Bark collars

[wolfsoul]

Has anyone tried a bark collar that works for dogs who are very tolerant to pain or physical correction? Since moving here barking has become an issue; There are so many loose and barking dogs in the neighborhood that have taught my dogs to bark and fencefight (I always prided myself on never having an issue before, sigh). If I get a complaint I'll lose my business and be fined for owning too many dogs (they'll try to enforce me to get rid of one, I'd have to be sneaky to keep them all).

I don't want a collar that starts at a low setting and gets stronger as they continue to bark; I find dogs learn to pause between barks so it stays at the lowest setting. The last collar I tried was like this (I paid over $300 for it) and it was useless. I have tried three different bark (shock/vibration) collars, and a citronella collar, to no avail. My dogs have a high pain threshold. I was told to get one with long prongs and keep the collar tight -- still doesn't work. I even shaved the throat of one of my dogs, and it still didn't work. I don't want to get one of the ultrasonic boxes because I don't want ALL my dogs to be punished if only one is barking.

On another forum I was told that the Bark Limiter G3 works really well. Does anyone have any experience with this one?

I'm finding it so stressful to live here and so unfair to my dogs. They're confined too much of the time because of the barking; Meanwhiel the dogs across the street go nuts, but those owners have been fined several times and don't have a business on the line. I can't afford to get complaints. I really want to move but it looks like we're here for another 2-3 years.

[Karen]

Do they only bark when they are outside a lot? Any way to keep them inside more? Is one more prone to it than others? What sets it off?

[Freedom]

Oh dear, I can hear your worry and frustration.

You may recall, I am in a similar situation re having more dogs than allowed. So I DO understand you needing to avoid ANY complaints.

In general, I don't believe in bark collars, or in anything that will shock my dogs.

This is a tough situation. Sorry, I don't have any suggestions. Hope you find a solution before this becomes an issue.

[wolfsoul]

Do they only bark when they are outside a lot? Any way to keep them inside more? Is one more prone to it than others? What sets it off?

They bark as soon as the dogs across the street are barking (which is generally all the time -- one barks non-stop 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, despite dog control and notes left) and those dogs have taught them to bark at everything that walks by, so it doesn't matter how long they are out, sometimes they run outside at 5am just barking their heads off because they'll see something that the dogs across the street would normally bark at. It's anything from people, dogs, birds, cats, noise, anything that moves. I went from having perfectly quiet dogs that could go out all day if I wanted them to, and over time after moving here having dogs that bark excessively at everything. It's unbelievable.
Visa is inside most of the time, but Tandem hates to be inside, and neither Tandem or Fidji CAN be inside when the baby is napping, and neither one can be in the yard barking when she's napping either (it wakes her up), so I'm finding myself in the position of locking them in their dog run too much of the time (where they can't see what the other dofs are barking at). I also have to keep them in there when I'm working now (I work at home). I used to be able to have them in the yard or right in my shop with me, but the dogs across the street have over time taught them to bark at all of my clients, and since the loose dogs have taught them to fencefight, when my clients' dogs approach the fence a fencefight is usually generated, and I can't have my clients' dogs getting hurt. Tandem and Fidji are usually quiet if they're in the dog run when clients pull into the driveway (they usually only bark at things they can see, even if the neighbor dogs are barking), but Visa automatically barks now when she hears a vehicle; Problem is she can hear the vehicle from in the house OR in the dog run, and if she's in the house the dogs in the dog run can still hear her barking so they start barking too because she is. It's SO frustrating. I've considered rehoming Visa because she's the noisiest and the only one that won't stay quiet if my clients show up, but I really don't want to rehome her; I think the collars are my final resort until we can move somewhere more rural. I think they'll fall back into the pattern of being nice quiet dogs once they no longer have the influence of the neighbor dogs.

I've gotten a few people telling me about Tri tronic collars? I think I might give those a try, they've come highly recommended by those who've tried everything else, and by a top herding trainer I know.

[IRescue452]

The one thing I hate about bark collars altogether is they taught my dog Autumn to growl when she greets people. This could eventually lead to a bad situation if somebody assumes she is aggressive (which she is not). I got her when I still lived with my parents and my stepdad insisted on a bark collar. She learned quickly that it won't pick up a low growl and so she was conditioned that a bark is not ok but a growl is. Even though its been years without the collar, she still has more tendency to growl instead of bark. What have you tried to redirect their attention? Will a bone get their full attention? Can you try a blind of some sort over their runs?

Whatever you choose, try to find a bark collar that takes normal batteries if you decide to get one. What a pain trying to find specific batteries!

[NicoleLJ]

Personally I am not a fan of them ever since I got one brand of them and put them on Ajax. It malfunctioned and kept shocking him. In less then a minute it had burned two holes in his neck that became infected. I contacted the company and they did send me compensation and within a month Ajax was all healed up. He had no issues with collars even after the incident so I was lucky there. But after that I am warry to use anything that shocks my dogs.

I am not trying to tell you not to use them. I have and was successful with them until the one that malfunctioned. Just like any training aid they can be a useful tool if used right. I am just saying make sure you get a very well known and reputable brand.

[wolfsoul]

The one thing I hate about bark collars altogether is they taught my dog Autumn to growl when she greets people. This could eventually lead to a bad situation if somebody assumes she is aggressive (which she is not). I got her when I still lived with my parents and my stepdad insisted on a bark collar. She learned quickly that it won't pick up a low growl and so she was conditioned that a bark is not ok but a growl is. Even though its been years without the collar, she still has more tendency to growl instead of bark. What have you tried to redirect their attention? Will a bone get their full attention? Can you try a blind of some sort over their runs?

They are easily re-directed when I tell them to be quiet (unless fence-fighting, because they can't hear me through all of the barking; Then I actually have to go all the way down into the yard and physically remove them from the situation), but I can't get up from my seat every minute to go to the window and tell them to be quiet, or take the five minutes to go downstairs and outside and pull them all away from the loose dogs. After just a couple of barks, and after me yelling, the baby is awake, etc, and in my current condition I have enough trouble going upstairs, let alone running out into the yard all of the time. I sound like such a mean owner when I have to yell out the window constantly, and my business sign is right beside their yard, so it makes me look really bad as a dog groomer to be yelling at the dogs all the time to shutup.
My dogs don't bark when greeting people so growling won't become an issue; They only bark at people who walk by the yard. If they are inside the house, they don't bark when people come over (unless we're not home), and they don't bark at people out on walks or in public; They are very friendly outgoing dogs. The neighbor dogs have only taught them to be bark at passerbys.
The dog run is in the very back where they can't see people or anything that walks by (unless someone is out back which isn't as often); That is why I mentioned that now they have to spend most of the time in their run if they go out, but it is very small, and not fair to keep them in it so often, and like I said, Visa will still bark at vehicles that pull into the driveway, and there is no way to cover the fence in the yard.

I've decided to get a Tri-tronics collar because I keep hearing really good reviews. I haven't heard a single bad one yet. It's supposed to be the best rated collar on the market, and not even very expensive. I paid $300 for one that didn't work at all, and the Tri-tronics is only $100.

[Taz_Zoee]

Please let us know how that collar works. I might get it for Zoee. She has a barking issue very similar to yours, only she's not learning it from neighbor dogs. She learned it all by herself.
However, Zoee is so sensitive to things these days. The Bark Off device made her anxious. The vacuum makes her anxious. When she gets anxious she shakes and drools. So I'm not sure how a bark collar would work, but I'd be willing to give it a try.