Anti bark collar - citronella

[permaquandry]

Has anybody used the above collar to stop a dog incessantly barking?

Thanks.

[muttynutty]

In the best case they are a waste of money, cruel, will not work teaches your dog nothing.

In the worst case will traumatise a dog, dog will find other unwanted behaviours which can be worse than barking.

[CalamityKate1]

Nooooo!! Don't do it!

[permaquandry]

This is the kind that lets off a smell of citronella when the dog barks, is that cruel?

[muttynutty]

Yep it is cruel, confusing and horrid for the dog because the smell lingers after the barking so the dog has no idea why it has happened.

You need to look at why your dog is barking.

Is the dog bored, frustrated, frightened then you can begin to sort out a solution .

[CalamityKate1]

Yes.

[permaquandry]

As far as I was aware, it just emits a smell, doesn't spray towards the dog at all?

My dog is not frustrated, just yappy, I know why she barks at certain things.

She barks at everything. I will try a behaviourist, but funnily enough, a behaviourist suggested the collar.

I was also recommended the shock one, I worked out for myself that that is cruel.

[muttynutty]

Change your behaviourist - the one you are using is not qualified if they are dishing out this sort of advice.

Teaching bark and then quiet is also a waste of time.

First you need to prevent the barking and introduce calm. So if your dog barks at people passing the front window, block the area so the dog can not get to the window.

If the dog is sound sensitive then you need to work out the triggers and when the dog hears the noise instantly click and treat over time your dog will
run to you when they hear the noise rather than bark.

If the dog just barks when left in the garden do not leave the dog unattended in the garden. The dog goes in the garden when you are there for games and training and then learns to relax indoors.
Sometime fencing off a smaller area of the garden can stop the dog from chasing up and down the garden barking - although this is also the sign of a frustrated bored dog.

Also start rewarding your dog when he is doing what you want him to do eg lying still or not barking, the dog is getting attention when they bark so if the behaviour you prefer is rewarded more then that behaviour will be repeated more.

[muttynutty]

Re the smell in the collar.

The Dog barks then the collar gives out a smell - the smell stays when the dog is not barking.

So the dog does not learn that the smell only happens when the dog barks because the dogs is not barking but still has the smell. One very confused dog!

The collars do give out a spray of gas which many dogs hate. If the dog hates it you will have more problems, If the dog does not mind it - it will not work.

[permaquandry]

I'm not being flippant but I have done/am doing all of the above.

If we are out for a walk and on or off lead, she will bark at passers-by, it makes them jump out of their skin. She is literally talking to them and she will gruffle and yip until she gets a reaction from them, she is saying 'stroke me, give me attention'.

We've tried the ignoring at door, when she first meets people etc until she calms down, we treat and reward, good and quiet behaviour.

She is just talkative, which is ok in itself but it's the barking at everything that gets you.

I have tinnitus because of it, she barks to play at me, at other dogs, at people, she barks at birds (she hates them) she barks at noises. I can understand some of them but she made so many people jump today whilst out, it was embarrassing.

I can't keep her indoors.....it's the same off and on lead.

[permaquandry]

I must add, she is not an anxious dog, she is very happy, she's not jumpy and she is calm an awful lot. She seems very at ease, I'd anything a bit cocky! She is funny and full of personality.

It's just the barking.....and the terrible recall, but we are working very hard on that.

[muttynutty]

What you are doing in all the instances you mention is let her bark then try to get her to stop.

You want to prevent the bark in the first place. So I would not be letting her get close enough to people to let her bark. It may be you have to be the other side of a football pitch let her see the person click and treat when quiet, gradually get nearer to the trigger if she barks move further away then click and treat the quiet.

Re greeting at the door do not let her go to the door. Teach her a bed command, do this before the door bell make it the best lace to be, she gets attention, treats in her bed. Then when her bed command is solid, tap on the front door and chase her to her bed reward and play tug games.

