Using citronella collars for city dogs
Unnecessary barking can be a problem for any dog owners, but can become particularly bad in an urban environment. High density living areas where many dog owners can be living close together can exacerbate a barking problem. One dog may start barking unnecessarily because of separation anxiety or boredom, and this can set off a chain reaction in the other dogs, making the environment uncomfortable for everyone living there.
There are ways to combat this, and choosing the right collar to deal with unnecessary barking can be a daunting task, but arguably the best way to start is with a citronella collar. These collars are particularly effective for small, young, or timid dogs.
With smaller breeds of dogs such as chihuahuas, dachshunds, Maltese, cavalier King Charles Spaniel and miniature poodles now popular as apartment dogs, solutions such as shock collars may not be the best option.
Static stimulation is an effective tool for working dogs in a fast-paced environment, and larger or more stubborn dogs. Employing intense stimulation like this could cause issues for smaller dogs that live in a quieter and more enclosed spaces, as these dogs are naturally more timid.
Citronella collars work by spraying a trace amount of citronella, an oil obtained from plants, when the collar is activated. Most dogs find the smell of citronella unpleasant, and therefore will build an association with the smell and unwanted behaviour. Like all bark collars, they remove the human from the corrective stimulation so that the dog doesn’t start to associate unpleasant smells or feelings with their owner.
The other things they have in common with other dog training collars is that they usually have sensors so that the stimulation is working even while the owner is away, because this is often when unnecessary barking occurs. They can also have other bult-in stimulation such as warning tones.
The nice thing about citronella collars is that they are generally cheaper than static stimulation and vibration collars. They do need to be refilled, however, but this is cheap and easy to do, and DogMaster Trainers sells a 60g citronella spray refill canister from Barkmate for this purpose. This product can be used to refill other citronella collars from other brands as well.
Barkmate’s Supreme Citronella Spray N Train System is a great tool for bark control in urban and high density living scenarios, and is an incredibly effective solution if you don’t wish to use static stimulation.
This citronella collar uses citronella spray and warning tones as stimulation to combat unnecessary barking. Once the collar is filled, it can manage between 30-40 sprays before needing to be refilled. The collar itself has a rechargeable lithium battery, and the transmitter takes two AAA batteries.
The collar is water resistant, and the transmitter has a range of up to 150 metres, meaning it can also be used for training purposes.
For any other questions or queries you may have regarding citronella collars or other bark control and dog training devices, please don’t hesitate to call us on 0800 364 627, or visit our Resource Centre and Blog for more tips.