Do you have a dog with a barking problem?
Let's first understand the issue. It is important to be aware there are actually two types of barking:
- Self-rewarding barking
- Attention-seeking barking
Self-rewarding barking is when a dog barks at visitors, at another dog or at someone walking by. As with all dog training, you should correct the undesirable behavior and then teach and reinforce the correct behavior. Barking in and of itself is not wrong. It's okay for a dog to bark at a knock at the door or a disturbance outside. The key is the dog needs to know to stop when told or how not to bark continuously. Use of the command “Enough” or “Quiet” is good for this purpose.
To correct barking, you should not use the command word “No”. For training purposes “No” means do not do this behavior ever again. “Enough” means the behavior itself is fine but that is enough for now. Often people tell their dog “No” and he goes back and does the behavior again in 5 minutes. That is usually because the owners have used “No” too broadly. All dogs need an “Enough” command as well as a “No” command in their training vocabulary.
Start with the dog on a leash so you have control of the situation and then put him in a situation that you usually get barking. When your dog barks, give the “Enough” command and if he stops to look at you, then praise him profusely. If he doesn’t stop barking, then you will need to interfere to make him stop. What method you use will depend tremendously on your dog’s personality. You may use anything from a hand applying slight pressure down on top of the nose (not a slap), a spray in the mouth with a training spray like bitter apple, or a collar correction. Do not use harsh handling or hitting. As soon as the dog quits barking you MUST praise him. This is how they learn what the command means. If they start again then give the command “Enough” again and give the correction. Again, once they stop, praise. Pretty soon you have taught that “Enough” means stop doing that.
Do not try to correct growling with a bark collar. If you have a dog who growls at you, other people, or other dogs, then you should consider consulting a professional trainer as there could be other issues that need to be addressed. Correcting a growl without addressing the reason he was growling can lead to a dog that bites without warning. Aggressive and fear behaviors require excellent understanding of behavior, timing, leadership, and a balance of motivation and control.
Next let’s discuss attention seeking barking. If the dog’s goal is to bark at his owner to get attention, then focusing on him to correct the behavior may unintentionally be rewarding the behavior. An example of this may be when you are sittng down in a chair and your dog wants something (play, food, etc) so he stands back and barks at you waiting for a response. Any response at this time might reinforce the dog’s behavior. This particularly applies to a tough and pushy dog. Initially you should ignore any attention barking and don't make eye contact. Many people turn, look at their dog and then tell him to be quiet or may physically correct him only to have it happen over and over. The dog is learning that barking makes his owner focus on him. This is an ideal situation for using bark collars as they do not in any way give the dog attention from the owner. In addition to this, you must understand if you are part of the time allowing the dog to demand attention by pawing, nudging, shoving his toy in your lap, etc., then you are unintentionally reinforcing demanding behavior. Be consistent. Don’t allow behaviors that at other times you will dislike and be mad at.
When should I use a bark collar?
It is recommended that you use a bark collar once you have already taught the “enough” command and know your dog’s personality. Often when dogs get off the leash in the yard or when the owner is out of reach, the dog will continue to bark to the dismay of the neighbors and the owner. Sometimes dogs need correction to understand behaviors are not acceptable.
Which is the best bark collar for my dog?
This is a very individual selection as bark collars come in several technology options. Some use high frequency sound (ultrasonic bark collars), which for many stubborn dogs may not be an enough correction, but for soft and easy dogs usually works. There are also area bark control products that use ultrasonic technology so the dog doesn’t actually wear a collar. The newest options are the Citronella and citrus spray bark collars. These bark collars work on many dogs but there are some dogs that will bark right through the spray. These are again often good choices for soft dogs or fearful dogs. Lastly, there is the electric bark collar which has many options including self-adjusting versus manual settings, rechargeable versus replaceable batteries, variable levels of correction, etc. These choices are all up to the individual. Electric bark collars work with almost every dog, even with the more difficult cases.
How do I properly use a bark collar? Most come with instructions but here are a few pointers:
1. If the collar has manual settings then start with the lowest levels and see if they work. Only increase the levels if you see the dog feels nothing. When working with electric bark collars, the goal is not to hear the dog yelp or be terrified. You are looking for the level where the dog acknowledges the correction but not so high that he is afraid or in pain. Especially when they are in the learning process, you want the correction level to be low enough where they can figure out what is going on.
2. Do not allow your dog to get his first few corrections as a result of barking at another person or dog. Sometimes dogs become startled and think whatever is near them caused the pain and may result in your dog lashing out. Sometimes you can not tell which dogs are going to do this. It is sort of like jumping out and saying “boo” to a person. Some people get startled with no big deal and some get startled and strike out. Dogs are the same way. One example is about two Jack Russell terriers (JRT). The owner put a bark collar on one of her JRT (the one who barked so much) and put both out in the yard. As a neighbor came out of their house that JRT began to bark with the other JRT right next to her. She immediately turned around and attacked the other dog. She was never able to safely cohabit with that other dog again.
3. For bark collars to work both contacts must be touching the skin cleanly. If collars are not fit tightly enough you will get at best an inconsistent correction. Because the collars need to be on snug, make sure you do not leave them on for extended periods of time.
4. If your dog has aggression or fear issues you should only use bark collars under the guidance of a professional.
This article was co-authored by America’s Pet Store and Michelle Blount-Jordan and may not be reproduced without permission. It has been written to provide general information on product selection and training. It is not intended to be a substitution for the information that comes with your product. If you have a dog with behavioral problems and particularly with fear or aggression issues, you should contact a reputable and local trainer who can assist you with your dog.
Michelle Blount-Jordan
www.doghuman.com
