Items to Stop Barking

Dogs bark to signal a personal need or changes in their environment. But when a dog gets overzealous and barks continually, it may have a behavioral problem or issues with anxiety, according to Doctors Foster and Smith. To curb nuisance barking, owners may use bark-reducing collars or calming medication in addition to behavioral-based dog obedience training.

  1. Citronella Collars

    • Use citronella spray collars to humanely reduce dog barking. The battery-operated collar rests on the pet's neck with a canister of citronella spray near the dog's throat. When the dog barks or when the owner presses a button on a remote control, a fine mist of citronella-scented liquid sprays at the dog's nose. Once the pet learns that its barking triggers the nontoxic, pungent citrus odor and a hissing spray noise, it stops barking, according to Placerville Veterinary Clinic. A human must then reinforce the positive quiet behavior with a command or treat. According to Doctors Foster and Smith, "Collars alone will not cure the problem."

    Static Shock Collars

    • If their pets do not respond to citronella, some owners try a static correction dog collar. Also known as a shock collar, a static correction collar emits a static vibration when the dog barks. Some veterinarians, including those at the Placerville Veterinary Clinic in California, do not approve of these types of collars. To determine your comfort with shock collars, perform a small test on yourself. By placing the collar in the palm of your hand on the lowest setting you can feel the amount of shock administered and choose a stronger or weaker setting if desired. After the dog barks, feels the correction and becomes quiet, you should immediately reward the dog for its silence. If a person is not present to reward the positive behavior, the dog will not learn to curb his barking, according to Doctors Foster and Smith's Pet Education website.

    Tonal Correction Collars

    • Tonal correction collars work in a similar manner to citronella and static correction collars. When the dog barks, a high-pitched tone rings out. This sound startles the dog, and it stops barking. Again, a human should immediately praise and reinforce the positive behavior. Like the other styles, tonal correction collars offer automatic or remote-control triggered correction.

    Obedience Training

    • Working with the dog to determine the root cause of its vocalizations solves many barking problems. Doctors Foster and Smith advise owners to seek the guidance of a dog behaviorist, trainer or veterinarian. These professionals can often observe the dog's barking habit and pinpoint the central cause. The pet may bark in response to neighborhood dogs, whine from boredom or yap to gain attention. Correcting these issues, rather than stifling the pet's behavior, has long-lasting positive effects.

    Calming Medication

    • In addition to behavioral obedience training, veterinarians may recommend a calming medication. Like humans, dogs can experience allergies, depression and anxiety, according to VetInfo. Each of these conditions may precipitate barking. Ask a veterinarian whether prescription or all-natural tranquilizers, antidepressants or allergy remedies could benefit your dog.