Before enlarging on whether dog collars are ethical or not, we should first try to understand the reason why dogs bark in the first place. Sometimes they have very good reasons for barking (besides the obvious that they are dogs and that is what dogs do!) such as being left outside or perhaps they are lonely, bored, hungry or thirsty. Dogs are curious creatures. If you challenge their curiosity, hide something from them or there is an intriguing event happening outside the fence, they will definitely want to find out what’s going on.
For some dogs it’s actually a learned behavior which is negatively reinforced by giving the dogs extra attention with doggie treats or extra TLC in hopes of pacifying and quieting them down, when what is really happening is that it is teaching the dogs that this is indeed a good behavior and that if they want more attention, all they need to do is to continue barking all the more.
People who lack proper information have advertised the bark collar like it is some torturing device for an animal. The truth is that a bark collar can come in many options, of which none is so dangerous as you’d believe. If you consider purchasing such a device, then you should do some research oon all options available. One is that this is not something that will necessarily need to be worn by your furry friend 24/7 and it is a far better option in my opinion than putting your dog through what is known as debarking surgery.
This kind of medical intervention is rather invasive and consists of cutting off a part of the dog’s larynx that is responsible for creating the barking sound. The surgery removes the tissue and following the surgery, dogs are only left with barely just a whisper of a bark. Vets might present you this option in an attractive manner, yet you should carefully think about it. Your dog, or yourself even, might run into a dangerous situation at some point. When attacked by other animals, like a pack of aggressive dogs, your pet uses barking as a warning signal. Since the surgery is often unsatisfactory as some or even all of the bark comes back within months, and many believe this surgery is indeed cruel, veterinarians rarely suggest this as a solution to barking issues.
The good news is that there is at least one anti-bark collar that is humane, very effective and safe. Citronella collars are the most popular anti-bark solutions. They only release a mild citrus scent whenever the dog barks. The animal dislikes this smell and stops making noise. The hissing sound startles them and they are also not fond of the smell. Almost all dogs stop barking when the “hiss” occurs, as they know the sound will be followed by an unpleasant scent. University studies have shown that citrus collars are much more effective than regular shock ones. However, you alone will decide what kind of anti-bark method you prefer. a zap or a sniff?!.
There are situations where dogs use their barking as a defensive strategy. If you are annoyed by your dog’s constant barking, there are plenty of bark collar varieties you can choose from. Please click this link for emore information on bark collar models.
Bark Collars Do Not Harm Your Dog is a post from: Bichon Frise Guide
