Translated by Nick R
For sure you have been annoyed at some point by your dog’s barking, especially if it’s very insistent and almost all the time. And maybe, at that moment, you have thought about getting an anti-barking collar to stop hearing it.
However, let me tell you that this is not the best solution and can bring both physical and psychological problems for your pooch.
Table of Contents
What is an anti-bark collar?
An anti-bark collar senses when a dog is barking (by the movement of the vocal cords) and sends an electric shock, a vibration or a sound that is annoying to him. Thus, as he wears the collar, he will associate the barking action with the negative stimulus sent by the collar.
It is said that these collars were once used to train hunting dogs, around the 1960s. Currently, the use of these collars is quite controversial, many consider them as mistreatment since they are seen as punishment collars and go against the positive training that many trainers prefer, for also improving the bond between the animal and the owner.
Types of anti-bark collars
Anti-bark spray collar: this type of anti-bark collar sprays your furry’s nose with citronella, an unpleasant smell for dogs, every time he barks.
- Electric shock collar: these collars send an electric shock to the dog’s neck every time he barks, they usually come with different intensities that the owner can adjust on the remote control.
- Vibration collars: these emit annoying vibrations for dogs every time they bark and will increase in intensity until the dog becomes silent.
- Ultrasonic anti-bark collar: this type of collar emits a very high-pitched sound every time the dog barks that we don’t hear, but it will be incredibly annoying for the animal.
Why is the anti-bark collar bad for dogs?
In general, the different types of collars can cause great harm to canines, and if you didn’t know this, I invite you to read the article we have on why you should not put a collar on your dog.
Besides, barking is the way dogs communicate, and suppressing this instinct is cruel. It’s like someone forcing you to shut up by electrocuting you a few at a time because they find you annoying.
When these animals bark they are trying to communicate something to us, and by understanding what it is, we can get them to stop barking so insistently.
However, focusing on bark collars specifically, they can cause dogs both physical and psychological damage:
Throat burns (electric shock ones).
- Fear.
- Anxiety.
- Pain.
- Stress.
- Nervousness.
- Insecurity.
- It can turn them into aggressive dogs.
- Hair loss.
- Lack of interest in socializing.
- Apathy.
- Lack of appetite.
Not only do electric shock collars cause great pain to puppies, but also ultrasonic collars since dogs’ ears are very sensitive. If we were put on headphones with very loud music, it would also cause us pain and great discomfort.
On the other hand, if such collars are worn all the time, your furry one will be confused and will probably associate this negative stimulus even when he is with you.
Researchers from the universities of Lincoln, Bristol, and the Central Science Laboratory carried out experiments comparing the use of collars as part of dog training with positive educational techniques (that is when the dog is given a reward when performing the desirable action) and concluded that positive training works perfectly well so that punishment collars or other techniques that may be harmful to the animal are not necessary.
“They collected data on aggression secondary to fear and stress instilled by inappropriate techniques. Another significant fact is that electric collars generate indiscriminate anxiety in dogs that have been subjected to them which can be measured through cortisol in their saliva. It is known that the victim’s self-confidence and, obviously, the victim’s confidence in the abuser decreases as a result of mistreatment. This is not the bond that should unite us.” (regulating harmful collars: advancing canine welfare)
And while spray collars don’t do physical harm to the dog, they are quite annoying to him, considering how good their sense of smell is, and you sure don’t want to cause any discomfort, pain, or long-term damage to your furry friend.
Conclusions
The use of these types of collars to correct undesirable behavior in your pet is not recommended. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet, you are committed to avoiding any harm to them and these bark collars would be included in dangerous things for your furry friend.
It will always be better to have positive training that not only helps you to educate your canine but also to create a much stronger bond between both of you based on mutual respect and tolerance.
Note: If your dog barks too much, seek a trainer or ethologist to help you find the cause of the incessant barking and find a friendly solution for your dog.
