Barking is a normal behavior for dogs. It is a natural form of canine communication. There are times, however, when barking can become excessive and cross over from communication to annoyance. Excessive barking can frustrate neighbors and may even violate local noise ordinances.
Bark control collars are an innovative solution to problem barking. These electronic devices are designed to detect a dog’s bark and give him a gentle but effective reminder to stop. They allow a dog to be corrected the instant excessive barking begins.
This kind of consistent and immediate correction is an important part of training. Dogs are associative learners, meaning they connect stimuli with a response. If the correction comes even a few moments after the behavior, a dog does not associate the two and the unwanted behavior will most likely continue.
How Dog Bark Collars Work
Modern bark control collars are sophisticated products. They are activated only by a dog’s bark and not by other noises in the environment. Sensors in the bark collar detect vibrations from vocal chords and the sound of barking. When the dog barks, there is an instant and mild correction to interrupt and discourage the behavior.
A bark collar has adjustable settings to ensure only the mildest correction necessary. There are several types of corrections to choose from:
Static (a mild, attention-getting electric stimulation)
Spray (a startling burst of air or citronella)
Vibration (surprising, vibrating pulses)
Ultrasonic (a high-pitched sonic signal usually not heard by humans)
The dog is in control of the bark collar because the correction or the lack of a correction‚ is delivered as a direct result of the barking behavior. Dogs learn by association and will come to avoid barking while wearing the collar.
Using Bark Control Responsibly
A dog’s bark can communicate many things, such as happiness, fear or excitement. Since barking is a natural form of communication for our canine friends, a bark collar should not be left on a dog all the time. Determine the events that trigger a dog to bark excessively and place a bark collar on him only when those triggers are likely to be present.