Remote Control Anti-bark collar
My problem is that our Shepherd is becoming more and more of a barker. Where he was a good watchdog before, he now barks continuously whenever there is just about any kind of activity going on. I would like to teach him that barking for a short time is OK, but that when I say "Shhhh!" he should stop. He sort of understands this now, but not well enough. Remote control collars are available but do not sense barking, and the only anti-barking collars I have found have no remote control. I want to be able to allow him to bark and after I tell him to stop, turn the collar on. Is there such a collar available? It would seem to be an obviously useful product. Thanks, |
|
|
You are very welcome here 
I don't use anti-bark collars because my dog is crated and only used to bark alot at night when he is in there. I have a unit which plugs in and lets off an ultrasonic noise to stop the dog barking at night. He still barks at noises/ the postman etc during the day. I'm pretty sure he would bark enough to wake me (the deep sheepie woowoowoof) if there was an intruder at night. They have to actually bark to set it off so that one bark would do it, but he would still bark that one time at least which would alert me. I hope that makes sense! I'm sure other people will have ideas |
| Well, the main thing I am looking for a is a way to allow Rusty to bark at first with no penalty, then with a penalty if he barks after tell him to stop. |
| Unless you are using the citronella collar, anti bark collars train with pain; an electrical shock (unless there is another type collar I am not familiar with). Pain is not a good way to train an animal. You need to consult a trainer who uses positive reinfocement. |
| I feel the same way, and am willing to try citronella, or sound, too. The main thing is I want to be able to turn it off remotely.
Regarding the pain of an electric collar, I would set it at the lowest, and try it on myself. If the level is low enough, it might not be real pain at all, but something startling. I've never experimented with one. Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? |
You could teach Rusty the "speak" command- my dog learned this in under 1 minute  with a hand signal too so I can get him to bark while staying silent myself. The main point being you can then teach "speak" then reward upon barking, "no speak" then reward when Rusty does not bark. |
| We used the citronella collars, both automatic and remote control. They worked for a while but they can and do bark through them if determined.
You've heard of penny cans? You take a pop can and fill it with pennies? Here is our newest test/trial  ... http://oesusa.com/PennyCan.jpg It works pretty well here.
Our previous anti-bark device was clanging metal bake ware or dropping it on the floor. But company looks at you a kinda strange if you've got a cookie sheet sitting on the coffee table.  It does get the dogs' attention though. A friend has found that the metal bake ware works and a lady that works for us also trained the neighbor's dog to stop the non-stop-barking next door using it.
You can make the noise to get their attention, say "quiet" and reward them for NOT barking. Good luck to you! |
JFistere wrote: I feel the same way, and am willing to try citronella, or sound, too. The main thing is I want to be able to turn it off remotely.
Regarding the pain of an electric collar, I would set it at the lowest, and try it on myself. If the level is low enough, it might not be real pain at all, but something startling. I've never experimented with one. Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? Painful stimulation for training, no matter how minor is abusive. There are too many positive training techniques available for anyone to ever resort to something so cruel. Sorry, I am trying to be as nice as I can in telling you that electric collars are not humane. |
| You are all beginning to convince me. However, a light shock is not that much pain in my book, and hardly "inhumane", more like annoying.
Anyway, I could teach him to speak, but I am fine with him barking when he wants to, or when someone is coming. I just want him to stop when I say so. I've been doing pretty good with clicker training (plus frozen liver at times) for other behaviors, so maybe I'll give it a shot for barking. |
| clicker training is an excellent idea, it is a great form of positive reinforcement. |
| just a side note....my husband and i have tried those shock collars on and barked (thats a great mental visual, huh?)..anyway, it DOES hurt....try one on and see for yourself...
clicker training or treat training takes longer but truely is a kinder better train meathod. |
| I was having the same type of issues with Buddy. What I have been doing is after I tell him to stop if he does not stop I spray him with a squirt bottle filled with water. It works wonders. He is almost to where I want him to be with his barking. I don't know how well it would work with other dogs but I think it is worth a shot, it works for me
I personally don't belive in shock collars so this was a much better choice for us. Good Luck, Christina |
| I am in agreement with most of the folks here; pain is not the way to go (as mild as the shock might seem). There are many ways to train a dog that are positive and don't inflict a negative, physical consequence. Some dogs are barkers- my neighbors Corgi has been disinvited to family functions because of her barking.
