Are Bark Collars Safe for Dogs?
If you live on a farm or in a rural area that has a lot of space between homes, your dog’s barking won’t disturb any neighbors. But if you live in a town or city, controlling this behavior is very important.
A barking dog will easily irritate those who live in apartments. A home in the suburbs won’t yield a better result, especially if the incessant barking disturbs home-based workers, a baby’s sleep, or sets off other dogs.
Plus, the barking could lead to animal control issuing you with a warning, fine, or citation.
It can be tricky to correct a barking dog. A big obstacle is the timing – punishments must be delivered when the barking occurs. This is tough because many people are at work during the prime barking hours.
Another problem is that your dog needs to see the punishment as something they don’t want. Yelling and shouting can encourage your dog who thinks you are barking back. So, many owners have chosen bark collars to control barking. The main question is whether they are safe for dogs. Let’s take a look.
How Does a Bark Collar Work?
When it comes to any sort of training device, you need to remember that it is possible to abuse it. As an owner, you need to investigate the different options and how they work prior to using it with your beloved pooch. Not all bark collars work the same – some spray citronella, some make a sharp noise, and some deliver a shock.
Almost all bark collars operate using batteries, so you can’t use them near water like swimming pools, fountains, and rivers. You don’t need to worry about your dog’s water bowl.
When the bark collar detects the vibrations from barking, the collar will deliver the ‘punishment.’ The bark collar should be worn snugly around your dog’s neck – not too loose or too tight. You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and their skin, as with a normal collar.
Are Bark Collars Safe For Dogs?
Most manufacturers claim that bark collars will not cause any harm to your dog and that most pups will respond with just a small amount of stress, you need to evaluate your own dog’s reaction to using a bark collar.
Of course, some discomfort is necessary to correct a barking problem, but your dog should certainly not be traumatized by a bark collar to achieve a result. While a bark collar may be physically safe, they may leave your dog emotionally rattled.
Sonic collars and citronella collars are not as stressful for some dogs as shock collars, but they may still have a drawback if you have more than one dog in your home as the collar will activate when the other dogs bark.
With all things considered, most bark collars are safe for dogs when used properly and sparingly. Too much of anything is not good and loses its impact. It is best to pair the bark collar with exploring the underlying issues that your dog may have.
Look at Underlying Issues
Almost all of the time, barking is a symptom of underlying issues. Dogs that are scared, stressed, or bored may bark as a boredom or stress reliever. Start by addressing your dog’s underlying issues.
Even if you stop the barking using a bark collar, if the underlying issues have not been sorted, your dog may resort to relieving their stress in other ways such as pacing, digging, and destroying property around them.
Tips
These are some basic tips that will help get your dog to stop barking.
Stimulate their brain
Many dogs bark because they are bored. Giving your dog a mental workout using puzzle toys, learning new tricks, and practicing trick routines can aid in keeping your pup quiet.
Keep them exercised
Make sure that your dog has plenty of playtime, space to run, and that you take them on long walks. This limits the energy that they have to bark.
Do not shout and yell
It can be very frustrating and irritating to have a dog barking all the time, but you need to try not be make more noise than your pooch as they will think you are joining in and will copy your behavior.
FINAL VERDICT
In the end, using a bark collar is up to you. As the owner, you need to work out whether your dog is okay with the collar. A bark collar is only as safe as it makes your dog feel, and if your dog is being traumatized by it, it is not safe. But most bark collars have been designed to punish your dog without scaring or hurting them.