Ought to I Use a Bark Collar on My Dachshund? – YouDidWhatWithYourWiener.com

Every so often I get a message from a reader who’s going through getting evicted due to their Dachshund’s extreme barking or who’s contemplating surrendering their Dachshund to a shelter due to it.

They ask me, “Ought to I Use a bark collar for my Dachshund?”

My ideas and opinions on bark collars have developed through the years as I’ve realized extra about canine habits and coaching, and as extra research on punishment and canine habits have come to gentle.

I used a bark collar on my first Dachshund Chester as a result of I didn’t know something about canine habits or coaching and that’s what was really helpful to me.

It labored.

His barking decreased and ultimately I simply needed to present him the collar to get him to close up.

However I additionally assume again on these recollections within the context of what I do know now, and a few of what I noticed through the time I used a bark collar on him breaks my coronary heart a bit.

However the backside line is, I’ve seen a bark collar work, and I do assume utilizing one is a viable possibility if it’s a dire scenario and all different choices have been exhausted.

Learn on to study extra about bark collars for Dachshunds and  the professionals and cons of utilizing one.

What’s a Bark Collar?

A canine bark collar is a tool that’s particularly designed to discourage a canine from barking.

It usually works by detecting the canine’s barking by way of microphone then emitting a loud noise, giving a gentle electrical shock (generally known as a static shock), vibrating, or spraying a deterrent like citronella oil.

Those that administer a shock or vibration usually have a number of ranges starting from 2-7.

The one I used on Chester had a setting I may alter to a better degree if it wasn’t working.

I’ve seen some bark collars that alter the depth robotically, thus beginning at a low degree and escalating to the very best if a canine doesn’t cease barking.

Some bark collars will administer the deterrent constantly till a canine stops (or doesn’t).

Some these days have a “security” mode, the place the collar will shut off after administering a sure variety of corrections (7-15 on those I’ve seen), or will give the canine a break for minute or two and begin once more.

Twenty years in the past when my first Dachshund was a pet, individuals discussing a bark collar have been referring to the sort that emits an electrical shock.

Though that’s nonetheless what most individuals consider if you say bark collar, the opposite choices are rising in popularity.

What’s the Distinction Between a Bark Collar and an eCollar?

I wish to take a minute to clarify the distinction between a bark collar and an eCollar for canine.

Many individuals get these two gadgets confused, or don’t know there’s a distinction. 

That was once me however I’ve realized extra about every of those over the previous couple of years.

A canine bark collar is a tool that’s particularly designed to discourage a canine from barking.

It really works by administering a deterrent when the canine barks.

This “punishment” is triggered by the canine themselves after they bark (though I’ve seen a minimum of one mannequin that had a distant so the proprietor may ship the stimulation).

A canine e-collar, also referred to as an digital collar or distant coaching collar, is a tool that’s utilized by an proprietor to coach and management a canine’s habits. 

In my thoughts, I consider it as an digital clicker that delivers a “stimulation” (canine trainers that use this know-how don’t like to make use of the time period shock) when the coach chooses to use it.

Abstract of the variations

In different phrases, the punishment delivered by a bark collar is mostly “administered by the canine to themselves” after they bark and it’s supposed to punish the canine in order that they study that barking is unhealthy and cease.

When you can usually alter the degrees of shock delivered by a bark collar, there are few and there are huge jumps in between ranges.

An eCollar is managed by the human utilizing it as a part of an general canine coaching technique (habits modification).

It may be used to appropriate a variety of behaviors, corresponding to barking, digging, leaping, biting, and escaping. 

The electrical stimulation emitted from a high-quality eCollar could be adjusted in incremental ranges (usually 1-100) to swimsuit a canine’s sensitivity degree.

Different Forms of Bark Collars

Like I mentioned, most individuals consider a “shock collar” when they’re contemplating a bark collar.

Nevertheless, It’s price noting although that not all bark collars and e-collars ship electrical shocks.

Some use different strategies corresponding to ultrasound, vibration, or citronella spray to discourage barking. 

All three of those various sorts of bark collars are thought-about to be extra humane than electrical shock bark collars, as they don’t trigger discomfort or ache to the canine they usually’re much less prone to trigger adverse unwanted effects, corresponding to worry or aggression.

Additionally of observe, a few of these various sorts of bark collars make a warning beep or tone earlier than the stimulation/punishment, so the canine can study to reply to the beep alone as a cue.

Citronella Bark Collar

Citronella bark collars use a canine’s sense of scent to discourage a canine from barking excessively. 

They work by releasing a burst of citronella spray, a strong-smelling odor that’s offensive to a canine, close to the canine’s nostril when the collar detects barking. 

