Main Types of Bark control Collars
At DogMaster we stock the biggest and best range of dog barking collars Australia wide, including popular brands such as Garmin and Dogtra, to help you control your dog's barking. It can get confusing when you're trying to decide which anti-bark collar is best suited to your dog, so we've put together a short guide to help you select the right one.
STATIC/ELECTRIC BARK COLLAR
This type of anti-bark collar is widely regarded as being the most effective and has a proven success rate well in excess of 90%. It comes in a variety of models for all types of dogs from small dogs to large stubborn dogs and with a choice of replaceable or rechargeable batteries.
These models are highly sophisticated and incorporate a vibration sensor which is in close contact with the pet's neck. When they detect the dog's bark, they emit a humane, gentle static correction which stops unwanted barking behaviours. Some bark control collars include a microphone and speaker so that only the bark from the dog wearing the collar triggers the correction. Depending on the collar model, other features include accelerometer technology, bark counter, remote control, variable intensity settings and smartphone compatibility. In addition, pet owners can choose from collars which have automatic or manually adjustable settings.
AUTOMATIC BARKING COLLARS
An automatic dog bark collar controls the levels of output itself. It starts with the lowest level of stimulation and, if the dog does not stop barking, it will increase the level of output every 30 seconds until the barking ceases. This means it finds the best level for your dog and stops there.
MANUAL DOG COLLAR
This type of collar puts you in control of the output. It's a good choice for those owners whose dog is smart or stubborn. The collar goes straight to the level you’ve pre-set, stopping the dog from barking straight away, instead of going up through all the levels to find the best level each time the dog barks.
Bark Odometer - Garmin's Bark Limiter 2 contains a feature that no other make or model has. It records how many activations the collar has had. So, if you're at work or out shopping, you can soon find out if your dog has been testing the collar.
Bark activity monitor - Garmin's new Barklimiter2 and Delta Smart collar work with Garmin smartphone apps. The app records the date, time, and how many times the dog barks. All the information is available in the Garmin user account which can be accessed online. (Information will be updated when synced with the collar).
Safety features:
Most static barking collars have a built-in safety switch to shut off the collar in a certain period of time to avoid over correction.
How much voltage or power is delivered by a static bark collar? ANSWER: About 2 volts @ 20 Milliamps.
The stimulus is triggered by the vocal chords and is incredibly easy to use. Your dog quickly learns to avoid the nuisance barking and modifies his behaviour accordingly. Many customers and veterinarians have reported that dogs become more content with their surroundings.
Every dog displays different behaviour and within the Garmin, Dogtra, Num'axes, SportDOG, Petsafe and Innotek range, we have methods designed
to solve even the most stubborn barker or large dog breeds, whether it is your dog or your neighbour's. Please note that these collars should not be worn for more than 10-12 hours per day or they could irritate your dog's neck.
State regulations for usage of static dog collars differ. Please contact Dogmaster or review your state's regulations before purchase.
SPRAY ANTI BARKING COLLAR
Collars which emit a burst of citronella spray when they detect that your dog is barking are referred to as spray collars. They're reasonably effective for most dog breeds (around 70% success rate) and more effective (75-77%) for those dogs that are scent driven.
Most dogs dislike being sprayed in the face with water or blown by a small puff of air which is why spray correction collars work well in many cases. The collar utilises a microphone to detect that your dog is barking and immediately emits a short burst of citronella spray in front of the dog's face, startling it, and stopping the barking.
SONIC COLLAR OR ULTRASONIC BARK CONTROL DEVICES
Another form of bark control is a sonic collar or a stand-alone ultrasonic device that can be placed indoors, in your garage, or in your backyard. It is less effective than static or spray bark collars with a success rate of around 30% on certain breeds.
When the microphone detects barking it emits a high-pitched frequency which is inaudible to humans but very annoying to dogs. It won't take long before the dog figures out that the sound is directly related to its barking and in order to avoid the shrill sound, they're more inclined to stop nuisance barking. We wouldn't, however, recommend this type of bark control for stubborn dogs.
Sometimes dogs get used to the sound of the ultrasonic bark controller and learn to block the sound out and start barking again. If this happens, we suggest turning off the device for a few days, and then turn it back on to retrain the dog.
Ultrasonic bark controls are best used in a house with just one dog. If you have more than one dog, we'd recommend using an alternative bark control such as a spray, static, or electric bark collar which is only experienced by the dog wearing it. It's not fair for a quiet dog to have to suffer the annoying ultrasonic sound because another dog is barking.
With all this in mind, we recommend that you contact us prior to selecting an ultrasonic product, so that we can advise as to which system is going to be better suited to your situation. It is important to take into consideration that the sonic/ultrasonic devices often take a month to 6 weeks before noticeable results are seen. This timeframe can be extended if there are several dogs.