Who doesn’t love a **pet** that gets what you’re saying? Some pets chat with gestures. Others talk with sounds. Just like that, **dogs bark** to share their **thoughts**. **Dogs** bark to show **love**, ask for things, out of **fear**, or when they’re super excited.
But some dogs bark more than enough, whether it is the day or night, light or dark, and cold or hot. They do not care, and they bark without any reason. Naturally, this creates annoyance for the owner. So the owners first try to reach the problem that keeps the dog to bark. After that, they try to reduce and overcome this barking behavior of the dog through training. Multiple tools aid this training.
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Barking is a kind of vocal communication used by dogs. A dog barks due to many reasons.
A dog, when it needs something then, starts barking. For example, he barks when he sees something exciting and wants to take it. Also, the dog, when feeling happiness, barks.
Dogs also bark when they feel some danger. The danger, in a sense, is when another person, a stranger to the dog, tries to come toward him. He might think of himself as a danger and start barking.
Some other dogs also bark when they feel any depression. Separation anxiety also leads dogs to the excessive barking because they feel lonely. When the dogs lose the attention of the owner, they bark. When the dogs are left alone for long periods in a room or yard, they start barking.
A few dogs bark in excitement when they meet with their dog friends or other humans. For example, during the walk in a park, he barks whenever the dog catches sight of something interesting.
Some dogs bark excessively and unnecessarily. On the other hand, some owners like a quiet dog and no excessive barking. So to rectify this problem, dog owners use different dog barking collars to avoid excessive barking.
What Are Barking Collars?
For negative reinforcement of the unnecessary barking behavior of dogs, barking collars are used for dogs to stop barking. These collars give the dog an unpleasant stimulus of needless and unwanted barking. When the dog fonds the stimulus odd to them and experiences the same thing at each time of barking, he stops the barking.
This stimulus can be a liquid dropped on the dog, noise, or a slight or mild static shock. The dog’s stimulus is given when he repeatedly shows the same unwanted behavior.
Types of Bark Collars That Prevent Barking
Different types of bark collars are used to reinforce dogs’ offensive barking, so the dog learns to stop barking.
One type of bark collars is citronella collars. It is a kind of spray collar. Citronella collars are very lightweight plastic collars. A small sensor is fitted in the citronella collar. Whenever the dog barks uselessly, citronella is sprayed on the dog. This dog collar fits easily around the neck of the dog.
Another kind of bark collar is the ultrasonic bark collar. As we know, dogs can hear a sound frequency of up to 50kHz. Humans cannot hear this sound. The ultrasonic bark collar has a built-in microphone. This microphone quickly detects barking and, in response, transmit the frequency sound signals, which dog and other canines can hear. This noise hits the dog’s ear and stops barking.
The third type of bark collar is the vibration collar. In vibration collars, a device is fitted, which produces vibration on the dog’s neck. When the dog barks excessively, this vibration is felt by the dog’s neck. So the dog stops barking after feeling the irritational vibration on the skin.
The next type of bark collar is the electric bark collar. These electronic collars use shock to repress the unwanted barking behavior of the dog. When the dog needlessly barks, a mild shock that the shock collar emits is given to the dog through the transmitter. When the dog feels this mild shock, it responds to it by stopping barking.
What Are the Pros of Bark Collars?
A professional dog trainer can do behavior modification for a dog easily. Bark control is a kind of behavior modification in a dog. Trainers use multiple collars by keeping in view the dog’s sensitivity to stop the dog’s barking. A bark collar has many advantages, which help get better results only if these collars are used in an optimum way.
- The bark collar can omit the negative behavior of excessive barking in a very short time. Likewise, spray collars and vibration collars bring a positive behavior to the dog’s nature.
- When the dog keeps on barking day and night, it will be very uncomfortable and inconvenience the owner. The slight static shock that a shock collar emits is enough to make him feel an unpleasant stimulus and remain quiet for a long time.
- The intensity of the stimulus is not fixed in each bark collar. The owner or trainer can adjust the intensity and level of stimulus according to the dog’s type, age, and bearing capacity.
What Are the Cons of Bark Collars?
Not always a thing used for a specific purpose will give the same expected results. Sometimes the results are opposite to what is being expected. The dog’s bark collars have disadvantages too.
- When the bark collars are used extensively more than they are needed, this can lead to multiple problems in the dog.
- Electric shocks can harm the dogs physically and mentally. In addition, these shocks can elevate depression in them.
- Some dogs have very sensitive skin. So, the bark collar can counter the expected results.
