Have you ever heard of an Anti-bark Collar?

@JenInTN (27514)
United States
January 10, 2010 6:25am CST
I got an email from Kmart yeasturday about how for one day you could get 40% off your online purchase..well..while browsing through I went to the pet supplies and there it was. An anti bark collar. Hmm..so I read the product description and it basically shocks them after they get a warning beep. Now I have known some dogs in the neighborhood that I have thought needed a good shock..lol..but I am a bit torn about this product because that was in the middle of the night without much rest. Help me decide. What do you think about this collar? Is it a good training method or do you think it is cruel?
8 people like this
38 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I think it is more cruel then anything because "a warning beep" to a human would mean I'd better stop my behavior or I'll get shocked, but to a dog it may just be an annoying piercing loud sound that doesn't necessarily make them want to stop barking, and could start them to howling instead, or with intermittent barking. I would say other ways to train them would be better, like a gentle reprimand such as looking stern, wagging your finger at them, and saying "No" in an even forced voice.
3 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Yes, I was thinking that if the beep hurt their ears they'd just bark more or howl because of the pain.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I hadn't thought about that but a warning beep may actually cause them to bark more at first. I can see why you would feel that way. Sounds are a lot louder too so it very well may hurt their ears. Thanks for your input!
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Jan 10
I've not heard of it but i think it's cruel as the dog may bark to alert the owner of something like a fire in the house or something.
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Dogs do use their barks as communication. An owner could be very sorry that they have one if that was the case. Thanks for the input.
2 people like this
@Java09 (3075)
• United States
10 Jan 10
It's not cruel,it supposedly makes a noise only the dog can hear.But I had one and it don't work.They're junk.A big waste of money.Cruelty is having that surgery to remove the dogs bark and I think only dog haters would do that.I would never do that to my dog.That's so crazy,and I'm amazed to hear of such a precedure.
• United States
10 Jan 10
One of my clients has this product and only had to use it for a short time before her dog was trained. Now she only has to tell him that she will put him in the bathroom for barking and he stops.
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
If it were me..I would be learning fast too..lol..Thanks for responding
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
10 Jan 10
My brother bought one for his dog because she was a little whiner and he lives in a trailer park where people were complaining about her barking. It did not take long of her having it on to stop barking. Even to this day all he has to do is hold up the collar and she stops barking. He only put it on her when she was going outside to do her business and she would bark at everything.
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
It's hard when you have complaining neighbors and the dog just keeps barking. I have never had to deal with it but I'm sure there are cases where people can feel like they have no choice. Thanks for the input!
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I would like to get my grandog that i have out in my backyard one & i bet my neighbors would be glad i did. lol. I don't think it would really be cruel in a way but can't imagine how it works. If u decide to get one let me know how it works. My dog always was a good alarm when someone came to the door etc. but she has lost her hearing so she doessn't bark like she use to.
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
LOL..I'm not planning on getting one but I read that it picks up their bark, beeps and delivers a little buzz..then if the dog barks again..it shocks em. I was just kind of curious about how everyone felt about it. I know that depending on people's experiences will kind of be the way they respond. Thanks for yours..take care.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jan 10
There is another version of the anti-bark collar that has a citronella spray (i think, it some kind of spray) and everytime they bark it sprays them. they dont like that, so they learn not to bark. I like this version better!
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Wow..I hadn't heard of that before either. That does seem better than shocking them. It doesn't burn their eyes or anything does it? Thanks for the response.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Anti Barking Collar for dogs is very cruel. I would never consider to do it for my dogs. Just think about if you wear this for one hour and any time you want to talk, you will get electric shock. It wouldn't kill you, but it will hurt you.... Now, barking for dog is like talking for humans. Dog needs to bark, has to bark and will bark if it needs to alarm you of potential danger. It can save your life. Barking is self expression for dog and the only way dog can communicate with humans. If you dog is not uselessly barking I would safe the money and spend for good dogs treat. If your dog is uselessly barking I would consider learning why is barking and solve the problem. Some dogs bark to hear own voice if left alone, some bark uselessly because of anxiety. I hope you didn't buy it...
