Effectiveness of Bark Collars
Dogs bark for many different reasons. For 13 to 30 percent of dog owners, barking becomes a major problem. Approximately 5 percent of cases handled at behavior clinics involve nuisance barking. Many of those owners will turn to anti-bark collars to improve the situation.
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Function
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Bark collars work on the principle of punishment. When the dog barks, the collar delivers negative stimulation to the dog. There are two types of bark collars commonly used.
Electric collars
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Many people feel that electric collars are not humane. An electric collar delivers a small static charge or shock to the dog when it barks. In a five-week study at Cornell Animal Behavior Clinic, 25 percent of owners reported that barking decreased with the shock collars and 25 percent reported a decrease in how often, but not how long, their dog barked.
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Scent collars
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While most dogs find citronella offensive, it won't harm them. A scent collar releases an unpleasant smell (citronella or a lemon spray) into the dog's face when it barks. In the Cornell study, 77 percent of owners reported a decrease in barking with citronella.
Concerns
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Bark collars seem to work better when they're not worn constantly, however, a dummy collar may need to be worn when the bark collar is off. Bark collars aren't recommended for fear barkers, dogs defending their home or dogs suffering separation anxiety because these behaviors can worsen.
Effects
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Treats can be used to provide positive reinforcement. The effects of bark collars alone tend to be temporary, so rewards should also be used to reinforce the desired behavior.
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References
- Recommending Bark Controll Devices; Douglas Island Veterinary Service; Gary M. Landsberg, D.V.M. ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, Western Veterinary Conference
- Barking Study; Journal of AAHA; Soraya V. Juarbe-Diaz, D.V.M. and Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, PhD, Diplomate ACVB, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Barking and Its Treatment; Should Anti-Barking Collars Be Allowed? Kevin Stafford, MVB, MSc, PhD, FRCVS, MACVSc and Vicki Erceg, BVSc; Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston, North, New Zealand; 2008 WSAVA Congress
- Photo Credit barking brown dog image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com dog image by Michal Tudek from Fotolia.com dog brothers image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com dog biscuits image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