- Instead of changing the behavior of useless barking, a few dogs develop a high level of aggression that is possibly damaging to the dog himself and others.
- Some owners use these bark collars not for dogs to stop barking. Instead, they use them for punishing these.
What Is a Shock Bark Collar?
A static shock collar is an electronic collar used to train dogs. The shock collar has a fitted small device that produces an electrostatic shock. The dog feels this shock as a tinkling effect or sensation.
These shock collars are also called electronic collars or e collars. You can use it to train your dog by wearing it around your dog’s neck.
Pet dog owners or trainers use this static shock collar to repress unwanted, needless behavior in dogs. It can either be used to stop the dog’s barking as a bark control or to lessen the level of stubbornness in the dog. But, of course, all this depends on the training modes.
How Are Shock Collars Used to Stop Barking?
The dog owner uses a shock collar as a bark control to stop unwanted dog barking. This e collar has a built-in little device. This is connected to a transmitter via the signals. When the dog barks without any need, the pet owner gives a mild shock to the dog to stop barking. The dog feels this shock, and he takes it as a stimulus. This stimulus reminds him of the sense of irritation or pain if he barks again. After several stimuli, the owner sees a great reduction in the dog’s bark.
The intensity of the static shock is adjustable. It can be adjusted according to the dog’s size and age. A bit more intense shock is used for large dogs than smaller dogs.
The intensity and frequency of shock also depend on the type of dog. Many dogs can bear a large shock, but most dogs cannot even bear a minor shock.
What Are the Pros of Shock Collars?
Static correction bark collars have many pros in their kind. However, only the best results are taken when the shock collar is used properly and with care but not in a sense to punish the poor dog. A shock collar has the following advantages.
- The very first advantage is these collars are affordable. So it costs a low price to the trainer or owner of the dog. So the owner can stop the dog from barking by investing a little money.
- This dog bark collar gives more quick results than expected. As the dog does not want to feel the sensation of mild shock, again and again, he refrains himself to bark nonstop.
- The next advantage is the adjustment feature. The trainer can adjust the intensity of the shock that is to be given to the dog accordingly. To train your dog, you can also adjust the static shock frequency.
What Are the Cons of Electric Shock Collars?
The shock collars can cause more damage than good if they are not used in the recommended and controlled way.
- The major con of this collar is it does not reward positive behavior to the dog. Instead, it represses a natural behavior through negative reinforcement.
- If the intensity of the shock is kept so high and the frequency is kept so long, then it is damaging to the dog. This makes the dog more aggressive and more fearful of the owner.
- The skin of some dogs is very sensitive. Therefore, a minor shock may cause burns to their skin.
Do Shock Collars Cause Harm?
Everything, when used more than enough, causes harm. The same is the case for shock collars. If shock collars are used to punish the dog, it will undoubtedly damage the physical and mental health of the dog. However, if used necessarily and in a controlled optimum way, these are good to use.
Do Vets Recommend Shock Bark Collars?
Many vets stand against the use of shock collars. They think that shock collars are inhumane and against the animal welfare act.
They are actually against the use of shock collars for giving punishments to the dog. Instead, the vets emphasize positive reinforcement methods aiming at the pet instead of negative reinforcement. But the static shock collars mimic negative reinforcement.
Other Collars to Stop Unnecessary Dog Barking
Conclusion This is sure that lovers never want to lose their little puppy friend when the shock collars do more harm than good. Other better collars and alternatives are available to the shock collars, which are not damaging to the pet dog.
Ultrasonic Bark Collars
To reduUltrasonicollars are a good choice to use as a bark control.
Reducing dog barking to a maximum level without giving any shock collar is very lightweight and easily fits around the dog’s neck. This dog bark collar gives a noise stimulus to the dog. This noise stimulus is of a much higher frequency that is not in the audible range of humans. But the dog can easily hear this frequency. For example, when the dog starts to bark, the bark is detected by a detector in the collar. After that, the collar transmits a noise signal for the dog to stop barking.
Citronella Collars
A citronella collar is a dog spray collar. It is used to reduce unwanted behavior in the dog. This dog bark collar works so that barks and citronella are sprayed, which is a stimulus for the dog to deter barking. Then, when the dog wants to bark next time, he thinks about the unpleasant citronella smell which won him at the previous bark.
Conclusion
Some dogs that bark unnecessarily must require training. This trThe use of barking collars to do this training collars can be spray collars such as citronella collars, shock collars such as static correction bark collars, or clinic bark collars. Every bark collar has its specific way and different stimuli. These collars must be used in a regulated and controlled manner to avoid any dam damaging dog.
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