Products to Stop Dogs From Barking

Nuisance barking is a difficult problem to deal with especially when man's best friend lives in urban settings where neighbors hear the sounds most of the day. Complaints likely will follow; sometimes even legal action is taken. It is important first to find out why your dog is barking. For dog owners desperately seeking solutions there are several products out there to help.

  1. Citronella Spray Collars

    • When barking is not caused by anxiety, a citronella spray collar can be an effective solution to deter the dog from barking. The citronella spray collar works by releasing a harmless spritz of citronella-scented liquid that dogs find distasteful. The collar works every time a microphone in the collar senses barking. Dog owners who tested citronella spray collars found them to be far more effective and much more humane than electric shock collars, says Soraya V. Juarbe-Díaz, D.V.M. The only drawback is that unless the microphone's sensitivity is properly adjusted, the collar may pick up barking from other dogs or other noises, causing an unjust correction to the dog.

    Aversive Sound Collars

    • Aversive sound collars work by emitting a high-frequency sound every time the dog barks. This high-pitched sound can be manually activated by the handler to deliver a correction as needed. The aversive signal emitted by such collars is not detectable by human ears, but dogs are capable of hearing it and quickly learn to associate the unpleasant sound with their barking. The use of such collars occasionally can be effective but ultimately the collars are neither noxious nor consistent enough to be considered a reliable bark deterrent, says Gary M. Landsberg, D.V.M. In case the high-frequency sound is activated by any stimuli other than barking, there is a risk the dog fails to make the association between the high-pitched signal and barking, making the device quite useless.

    Electric Shock Collars

    • Electric shock collars work by delivering a shock of variable intensity to dogs when they bark. The barking is perceived by a special sensor in the collar that detects the vibration resulting from the act of barking. Because of the discomfort shock collars deliver to dogs, these collars long have been debated. Many countries find the use of shock collars inhumane and do not permit use. These collars should never be used in anxious dogs because an aversive stimulus has the potential to make the anxiety worse and make the dog more reactive, says Karen L. Overall, VMD.