Bark collars were invented to resolve a rather exasperating problem of dogs that bark all the time. If you happened to be in a neighborhood that had two or more of these, life was miserable indeed, because they reinforced each other’s behavior.

Initially, only one type of bark collar was invented – the static one. Back then, its mechanism wasn’t so advanced and it led to several complications. The device wasn’t able to tell one dog’s bark from another and it often reacted randomly, even if the dog wearing it wasn’t at fault. There were a few reported cases of physical or extreme psychological harm because a dog was left unmonitored before finding out how it would react to the collar.

In the time since they were first introduced, no bark collars have improved dramatically.

These collars are not dangerous and they merely annoy the dog and make it bark less often. (The collars aren’t meant for barking alone; they can be used to correct a wide range of behaviors). {}

Nowadays, bark collars come in three versions – static, sonic and with spray. The spray bark collar uses a strong scented fluid, such as citronella; the sonic bark collar uses sound, above the frequency of human hearing but within the dog’s range. Both these options are great for dogs that are sensitive to physical stimuli (the collar using citrus smell shouldn’t be used on scent hounds, because they sense of smell is extremely well developed).

The static collar seems to be the most appreciated among all three versions. Static collars can be triggered by continuous barking for a certain period of time. Requiring that both systems be activated prevents the collar from reacting to another dog barking. Due to its volume and frequency settings, the collar only reacts to continuous barking, and isn’t triggered by reactions of fear, pain or stress. These devices can be adjusted manually. In addition, they have an automatic shutdown period if the dog barks for a certain period without cease. This collar can also reset to a lower level if no barking occurs for a certain amount of time. This system helps in teaching the dog to bark only when needed.

Anti-bark collars work best when associated with proper dog training. They are only adjuvants in the training process. Training should be based on rewards and play for good behavior.

When used for the purpose they were intended, bark collars are effective and much preferred to the alternatives- ‘debarking’ surgery that involves cutting the vocal cords (with all the risks inherent in any surgery),  and having to find another home for what is supposed to be a forever friend