The idea is that the disagreeable scent of the citronella will startle the canine and interrupt the barking, and the canine will ultimately study to affiliate the disagreeable scent with its barking and cease the habits.

Research by the Animal Conduct Clinic at Cornell’s Faculty of Veterinary Medication recommend that citronella oil bark collars may be simpler than electrical shock collars (supply).

Nevertheless, it’s necessary to notice that not all canine are equally affected by citronella. 

Some canine could also be detached to the scent, others could discover it nice, and some canine could have a adverse response to it for the reason that citronella oil is poisonous to canine (the collars solely include a small, in all probability inconsequential, quantity of the oil although).

Citronella collar unwanted effects embody a rash from topical publicity and melancholy, hypothermia, vomiting, and weak spot if the oil is ingested.

When you decide to make use of this sort of bark collar, be sure you monitor your pet intently for any response, be sure you clear the oils out of your canine’s fur in the event that they construct up, and focus on the security of citronella oil together with your veterinarian in case you have a pup with medical situations corresponding to respiratory difficulties.

Vibrating Bark Collar

A vibrating bark collar is a sort of bark collar that makes use of vibration to discourage a canine from barking excessively. 

It usually works by emitting a collection of vibrations at a particular frequency and depth.

The thought is that the vibrations will startle the canine and interrupt the barking, and the canine will ultimately study to affiliate the vibrations with its barking and cease the habits.

Some vibrating bark collars even have adjustable vibration ranges, so you’ll be able to select the depth of the vibration that’s acceptable in your canine. 

Ultrasound Bark Collar

An ultrasound bark collar works by emitting a high-pitched sound at a particular frequency and depth when a canine barks. 

The sound is normally above the vary of human listening to (ultrasound) and is meant to be heard solely by the canine. 

The thought is that the high-pitched sound will startle the canine and interrupt the barking, and the canine will ultimately study to affiliate the sound with its barking and cease the habits.

Some ultrasound bark collars even have adjustable sound ranges, so you’ll be able to select the depth of the sound that’s acceptable in your canine. 

Will a Bark Collar Cease My Dachshund’s Barking?

Whether or not a bark collar will cease your Dachshund from barking or not is an advanced query.

It is dependent upon why your canine is barking, how lengthy they’ve been within the behavior, how delicate they’re to the stimulation, and the underlying reason for the barking.

For instance, if a canine is barking resulting from boredom or lack of train, a bark collar could not tackle the underlying reason for the barking and will not successfully cease the habits.

It additionally is dependent upon which kind of bark collar you utilize. Not all canine will reply to the identical adverse stimulus in the identical approach.

Some canine could also be deterred by a bark collar straight away. 

Nevertheless, I’ve seen many Dachshunds who ignore, or tolerate the punishment, and proceed to bark their heads off anyway.

Generally although, a bark collar will work.

The bigger concern is the potential penalties, or unwanted effects, of utilizing one.

For instance, in case your Dachshund is continually barking when you are away from house, the reason for your Dachshund’s barking is nearly all the time separation nervousness.

When you put a bark collar in your anxious canine earlier than you allow with a purpose to cease it, the punishment may make your canine extra fearful, extra prone to bark, extra anxious, and may result in new undesired behaviors.

Ultimately, whereas a bark collar could cease your Dachshund’s barking within the brief time period in an emergency scenario, you also needs to work on the barking concern by way of correct coaching and work to deal with the underlying reason for it.

What Else Can I Do to Cut back My Dachshund’s Barking?

Understanding why your Dachshund is barking will help you develop a plan to deal with the habits.

There are a number of methods to assist cease a canine’s barking with out utilizing a bark collar, together with:

Coaching and habits modification

Educating your canine the “quiet” command, and rewarding them after they cease barking, will help to scale back extreme barking. 

Educating your canine to “go to your home” after they begin barking will help educate them what to do as a substitute of barking after they see one thing that irritates, frustrates, or upsets them.

Notice that coaching a canine to not bark as a lot requires endurance, consistency, and a dedication to altering the habits, particularly in case you have an grownup Dachshund with a long-standing behavior of extreme barking

Contemplate consulting with knowledgeable animal behaviorist or coach to make sure that you’re utilizing essentially the most acceptable and humane strategies to deal with your canine’s barking.

Addressing the underlying reason for the barking

In case your canine is barking resulting from separation nervousness, boredom, or lack of train, addressing the underlying reason for the barking will help to scale back or eradicate the habits.

Desensitization and counter-conditioning

Progressively exposing your canine to the issues that set off their barking, and serving to them to affiliate these issues with constructive experiences, will help to scale back or eradicate the habits.

The “take a look at that” and “go away it” instructions could be useful right here.