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
12 Jan 10
I am glad you are not going to...
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Oh no..I'm not buying it..I was just surprised to see it and wondered what everyone here would think of it. No way my itty bitty teeney weeneies are getting an antibark collar..lol....I do agree that barking is a dogs way of communicating and by shocking them it is kind of punishing them for talking. I think thast there has to be a better way to teach them not to bark too. Thanks for the response my friend.
• United States
11 Jan 10
Hello Pola Chicago, It's amazing how our responces are almost identical, yes I totally agree with your statement!
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Is it your dog or are you buying it for a neighbors dog??? I think the dog owner need to find out why their dog is barking. If it were my dog barking i would bring it inside to prevent it form keeping my neighbors up all nite. If its a neighbors dog keeping me up i'd print out the add and stick it on their door. if they still didnt do anything about it id call the law.
2 people like this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
16 Jan 10
I think that thing would be a bad product. If i had a dog i would not use it for sure.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
15 Jan 10
I'm not really thinking of buying it at all. I was just kind of wondering what everyone here thought about it. I have lived next to a neighbor that had a barking dog though and I know they caught enough heat from the neighbors that they would probably consider something like this. Noway I'm putting it on my itty bitty teeney weenies..lol..Thanks for the response.
1 person likes this
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
11 Jan 10
yeah my friend use them for his dogs, he dont like using them because when he does the collar leaves a hole in the neck of the dogs. think there is different kind. but me and my brother was thinking about borrowing them so we can shock ourself.
2 people like this
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Did you know that if you use a shock collar on each other there is a chance one of you could die from too many volts of electric and could stop your heart?
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jan 10
after my shown me what it does to his dog we kind change our minds so now we want to get taze lol
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Wow..you are walking on the wild side these days syankee..lol.Good luck with the taser.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I have heard of it, and I guess it must be something like the electronic collars we put on dogs on the ranch. These collars have saved many a dog from danger. I think the anti bark is much better then surgery to make a dog bark less.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I agree that if it were a choice between that and surgery..the collar would be better. It does put me in mind of the invisible fence collrs that I've seen before. Thanks for the response.
2 people like this
@kellyjeanne (1576)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Yea, I've heard of those collars and it does sound a bit abusive to me. How would you like it if, when you were little, your parents put a collar like that around your neck , which most kids do at timesand shocked you whenever you started to shout, as most kids do at times. There are other ways you can keep a dog from barking. Do you ever watch 'The Dog Whisperer'? That is a very good show and gives you all kinds of ways to rehabilitate your dog. Please don't buy the ant-barking collar. That is too cruel. Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Hi Catwoman! I am not thinking of buying one for myself. I don't have the problem of my dogs barking to much. I was just very surprised when I ran across it. Wondering what people here thought about it. It does seem like it would be cruel to shock them for barking because that is their only means of communicating. In another aspect..there are people that get complaints of their dogs keeping the neighbors up all night. Thanks for the response and don't worry..I'm not going to buy one.
1 person likes this
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I think those collars are cruel and inhumane. Barking is a natural response the dog only knows. there are other cruelty free training methods you can try, just do some research.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Your right that barking is natural. It is their form of communication. I would never use one on one of my pets but there are a lot of people that turn to these collars I am guessing. I never even knew they existed. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
11 Jan 10
your welcome anytime ;)
@matsulori (269)
• United States
11 Jan 10
If you're worried about how painful the shock is, try it on yourself. Also, remember some dogs have higher tolerances for pain than others, so they'll put up with more than a different breed will. The device should have a way to adjust the shock that the collar delivers. As far as whether this is a good training method, it depends on what training method you use already with your dog. It's hard to train your dog not to bark, because with the method I use -- positive reinforcement along with correction -- doesn't work with barking. The good thing about the collar is that it is an immediate correction for when the dog is barking when you don't want him to. However, you need to reinforce the correction with positive reinforcement: tell him good boy when he stops barking. It will work better and faster and have longer-lasting results that way. I have three Pitbull pups, littermates, 14 mos old. Thank the gods they don't have a barking problem, but if they did, an anti-bark collar like the one you've described is something I'd consider for my babies. Just make sure the shock that's delivered to the dog is adjustable.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I have teeny dogs and I wouldn't use it for them. They bark but not unless there is a stranger here or they hear something outside that alerts them. I did know some really nice people once that had a lab that would bark ALL night long and I'm sure they caught a lot of heat from the neighbors. I think that training is very important. Thanks for responding.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
12 Jan 10
I have teacup chihuahuas. I have actually always been a big dog lover until I got my first little chihuahua..lol..My eva is barely 3 pounds and my male is 4. I like pitbulls and I have never heard of the pocket pits..lol..that's great. I would like one of those. The pits I have been around are very big and broad. My chihuahuas are a bit fiesty when company arrives or there is a noise outside too.
