Dog Barking Collar

extra-ordinary_

Hi, I'm thinking of getting a citronella spray collar to discourage my dog from barking as I've been threatened with eviction.
Most places are charging €140+ for these although Argos have them for €60.

Has anyone any advice/experience on these?

Sigma Force

Probably cost you something similar to have a one on one consultation with a dog trainer, first you need to find out what is causing the dog to bark.

Check out http://www.dogtrainingireland.ie/in_home_training.php#

This is what it says
In-Home Training Rates:
In-Home Training session - €150
Follow up support - FREE
Travel Expenses may apply and will be confirmed at time of appointment.
If you have more than 1 dog an additional charge may apply.

150 is a lot but seeing and follow up support is free it is good value in the end.

VB

how did you get on extra-ordinary? Was thinking of getting my dog one of those collars as he goes mad barking at cats and it must be driving the neighbours mad.

kerrysgold

Like Guineapigrescue says, you'd be better off finding the cause of the problem first.
He must have a reason to be barking. Is he bored? Is he lonely? Is he exercised?

here.from.day.1

Is there a postman living next door?

LegacyUser

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Probably cost you something similar to have a one on one consultation with a dog trainer, first you need to find out what is causing the dog to bark.

Check out http://www.dogtrainingireland.ie/in_home_training.php#

Thats all very fine and dandy - have done several courses with Tara and Lisa and barking is not something they are going to solve overnight. They may be able to identify a reason for the barking .. i.e boredom, cats, thirsty, loneliness, postman, but it might take some time to train the dog out of this.

This chap needs something immediate, or he faces eviction.
Original poster, why did you leave it so long before sorting this out? Surely you knew the dog was barking ,before this eviction ultimation. Obviously it would annoy your neighbours? How long has it been going on for the complaints to get to your landlord from your neighbours? Did your neighbours complain directly to you first giving a chance to retify the situation?
Now its the dog that has to suffer with one of those nasty collars.

If you let your dog get into nasty habbits then its your fault!! You should be preventing these situations before they happen.

SuperHans

I've got to say that dogs barking in the night when you're trying to get some sleep is extremely annoying. I have no problems at all with dogs, but it's a joke sometimes. If a dog is continuosly barking is there anything that you can do?
I'm studying for finals at the moment and have to wear earplugs in my room when studying and have to wait till the dog stops barking to get to sleep.

LegacyUser

Hi,
You can actually do something.
The Dept of the Environment have a process for dealing with incessant barking dogs. First off you must touch base with your neighbour to let them know that you have an issue with their dog barking. Let them know that it is incessant and that you can no longer tolerate it.

If the dog continues to bark subsequent to your discussion with your neighbour then ...

Excessive barking which causes a nuisance to any person is an offence. In a good-neighbourly manner, let the dog’s owner know how the barking affects you. They may not have realised what was happening. If that approach fails, a complaint about excessive barking should be made to the District Court. To do this, you must first inform the dog owner in writing using a prescribed form, which can be obtained from your local authority.

Here is a list of local authorities.
http://www.environ.ie/en/Links/LocalAuthorities/

SuperHans

Thank you very much for the info. Could be a bit awkward with the neighbour. I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes.

LegacyUser

No problem. I own two dogs - but I also know how frustrating it is for neighbours - especially if you are trying to study. Ours aren't too bad - they rarely bark but if they do we tend to nip it in the bud and take them for a walk to burn off the energy.

Be careful how you phrase it to him/her - don't get their backs up! It would be easier to solve in a friendly manner. You never know, you might end up bringing the dog for a nice walk on your study break A decent walk can knock a dog out for hours.

carwash_2006

I had a situation recently where I needed to have a chat with a neighbour about something that I wasn't sure if they would be very open with what I had to say. I managed to bump into them outside and get chatting about random stuff and with a little luck and a little careful manoevering I was able to bring up the topic in a very non threatening manner.

I know if I had stomped up to their door to say what I wanted to say their defenses would have shot up and I may as well have gone and told the hedge. The way it happened we are both happy with things now, in fact I am helping him with the situation and he is very grateful. If neighbors can and are being approached it really does help to try and do it as naturally and softly as possible.

I hope you can get to speak to them and help them change the situation. It could well be that they are at their wits end and don't know what to do, you never know you might end up being able to help them.

luckat

Irish people are really defensive. I recently told my local Vietnamese takeaway that a dish I'd got several times had been tasteless last time I'd got it.