My rule of thumb: if you wouldn't put it on your child- don't put it on your dog! |
JFistere wrote: Regarding the pain of an electric collar, I would set it at the lowest, and try it on myself. If the level is low enough, it might not be real pain at all, but something startling. I've never experimented with one.
Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? I'm doing electric collar training with my two girls. There is a difference between "shock collars" and "electric collars" or "e-collars". A shock collar delivers a painful jolt of electricty; the collar I use has a "tens unit" on it; like what a chiropractor would use to stimulate muscles. It doesn't hurt; but its sort of annoying. My boyfriend and I both wore the collars and activated them on ourselves before we were willing to consider using them on our dogs. We did postitive re-inforcement training with my dogs first,for several months, until we developed an issue with the two of them fighting. I sought the aid of a highly recommended training professional, and she suggested the e-collar. Its been AMAZING the difference in my dogs. And one of the issues we are now working on is barking, and they are really responding. My suggestion is don't just buy a collar. There are right ways to use them, and very wrong ways. The wrong ways CAN be harmful to your dog, and can make your problems worse. Talk to a professional. My trainer, in addition to being a Certified Dog Trainer through Animal Behavior College and AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, trained with the "Sit Means Sit" company in the proper use of E-collars. Find yourself a properly certified trainer, and it will REALLY change your situation for the better! |
Tasker's Mom wrote: Sorry, I am trying to be as nice as I can in telling you that electric collars are not humane.
it depends on the type eletric collar that is used, and how it is used. The system I am working with is actually used by the Humane Society, and is deemed to be less harmful than choke and pinch collars, which have been found to leave scarring in the throats of dogs. I think if the Humane Society endorses it, then it can hardly be "in-humane". Plus this system is most frequently used to help train deaf dogs that cannot respond to verb commands. Its like you are tapping your dog on the shoulder, saying "Hey! Pay attention; we're working here!". |
| Sorry, but I do not agree. In order for the collar to be "effective" there must be a consequence. The manufacturer would have you believe that it is not a "shock" but if the sensation is going to be effective as a training tool it must be uncomfortable enough to produce a response. It is a negative training tool not a positive one.
I know that many people use them, and there arecases that may warrent their use but it is still electricity and it is still "uncomfortable". |
Tasker's Mom wrote: Sorry, but I do not agree. In order for the collar to be "effective" there must be a consequence. The manufacturer would have you believe that it is not a "shock" but if the sensation is going to be effective as a training tool it must be uncomfortable enough to produce a response. It is a negative training tool not a positive one.
I know that many people use them, and there arecases that may warrent their use but it is still electricity and it is still "uncomfortable". I know that the route we took was a controversial one. I would not have done it had out situatiuon not been dire; we were faced with possibly having to re-home one of our dogsif we could not get the fighting under control. That being said; I have worn the collar myself, and activated it. I would NEVER do anything to hurt my dogs, and I wasn't willing to do anything to them that I myself did not try first. And I will say for the record, it is not painful and it does not hurt at all. Its an annoyance; it casues the muscles to spasm rather than delivers a painful jolt of electricity. The device on the collar is the same type that a doctor would use to stimulate an atrophied muscle on any human. |
| Remote collars are dangerous to use...not so much in the physical sense, but in the behavioral sense. You have no idea what the dog is thinking when he gets "punished"..
He doesn't know it is due to barking. For all the dog knows he could see a child on a skateboard, barks at it, gets zapped and there you have it! A dog that is fearful of kids on skateboards......that still barks, but now has an aversion that you are not aware of. Anything that punishes a dog for something that he is not trained to do first, is just cruel. Just like sitting an 8 year old English speaking child at a desk and asking him to write a paragraph in Chineses...With no mistakes...and any time he makes a wrong mark, he gets zapped! One behavioral problem becomes another one, and the dog becomes a basket-case. |
| Bosley's Mom is right! You cannot simply buy one of these collars and use it on your own. Its really important that you enlist the aid of a trainer that is qualified in the use of them, so that it is a training tool and not a punishment. Or, as Bosley's Mom pointed out, you could be doing severe behavioral damage to your dog. We were told that the collar system I use was never to be used as punishment. You have to keep a positive spin on all training, even this method.