• United States
11 Jan 10
My pups are pretty much the same way: Fess does a single bark to let us know someone has driven up the driveway, and all three bark at the door if someone is outside the gate. But all in all, they're pretty mellow. I wouldn't put an antibark collar on a teeny tiny dog either -- I would be worried that the electric shock would affect the dog's heart, and that would freak me out. But my pups are 42lbs, 45lbs, and 55lbs, so if I had to use those collars, I wouldn't be so concerned. What kind of dog do you have? I have a secret crush on Yorkies and Mini Yorkies :). My Pitbulls are much smaller than the average Pitbull: mine come to my knees, and I'm 4'11" -- they're quite short, and I don't expect them to get any taller or much heavier. They were bred to be "pocket Pits," that's why they're so small.
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Jan 10
It's not a very strong shock, obv. not to hurt them, i had to buy one for my dog, when i started college 2 years ago, however, it didn't work, it was too big and couldn't make it small enough, so the prongs that are suppose to shock her wasn't touching her. So i don't know anyone else who bought one, so besides my experience with it, i can't give you much more advice. I just got lucky my dog got use to being alone during the day while i was gone to school, and stopped barking.
3 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
That is the reaason I would think someone would get one. An apartment or close knit neighborhood. There can be some very mad neighbors sometimes if you have a dog that barks for long periods of time for no reason. Thanks for the response and I'm glad your dog got used to being alone for a while.
1 person likes this
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I'm sure it works. It probably is a good way to stop the barking. It's probably not necessary unless your neighbors are complaining, or you just don't like hearing your dog bark. How much was it? I guess you have a dog. What type of dog is it? How old is it? What's your dog's name? I don't have a dog, but I don't think I would buy the product because their barking doesn't bother me that much. It can be annoying when you're sleeping or if they do it a lot. Most dogs that I'm around don't bark that much.
2 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Hi callarse! That is the scenerio I think of when thinking about the collar. I big dog just raising the moon all night..lol..I have very small dogs. Teacup chihuahuas. Max, Eva, and Uno. All three of them equal one medium dog..lol..Thanks for the response.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Oh..I think they were on sale for $39.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
10 Jan 10
We were having a real issue with the the roomie's dog going after the cats. We got her a training collar that does that - really calmed her down, but she'd do it at night and go after Frank, like she had after Rose, and between the barking and crashing the roomie finally put her in the bathroom at night - the dog doesn't like it, but she can't be trusted around Frank it seems - she's got a thing for some Siamese!
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
10 Jan 10
She generally likes cats, but for some reason hated Rose and hates Frank. We got her a shock collar and that seemed to help, but she only did it when she wasn't wearing the collar!
