Bark Control Collar FAQ

How does a bark control collar work?

Static, or shock, correction bark control collars work by giving a static correction to your dog in response to either the sound of his bark, the vibration of his vocal chords when he barks, or a combination of the two. These collars are perfectly safe and humane. It's very similar to the type of shock you receive when you scuff your socks on a carpeted floor in the winter and touch someone. Startling, but not harmful.

Ultrasonic bark control collars and devices give off a very high pitched tone when your dog barks. The sound is annoying and distracting to your dog, and used consistently, the dog will associate the irritating sound with his barking.

Citronella or citrus spray bark control collars work by delivering a quick spray mist of citronella or citrus spray in response to your dog's barking. The spray is perfectly harmless, but is also annoying and distracting to your dog. He will quickly associate barking with the spray. Spray bark control collars are a very effective solution to nuisance barking for those that prefer not to use static correction.

How long will it take the bark control collar to stop my dog's barking?

Unfortunately, there is no set answer for this. Some dogs will react almost immediately to the new bark control collar, others will require more time and patience. It is also dependent upon your dog's temperament. A dog that tends to be more stubborn or difficult to train will take longer than a submissive, easy to train dog. The key to success is consistent training.

What is the best brand of bark collar to stop my dog from barking?

There really is no "best" brand of bark control collar, however, the brands I recommend the most are PetSafe, Innotek and SportDOG. These brands are well established and their bark collars are time-tested to be safe, effective and reliable. All PetSafe, Innotek and SportDOG bark collars come with warranties to protect your investment.

What is the youngest age you can put a bark collar on a dog?

Bark collars are not recommended for dogs under 6 months old.

Will using a bark control collar stop all barking?

Not necessarily. Some dogs will quickly learn not to bark at all, while others will continue to occasionally bark. Keep in mind that the goal of a bark control collar is to reduce or eliminate nuisance barking.  After all, barking is perfectly natural to a dog and there are many reasons your dog may continue to bark. For example, your dog barking when someone comes to the door is his way of alerting and protecting you - not a bad thing at all! The important thing is to have realistic expectations concerning the bark control collar; no solution is going to be 100% foolproof.

My dog still barks even with a bark control collar. What can I do?

First, you want to eliminate the obvious reasons the bark control collar may not be working. Is the battery new and/or fully charged? Is the collar fitted properly to your dog? How long have you been using the bark control collar?

Once you've eliminated the mechanical reasons and are sure the collar is working properly, consider the following. Most dogs will respond to a bark control collar given time, however, some dogs take longer than others. Where one dog will decrease barking in just a day or two, another dog may need a week or two to "learn" not to bark. Some dogs will never stop barking completely, even with a bark control collar.

Unfortunately, there are a small percentage of dogs for which bark control collars will have little to no effect. If this is the case, you should consult with your vet or a local dog trainer for alternative methods of training.

Is there a bark control collar especially for a miniature or small dog?

Definitely! PetSafe created a bark control collar especially for small dogs. The PetSafe Little Dog Bark Collar is safe for dogs over 6 months that weigh at least 6 pounds and have a minimum 6" neck circumference.