And Dogs are meant to bark. What you are hoping for is a ceasation of the uncontrolled barking. You would not want to have your dog stop barking all-together. Its simply against thier nature. |
| The placement director of the largest sheepdog rescue organization in the country uses Mr. Bark Collar to stop bad barking behavior. |
| that sounds like a very strong recommendation! Thanks for the info, Ron! |
| I don't think "Mr. Bark Collar" is a brand name, just what she calls it. |
Ron wrote: The placement director of the largest sheepdog rescue organization in the country uses Mr. Bark Collar to stop bad barking behavior.
With all due respect, when I received the "training and settling in packaged documentation" that came to me after my adoption from this group I was very surprised. Having spoken to this individual on several occasions prior, I was shocked when I started to read some of the stuff provided to adoptors..It totally went against my impression. I threw it all out. And Ron, again, with all due respect, this is your board, and you allow what you want to be posted here. I just never thought that you would be one to support the promotion of techniques that are cruel to animals, just because that are not understood. Now I am sure you will edit this post, and/or make some attempt to invalidate my concerns, but we have always been head to head on this issue. I see exactly where you stand. |
JFistere wrote: Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? Hurts like hell. |
Darth Snuggle wrote: that sounds like a very strong recommendation! Thanks for the info, Ron!
There will always be people who refuse to accept conventional wisdom. Being a rescue person do not automatically bestow the title of learned and knowledgable. I think this entire issue is so sad. But it seems that people make up their minds and once made refuse to accept or even consider they may not be right. |
| I disagree with the use of shock collars. I dont even like the underground fencing for the same reason. I once had a neighbor that used both, the bark collar and the fence, it was horrible to hear the dogs bark. I would cringe when the collar would go off. I really dont think he knew the correct way to use it and that is a serious issue with these things. |
Willowsprite wrote: JFistere wrote: Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? Hurts like hell. depends on the kind you buy. I can't even feel mine until it is turned up to a "20". |
Tasker's Mom wrote: But it seems that people make up their minds and once made refuse to accept or even consider they may not be right.
OR people do alot of reaserch, and come to the conclussion that is best for them, regardless of the abusive cticisms of the people around them. I did my research; I have held my electric collar and used it on myself. I tested two different brands this way. I would suggest you try to do the same, before passing jusgedment. If you had my experience, you might feel differently. Unfortunately, its not a black and white world. Many of us are working with varying shades of gray. Some of us were not gifted with perfect dogs, or even imperfect ones that respond to lesser training methods. Some of us work with what we have, and we do what we think is right for us, and our dogs, and not what is going to be viewed with approval by unsympathetic strangers on message boards. |
cheyennebuford wrote: I really dont think he knew the correct way to use it and that is a serious issue with these things.
I have to agree with you. I think it really important to emphasize that these tools should not just be purchased off a shelf and used by someone without the proper training to do so. |
Willowsprite wrote: JFistere wrote: Does anyone have any info on how painful an electric collar is at its lowest setting? Hurts like hell. Though I'm not into shock collars as a training tool, I disagree with that. It may depend on the brand of collar, too. The lightest setting is more startling than painful. On some collars, it's call a "nick" and it's just a light zap, kind of like a static electricity shock on steroids. After that it starts to get uncomfortable but not terrorizing until the higher settings. Ultimately, pain or no pain, it's something I wouldn't love to have done to me if I could avoid it. |
| I do realize some may not start out with a painful zap, but I hate getting electrocuted on any level. Maybe I'm a wimp. |
Bosley's mom wrote: Now I am sure you will edit this post, and/or make some attempt to invalidate my concerns, but we have always been head to head on this issue. I see exactly where you stand. I don't think you know (or care) exactly where I stand.
