A barking dog can be an effective deterrent to burglars, a welcome alert to visitors, and even a critical notification of something amiss. However, when dogs bark excessively or bark for no apparent reason, the unwarranted noise can become annoying for pet owners and their neighbors. From special collars and personal intervention to more serious steps like medical procedures, a number of methods are available to quiet barking dogs.
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Use Special Collars
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Devices developed to deter barking and worn in the pet's collar, known as a "Bark Collar," have developed a reputation over the years as being somewhat cruel to their canine wearers. Certainly, early bark collars that issued a mild electrical shock when a dog barked may be considered somewhat inhumane, but modern bark collars have evolved considerably from those dark roots. While some of today's bark collars still provide a highly regulated and very mild electric shock (intended only to startle the dog rather than to cause pain), many newer collars take a different approach to bark control. One collar, known as a citronella collar, releases a small amount of citronella any time a dog barks. While humans may enjoy the pleasant scent, dogs have an inherent aversion to the smell and will learn to associate barking with an unpleasant odor over time. Using the same approach, another type of collar emits a loud (but short) audible tone anytime a dog barks. This tone startles the dog and distracts it from barking. As with the citronella collar, a dog wearing a sound emitting collar will learn to associate barking with an unpleasant surprise, eventually silencing the dog.
Debarking Surgery
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Despite the high effectiveness of bark collars, not all dogs associate their behavior with an unpleasant experience. In very extreme situations, it may be necessary to surgically alter the canine to remove its ability to produce barking sounds. During debarking surgery, veterinarians remove the dog's vocal chords. After recovery, the dog may still carry out the action of barking, but very low or no sound will be produced. In most cases, the surgical procedure is performed under anesthesia and is comfortable for the dog, leaving only the inability to bark as a long-term effect. Pet lovers concerned about the ethical considerations associated with debarking surgery may consider prescription medication as an alternative to surgery, though such medication is more expensive over time and may have side effects on the dog that would not surface after surgery.
Quieting a Neighbor's Dog
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While collars and surgery may be effective for stopping barking in a pet lover's own canine, dealing with a neighbor's dog usually requires a different approach. When a neighbor's dog barks excessively, the annoyed neighbor should first talk with the dog's owner to express concerns about the unwanted noise. Many neighbors escalate their complaints if the initial concern is not addressed, sometimes even involving local law enforcement officers. Some highly irritated neighbors have even produced video and audio recordings of the offending dogs and posted them to online video sharing sites, publicly shaming the neighbors to the point of taking action. Finally, a few individuals have employed independent, free-standing sound generators to stop a neighbor's barking beast. Similar to a sound-emitting bark collar, these devices respond to the sound of a bark with a high pitched, unpleasant sound (usually not audible to humans) designed to provide an unpleasant surprise to the barking dog. While a few users have reported positive effects from these devices, a number of complaints (coupled with the potential of the devices to irritate nearby non-barking dogs) indicate that the devices may be neither effective nor desirable.
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