Our Dog Barks Much Less Now!
What Didn't Work to Stop the Barking
We love the Dog Whisperer, though!
When we got Baxter, our dog, we bought Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems immediately. We had watched every Dog Whisperer show we could, checked out the website, and the book was a really great and inspirational read.
I think we went too aggressive with The Dog Whisperer technique, though. When Baxter barked, we would try the "Tsssssshhh!" then put him down in a submissive position immediately until he was calm. Although this worked for in-house issues, Baxter still felt like he was Pack Leader when it came to the back yard, and his alert barks filled our little living room with an earsplitting volume of sound.
This Reduced the Barking! The Citronella Bark Collar
And it's humane!
That being said, when I went searching for anti-bark devices, one of the first places I looked was Amazon. I was vehemently opposed to a shock collar - still am, so I was looking for a way to manage the barking without hurting our precious, innocent dog. After all, when the dog misbehaves, it's almost always due to the owner's lack of knowledge rather than willful intention on the dog's part.
So I checked the ratings and bought the Citronella Anti-Bark collar from Amazon. Immediate results! Apparently dogs HATE the smell of citronella. The citronella bark collar fits like a regular collar. It senses the combination of vibration and sound that a bark produces, and reacts with a quick spray of citronella from the dog's collar. The smell of the citronella is repellent to the dog, so they learn to associate barking with the unpleasant smell! We were amazed at the results. Although Baxter didn't stop barking completely, he became much more efficient with his barking and would only bark when it was worthwhile enough for him to put up with the smell! Fine for us, we didn't want to stop his guard dog instincts, just reduce nuisance barking as much as possible. I daresay the neighbors were much happier as well...
PetSafe PBC-102 No-Bark Collar
Amazon Price: $44.86 (as of 01/06/2010)
List Price: $59.99
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What We Found That Has Reduced Our Dog's Barking
It works on the neighbor's dog, too!
Boy, am I glad I did!
Ok, what I didn't realize when purchasing online was that this device is very direction oriented. So it's going to reduce barking the most in whatever direction you point it. And there has to be a line of sight. If there's a tree in the way, the tree will stop the sound.
We have shelving just outside the back door, and I just placed this device on a shelf pointed to the gate where Baxter barks most frequently. What is does is detect barking - you set the sensitivity to 1 through 5 barks - and it sends a sound that humans cannot hear but the dog can that is REALLY effective in stopping the barking.
The Super Bark Free required 4 D batteries, but I have only had to change the batteries for the first time tonight. I purchased it on March 29, and it was about a month before I set it up (I kept thinking we had to post it on a stand or a tree until I realized the shelf would work just fine), and when I first set it up I used old batteries. It has a little test button that humans can hear and allows you to determine whether or not it's time to change the batteries.
Since getting the Super Bark Free, we have discontinued using the citronella collar and only use this device. I keep it pointed to the location where he wants to bark the most. Baxter's about 2 feet high, so I have the Bark Free at about 4 feet. If we had a smaller dog, I would set it lower to ensure the sound waves don't go over the dog's head.
We recently got a new neighbor, and Baxter was greeting him with some of his old barking habits, so I pointed the Bark Free in that direction and his barking in that location decreased, but his barking near our bedroom window increased just enough for me to realize we needed to keep it pointed where it was. Even though I moved it back, though, he has stopped barking at the neighbor and now just looks at him. If we needed it to point both directions at once, I'd get a second one, but his overall barking is so diminished it's not necessary. Hallelujah!
A really cool advantage to the Super Bark Free is that it can work on your neighbor's nuisance barking dog. Point it in the direction of the dog's favorite spot to bark from - make sure there's a clear line of sight.
Lentek Super Bark Free Dog Training Device
Amazon Price: $55.05 (as of 01/06/2010)
List Price: $69.99
From the first hour I put it up, I noticed a difference. The next few days were kind of creepy quiet - I had not realized HOW much he was barking before - even after the citronella collar reduced it - until he stopped. This worked even better than the citronella anti-bark collar, and that early-morning barking that used to wake us up on the weekends has stopped COMPLETELY. Amazing!
Just having that peace in the mornings has made this device totally worth the relatively small cost. We don't have to close up his doggy door at night any more, he just does not bark unless something major triggers him! And there's another funny side effect. When he absolutely feels he has to bark, he has changed the way he barks to a higher pitch that is less loud - apparently a technique that does not trigger the device as readily as his normal bark. So even when he does bark, it's not that bad.
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Vote for Your Favorite Dog Trainer!
Cesar Milan? Victoria Stilwell? Who's your favorite trainer
Share your favorite celebrity or a great dog trainer in your area!
Welcome to Cesar Millan's Official Web Site
Cesar Millan Center - Dog Psychology Center for Do more...0 points
The Loved World Foundation by Tamar Geller - Home
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Train Your Dog to Stop Barking
Training your dog to stop barking.0 points
Another Anti-Barking Technique That Has Really Helped!
It's Me or the Dog...
In addition to The Dog Whisperer, we watch It's Me or the Dog. Victoria Stilwell has a technique that I have recently started with Baxter, and it's working.She rings the doorbell, and the dogs start barking like maniacs. She says "Thank You!" (I say "Quiet!") and makes the dogs sit. When they are sitting and not barking, she gives them a treat. She also has strangers ring the doorbell and give the dogs a treat or toy when they are calm.
I have been using this technique with Baxter (sans doorbell), and it is slowly reducing his barks in addition to the ultrasonic device. So those loud, indoor alert barks are way down, and he thinks twice before launching into bark mode. I keep treats near the door and near his spot ready to distract him and make him sit when he starts barking. This works better for us than laying him down in a submissive position. I'll take it!
All in all, Baxter's a happy dog, and we're much happier owners (and sleeping better) now that his insane barking has been significantly reduced.
Thank you, Amazon!
Great Dog Training Books From Amazon!
Vote for your favorites and add your own great finds!
101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog by Kyra Sundance, Chalcy
101 Dog Tricks is the largest trick book on the ma more...0 points
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan, Melissa Jo Peltier
"I rehabilitate dogs. I train people." - more...0 points
Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life by Cesar Millan, Melissa Jo Peltier
The New York Times bestseller!Be the Pack Leader i more...0 points
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B. McConnell
The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, more...0 points
It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet by Victoria Stilwell
Canine expert Victoria Stilwell shows readers how more...0 points
A Member of the Family: Cesar Millan's Guide to a Lifetime of Fulfillment with Your Dog by Cesar Millan, Melissa Jo Peltier
Many of us think of our dogs not as pets but as fu more...0 points
The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller
A renowned dog trainer gives you the positive trai more...0 points
The Only Dog Tricks Book You'll Ever Need: Impress Friends, Family--and Other Dogs! by Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz, Paul S. Bielakiewicz
Find the remote control. Pull off your kids' socks more...0 points
No Bad Dogs: The Woodhouse Way by Barbara Woodhouse
Barbara Woodhouse, "the lady with the dogs,& more...0 points
Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn D.V.M., Susan Hubble Pitcairn
PitcairnOver 400,000 copies of this treasured clas more...0 points
What's Your Favorite Breed of Dog?
What's breed of dog is most trainable - especially when it comes to barking?