Over time build up to ringing the door bell and eventually letting people in, she should go to her bed and then be rewarded by the visitors.

Yes this does take time, but your dog could be with your for 16 years and a few weeks training now will make those 16 years much quieter

What breed is she?

[permaquandry]

I'm going to ask you to guess, as I bet you probably can!

Smallish dog....

[permaquandry]

I get the bit about being prepared but I can't avoid walking past people all the time, we live in a busy town and I have to pass loads of people and other dogs to get anywhere!

I'll try the 'on your bed' thing with the door, she associates that with getting a treat, so should I treat her also?

[muttynutty]

I would be working very hard to avoid people as much as you can for a bit. I know this is a drag but it will be worth it in the long wrong. It may only be for a week or two.

yep treat any good behaviour so in the bed, quiet, lying calm. If she is feed kibble I would give all her daily food allowance throughout the day for the behaviour you prefer.



Smallish barky dog - I wouldn't want to guess

[muttynutty]

wrong = run

[permaquandry]

I'm it for the long wrong!

.......mini schanuzer........

I use her kibble as a treat, she loves it when it's a treat, takes or leaves it as food!

Right, thanks for the advice, I'm going to start tonight with the bed when DH comes home.

I will report back.

[CalamityKate1]

Sheltie?

JRT?

[CalamityKate1]

Ah!

[Seriouslyffs]

Debark her?

[Seriouslyffs]

JOKE!!
I realised how different we are in the uk watching a film at the weekend when there was a running joke about a debarked dog- American film.
A friend was recommended the citronella collar and the dog worked out he could exhaust the capsule in a minute of frantic barking. a very expensive failure.
Clever dog.
I've had good results with distraction- rattling a jar of nails noisily when she barks.

[permaquandry]

Can you tell me if rattling a tin of shingle is cruel too. As that actually works.....?

[Haffdonga]

I am going to go against the grain here and I have my flak jacket on. We have used one of these with our very barky ddog and it works bloody wonders. I am aware that it is considered cruel and have done quite a lot of very careful reading and monitoring about it.

First thing is to work out why your dog is barking. Ours barks because she enjoys barking. As any dog owner knows, there's a different bark for 'I'm scared of an intruder' or 'I'm excited.' or 'I'm anxious'. The collar would be terrible for a dog that was nervous or territorial. But DDog barks at the birds in the garden. She barks at the wind rustling the leaves and of course any noises of passing people or cars. It's her favourite hobby. (Yes she gets a walk and stimulation every day. She's a very happy, calm and relaxed dog but she barks) This means that in summer, leaving the garden door open is impossible without the poor neghbours being constantly disturbed. or without one of us constantly standing in the garden beside her.

In desperation we tried the collar. It gives a brief sharp puff at loud barks. The first 1 or 2 times it happened ddog looked surprised but not scared. If she had been distressed in any way I would have removed it. Extremely quickly she learnt not to bark when the collar's on. In fact she's learnt to bark quietly instead - a kind of harumph. But that's fine. Of course she doesn't like the puff and I think it's the squirt sound rather than smell that is unpleasant. But it is no more upsetting or distressing than a rattle of a shaker or sharp sound would be and the feedback is far more instant than any response than I could give (running from upstairs or the loo to shake a shaker).

She remains a happy relaxed and barky dog. She has learnt so quickly when the collar is on not to bark that we have never changed the batteries but it means that she can pootle in and out of the garden on a summer day without us getting complaints from the neighbours.

So report me to the RSPCA

[sewingandcakes]

We have a barky dog too. Her trigger is the kids being out of their bedrooms; she's fine when they're asleep or at school.

[Haffdonga]

I meant to add that our collar came with 2 'flavours' of spray - citronella and non-scented. The non-scented puff of air works as well as the citronella so I'm fairly sure it's the puff of air that is the negative sensation, although the smell is probably unpleasant too.