Why do you assume I won't allow your post to stand even if we disagree on an issue? I feel that shows how little respect you have for me as a person. I was not endorsing a method or a product, I was simply stating what I know to be a fact as a part of the dialogue. I'm sorry you disagree with her actions so much it is causing you to vote with your feet. I'll miss your posts. I do have a question though. If I was a dog and every time I stuck my nose through a chain link fence and barked it hurt my nose, would I be confused about the meaning of the pain, or would I just stop barking when I had my nose in the chain link fence? |
Darth Snuggle wrote: Tasker's Mom wrote: But it seems that people make up their minds and once made refuse to accept or even consider they may not be right. OR people do alot of reaserch, and come to the conclussion that is best for them, regardless of the abusive cticisms of the people around them. I did my research; I have held my electric collar and used it on myself. I tested two different brands this way. I would suggest you try to do the same, before passing jusgedment. If you had my experience, you might feel differently. Unfortunately, its not a black and white world. Many of us are working with varying shades of gray. Some of us were not gifted with perfect dogs, or even imperfect ones that respond to lesser training methods. Some of us work with what we have, and we do what we think is right for us, and our dogs, and not what is going to be viewed with approval by unsympathetic strangers on message boards. It seems you are intent on prolonging this discussion until we say you are right. I think it is very clear that the majority of the posters do not agree with aversive type training. If you are convinced that you method is the best for you, your defensiveness is unwarranted. If you are looking for us to agree with you, sorry it isn't going to happen. We are not unsympathetic strangers, we are animal lovers who feel there is a kinder gentler way to teach our animals. You have every right to use what ever method you chose to train your dogs, you don't have the right to expect us to say it's ok. My suggestion is that we agree to disagree and let the subject go. |
Willowsprite wrote: I do realize some may not start out with a painful zap, but I hate getting electrocuted on any level. Maybe I'm a wimp.
That's probably what it is. 
Or I secretly love being electrocuted. |
| I do have to say that the jolt from the underground fence collar I was stupidly holding in my hand in the yard one day :0 did not hurt - it sdid give me a heck of a headache though. |
| BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! Do you know what that meant? "Welcome."
It's a foreign language to us until we take the time to learn how to understand what our individual dogs are telling us. You said he "used" to be a good watch dog. What changed that caused him to bark more often? Don't punish the dog for something that is natural. Did you move something in the house, like a mirror? Has he become upset because of the "other dog," (his image, or whatever)? Did some little critter make its home under your shed, or a mouse move in the house that he's barking at, and you just haven't seen it yet.......... and he's trying to tell you, but you're so interested in stopping the barking that you're not "hearing" what he's telling you! Check out all possibilities and get rid of the problem and you'll probably find you have "a good" watchdog again without having to shock the s--t out of him!! If you want a dog you can "turn off" get one of those that run on batteries. It has an off/on switch. When dogs continuously wake us our thoughts are not about intruders, they're more like, "That damn dog! I'm gonna break his neck if he doesn't shut up!" God forbid you succeed in getting him not to bark and an intruder enters your home. DON'T blame the dog for NOT telling you. After all, "He USE TO BE" a "GOOD" watchdog.. UNTIL... he got the s--t shocked out of him for trying to communicate with you.
You said he "sort of" understands the difference now, but....... Well, if he "sort of" is catching on, why not just keep up the method you're using now instead of resorting to painful techniques? |
| To quote my favorite puppy training book, "Doctor Dunbar's Good Little Dog Book," by Dr. Ian Dunbar:
"Surely, no one would think of putting a shock-collar on a canary for tweeting, squirting lemon juice into a baby's mouth for crying, or beating a husband with a rolled up newspaper for 'singing' in the shower. However, people think nothing of doing these things or more to barking dogs. If they didn't want barking, perhaps they should have considered a plant as a pet! Of course dogs bark. Barking is perfectly normal and respectable doggy behavior. In fact, barking is the quintessence of the canine repertoire. It would be unfair (an utterly asinine) to try to stop a dog from barking altogether. Instead owners should prevent barking from becoming a temporal problem. " Ella |
Quote: "Surely, no one would think of putting a shock-collar on a canary for tweeting, squirting lemon juice into a baby's mouth for crying, or beating a husband with a rolled up newspaper for 'singing' in the shower. However, people think nothing of doing these things or more to barking dogs.
Sorry, but that's the funniest thing ever but I better not let Mr. J read that b/c he's at the point where he may consider lemon juice in the baby's mouth. But I'm willing to consider a bat to his head when he stinks up the house right before we show it. |
| okay so maybe people would consider it - but wisely steer clear of the "solution".
And you would be surprised at how many people use aversives with birds and think nothing of it. |
Ron wrote: If I was a dog and every time I stuck my nose through a chain link fence and barked it hurt my nose, would I be confused about the meaning of the pain, or would I just stop barking when I had my nose in the chain link fence? |
Ron wrote: Ron wrote: If I was a dog and every time I stuck my nose through a chain link fence and barked it hurt my nose, would I be confused about the meaning of the pain, or would I just stop barking when I had my nose in the chain link fence? you might just start barking at the fence! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|