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Hmmm..after a little Siamese huh? Well..I hop the bathroom turns her off if the siamese idea. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Yes, when I worked at PetSmart, they had anti-bark collars. They had them locked in a case. They had to council every person about proper use of the collar. I wasn't able to hear what they said. Does it say anything about rain? I would think water plus an electric collar wouldn't be a good thing if a dog goes outdoors in the rain for a walk with you. I used to talk to pet owners. The people that owned big dogs, always paired saying, "Be quiet!" with using the collar. Then eventually, they didn't have to use the collar. They would also praise them when they were quiet after with, "Good Boy." Depending on how smart the big dog was, depended on how fast they could dump the electric collar. Most took 1 to 3 days. I believe that you should teach the dog to listen to your verbal commands and if the dog does become quiet when you command him, then don't zap him with the collar. The idea is to eventually not need the collar. Now when I talked to owners of little dogs, they said -most of them- that they had gone through the battery of the collar and were back for more because the dog hadn't learned anything. So it didn't seem to be as effective with small dogs as with big dogs. But when I watched people training their dogs in dog training classes, I noticed people with big dogs had higher expectations than people with little dogs. Also people with little dogs would do what the trainer said when the trainer was looking, but not when the trainer wasn't looking. So I'm not sure if the problem is with the little dogs or with the lower expectations, willfully disobeying owners of the small dogs. Of course this wasn't true of all big and little dog owners, but there is a definite trend. I hope this helps you make your decision. Just make sure you use it as a training devise. Make sure you are pairing it with verbal commands and praise. Make sure that you can eventually go without it. There is also some kind of spray now that stinks and some people perfer to spray something nasty smelling when they bark. But I would think that would linger in the air and confuse the praise part of it. Also the wind might take it outdoors or in might stay a long time in the air indoors. There is a calming collar that has like calming herbs in it for really hyper dogs (can you tell I used to work at PetSmart? And I used to only be there to sell Blue Buffalo dog food, but I heard lots of things over and over there). So good luck. I hope the dog learns to not bark a lot. We always had dogs that would just bark once to let us know someone was there and that was it.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
31 Jan 10
That you very much for best response. I hope you continue to enjoy your dog and finding interesting things for dogs. Even if the things you find aren't for your dog. Take care
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I can tell you used to work at PetSmart for sure! I do appreciate your detailed and informative response. I am by no means considering it for my dogs. To be honest I was a little taken aback that there was these type of collars available at the local Kmart. I know they certainly don't take the time to counsel anyone on it's uses or dangers. My dogs are little and I wouldn't put a shock collar on them for anything in the world...I bet I would even be one of those terrible owners sneaking behind the trainers back....lol..Take care and thanks again.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Jan 10
I don't think the shock is anywhere near enough to hurt an animal. Just enough to startle and make them quit barking because they are being shocked each time they bark. They have those invisible fences too ya know. I don't think they are a bad thing and I think it is like the notification on meds info now days. It is much better than the alternative. If the animal has an extreme problem then this would be a good option.
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Jan 10
Probably bored like the cat discussion I recently started.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Hi celticeagle! I was thinking about some extreme cases when I started this discussion. I was thinking about a neighbors dog a long time ago that would stay up all night and bark no matter what they did. It was a shame because he was a nice dog and the people were good..he just barked all the time. All the neighbors give them a hard time over it. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jan 10
Hello, I think it is very cruel, because dogs were created to bark, and why should they abused for doing what they were created to naturally do, that is like telling humans, we should get electricuted everytime we sneeze!
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
12 Jan 10
onlinerep, yes, we think alike. I love animals. I have learn a lot about dogs behavior.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
Thank you for your input. Your right that they are created to bark and it does seem cruel that we would shock them for it. Take care.
@Tallygirl09 (1380)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I think it's absolutely horrible, cruel and should be illegal. How would you like to be shocked when you spoke out of turn? Basically, dogs bark to communicate and if trained properly it's not an issue. The noisy dogs in your neighborhood have owners who haven't taken on the responsiblity of training their dogs properly. I can understand why people use them but it's wrong and lazy of them as owners.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I can see where you are coming from. There does need to be more time spent to train their dogs. I bet they do get a lot of heat from the neighbors. I don't have that problem anymore but I wouldn't have really wanted them to shock their animals. Barking is a way of communication. Thanks for the input.
• United States
11 Jan 10
How odd that I saw a listing for a guy trying to buy a shock collar on Craig's list and the listing was removed almost immediately. But not by me. I did send him a link to a free dog training site and hopefully he'll consider it.
1 person likes this