Environmental administration

Altering the atmosphere to scale back or eradicate the issues that set off your canine’s barking will help to scale back or eradicate the habits.

That is generally known as “setting your canine up for achievement”.

For instance, in case your Dachshund usually rides within the automotive the place they’ll see the issues that set off their barking, attempt inserting your canine in a crate within the cargo space the place they’ll’t see canine, different vehicles, and folks out of the window.

In case your Dachshund barks at individuals strolling by your home, shut the blinds or put a plastic movie on the window to obscure your canine’s imaginative and prescient.

In case your canine is all the time barking at noises exterior, go away a radio or TV on to assist drown out the noise.

Rule out any potential medical or emotional situations

When you suspect that your canine’s barking is brought on by an underlying situation, it’s necessary to take them to a veterinarian for an analysis.

Some examples can be separation nervousness or an sickness or damage that makes them irritable.

Sedate your canine

Now, you might be considering, how is sedating my canine in order that they bark much less any extra humane than utilizing a bark collar?

The important thing variations are that sedation has no chance of being painful, could be very unlikely to make a canine’s worry/nervousness worse, or result in new habits points.

Gentle sedation is finest used together with one, or extra, of the opposite strategies above when these methods alone are usually not sufficient and a quick resolution is required.

It’s additionally necessary that you simply focus on this feature together with your veterinarian earlier than attempting it.

What About Utilizing a Squirt Bottle?

This subject is ever so barely moving into the weeds in relation to this text.

Nevertheless, after publishing this text, a number of individuals exclaimed they might by no means use a bark collar and/or they might proceed to inform me how evil they assume bark collar are.

A number of individuals adopted that up with, “I take advantage of a squirt bottle of water”, really believing that was a greater possibility.

So I needed to deal with that right here.

Whether or not you select to make use of a bottle of water to squirt your canine, or a can of pennies to make a loud noise, to discourage them from barking, actually, that’s actually no completely different than utilizing a citronella or beeping bark collar.

Squirting your Doxie with water, or making a scary noise, is punishment given for doing one thing pure and it doesn’t tackle the underlying concern or present a canine what to do as a substitute.

In my view, utilizing a squirt bottle is on par with the beep, citronella, or vibration bark collars.

I agree although that’s a squirt bottle is a much less invasive possibility than the shock bark collar although, which can be what you consider first if you hear bark collar (lots of people do).

However there’s a downside.

Timing is every part

Right here is the place a bark collar is a bonus over these different two methods – timing.

To ensure that your canine to affiliate the punishment with their motion, it must be administered on the first signal of the undesired habits or seconds after it begins.

People have delayed reactions and poor timing although.

That’s why clicker coaching was born – to assist people enhance their timing as a result of a click on could be delivered shortly and precisely to mark a exact second in your canine’s habits.

Timing is the one place {that a} bark collar excels over the spray bottle or penny can technique.

The bark collar detects your canine’s sound and delivers the punishment instantly in order that your canine can higher perceive the habits you don’t need them to do.

Can utilizing a squirt bottle work to disrupt barking although? Sure, it positively can.

I simply wish to be clear that, though it’s a distinct device and administered in a different way, in canine coaching phrases, it’s nonetheless a “punishment” centered coaching like a bark collar is.

Remaining Ideas

Despite the fact that the usage of bark collars is controversial, particularly those that ship an electrical, or static shock, I’m not going to guage anybody from utilizing them on their Dachshunds.

I do assume they need to solely be used as a final resort beneath excessive circumstances, like going through eviction or the potential for surrendering your Dachshund to a rescue, and together with a long-term technique like coaching or habits modification.

I’d somewhat see an proprietor, and a Dachshund, keep within the house than be put in dire circumstances as a result of the proprietor is afraid of the stigma related to utilizing a bark collar.

Keep in mind although, Dachshunds have been bred for searching so barking, and alerting you to one thing threatening or stimulating, is pure for them.

Additionally do not forget that there are various causes a Dachshund could bark excessively.

Whereas it might be just because they like doing it, there may be different causes like underlying medical causes or separation nervousness.

I feel punishing your canine for barking beneath these circumstances is a bit merciless.

Additionally, it may backfire as a result of the worry brought on by punishment may trigger extra habits issues than it eliminates.

As an alternative, if in any respect attainable, exhaust all different choices first, like coaching, addressing the underlying reason for the barking, desensitization, and counter-conditioning.  

When you do select to make use of a bark collar, I recommend utilizing the least invasive sort (vibration, citronella spray) first to see if it really works earlier than progressing to a static shock sort.

Additionally, It’s necessary to make use of it correctly, comply with the producer’s directions and consider the temperament of your canine.