In America - Japan - anywhere else! - this would have led to the response "Oh, I'm so sorry, I'll check it out, meanwhile, have a new meal", to which my response would have been "No thanks, you're new in business, just telling you".

But no, it was met with a big defence of why I must be wrong!

Anyway, I feel your pain. Look at the source of the barking, see if you can solve it by training, and try a sonic barking collar if you can't -

http://www.nextag.com/petsafe-ultralight-sonic-bark-collar/search-html

For some dogs, like some politicians, the sound of their own voice is very rewarding, much more than any reward.

RobbieMc

Just like the OP, I too started to receive complaints about one of our two dogs and her barking.
It all started very friendly, they knocked around, we introduced them to the dogs, appoligised and even had a dog trainer around. I even went as far as to video the dogs when I was not there, it was upsetting to find my dog was indeed barking, alot.
So, we spent money on trainers, dog collars ,just when I thought nothing would work, I feel sick and spent a month at home. During this time everytime she barked, she was punished. I persisted and now, she only barks when
A) the postman knocks ( what is it about dogs and postmen??)
get's teased by the neighbours kids
C) other neighbour is cutting the gras with a petrol mower.

This started way before christmas, and I was letter free untill a few weeks ago, now the letters have started AGAIN. This time I know it's not my dogs( at home more than before now) but the letters are of the BAD things they think is happening and not the good things we have done to solve the problem.

This has now gotten out of hand, like today. I woke up to find a note in my door to ask me to keep my dogs in the house so they can have a party in the garden. I feel I'm been harased. My wifes nerves are gone to the point she will not answer the front door at night in case it's this neighbour.

What do I do?

Confused

Sigma Force

Spray collars or the like don't always work either. If you haven't consulted a dog trainer then you should and have it on paper that the dog is in the process of being trained out of it, it will show that you realise there is a problem and you are dealing with it.
If it's urgent and you are at risk of eviction then try the citronella collar as a last resort

bmacma

I received a note yesterday to say my dog is barking during the day. He doesn't bark at all at night when we are there so I am unsure what to do next? Was thinking of getting one of the collars but not sure which one to get?

steamjetjoe

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/dog_training/anti_bark_collars/129607

I used a similar one. It worked a charm.

bmacma

steamjetjoe wrote: »

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/dog_training/anti_bark_collars/129607

I used a similar one. It worked a charm.

Cheers, I ordered a multivet one online. Should be here next week, hopefully it works. Prices in the pet shops were ludicrous

Rachel 999

Hi if this collar is going to work you will know within 30 mins. Sometimes it only slows down a mature dog with a barking problem. the min they have empty the chamber they will be off again.:):):)

darrenon

bmacma wrote: »

I received a note yesterday to say my dog is barking during the day. He doesn't bark at all at night when we are there so I am unsure what to do next? Was thinking of getting one of the collars but not sure which one to get?

i had the same problem before but the collar didnt work...stubborn dog would just keep barking till the spray would run out. could just be lonely..if you had a friend with a dog you could borrow it for a day or two

bmacma

Rachel 999 wrote: »

Hi if this collar is going to work you will know within 30 mins. Sometimes it only slows down a mature dog with a barking problem. the min they have empty the chamber they will be off again.:):):)

Really hard for us to know as he doesn't bark at night, only during the day "apparently" when we are not there... I have left him indoors today anyway so hopefully there isn't a dirty protest when i get home

IIMII

We had one with a previous dog. Had to constantly fill it up, as it kept running out of the lemon spray stuff (I suspect it used to evaporate easily). When it ran out you just got a spray of air which didn't really do the trick. Then there was the battery which seemed to get constantly damp, and had to be replaced regularly. In a nutshell, great item for emergency situations when topped up and with a fresh battery. Pain in the ass over anything like a long period as you need to keep getting cannisters and bateries. It'll dig you out of a hole in the short term but I'd look at trying altenatives like training in the long term

glineli

My wesite barks at the birds on the wall, the birds on the house next door, the birds in the air, once it is a bird he barks. I am not sure what type of training would stop him from doing it.

He will do it for a few minutes after we let him out in the morning, then he calms down.

I would not like to get him to the point where he would not bark at all or is afraid to

hoser expat

We've been using the Multi-Vet one for our dachshunds. They'd apparently been barking a lot when we went out, according to the neighbours....we left a voice activated recorder on when we were out and it was true.

So we got the spray collar and it works a treat. We also bring them out of the drawer anytime they are getting over excited. Calms them down immediately.

Can't recommend it enough.

Oh yeah, we got them off eBay for a lot less than I've seen them in stores.