, forget two more days, and then put it on him again.

Consistency is what will make this collar work the way it is meant to.  Use it properly for at least a week and you will notice immediate results.  Dogs are smarter than you think and if you do not use it everyday they will learn the collar and find a way to beat it.  They will only not bark when the anti bark collar is on and when it is not on they will revert back to their old ways.

After a while the collar will train your pet not to zap all the time and he will get the message.  He will not need it after more than two weeks.  Every once and a while after that you may need it but not likely.  When you used the anti bark collar the way you should your dog will begin to associate the  bad sensation he gets from the shock with the act of barking.  This is what you want!  When not used the right way they only associate the unpleasant feeling with the actual collar.  Bad news!

A good anti dog barking or citronella spray collar will cost $100-$130 so you want to make certain you use it wisely to get your money’s worth.

Here are some comments of people that actually used this dog training device from Darren Barefoot.