Photo credit: bloomsberries / Flickr

3. Bark collar

What it Requires

It requires the purchase of a specially designed bark collar. There are two types of shock bark collars out there: those that work on the vibrations of the dog’s voice, and those that work by sound. The shock bark collar works by sending a small shock (often called stimulation, pulse, or vibration) to the contact points of the dog’s neck. The dog receives the correction as he continues to bark, thus associating the shock with the barking.

Those collars that work strictly by sound can be set off by another dog barking, so it’s best to use only the collars that work strictly by vocal cord vibrations. They are considered the least humane by the Humane Society of the United States.

When it is Useful

Shock bark collars are frequently used as a way to stop a dog barking when the owner hasn’t properly trained their dog, they’re looking at animal control fining them, or other methods have failed. Using these collars should be a next than last resort when all other types of training has failed and you’re faced with losing your dog.

Effectiveness

Electronic shock collars can be effective but can have some pretty serious problems, according to Ms. Bonham. First, dogs with thick hair may not receive enough of a correction because the hair provides a barrier. The owner should start with the lowest amount of stimulus or correction needed to stop the barking.

Insistent dogs may still bark through the shocks because it is their nature to do so. Because these collars have such close contact with the skin, they can cause skin burning or irritation. Once the collar is off, the dog knows he can bark again. Not a good idea to leave on a dog while unsupervised as it can malfunction, especially in the rain. Most should not be worn in the rain unless mentioned on the package.