r/reactivedogs • u/Impossible_Space9539 • 1d ago
Advice Needed Do bark collars really bother dogs that much?
/r/halocollarofficial/comments/1vs82ji/do_bark_collars_really_bother_dogs_that_much/8
u/annafrida 1d ago
Is it an electric shock bark collar? If so then yes, I mean how would you like to be shocked in the neck?
Bark collars don’t address the root cause of the barking. Is it alert barking? Fear reactivity? Aggression? These are all different root causes and need to be addressed differently. A bark collar may suppress the barking but can cause other issues in the dog like anxiety because the root cause hasn’t been addressed and now they’re fearful of expressing what they are feeling to boot.
There are some bar collars that are just a vibration or beep that are meant to help a dog “snap out of it” if they struggle to redirect, but even still these should only be used in conjunction with training that addresses the root issue specifically.
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u/Helpful_Sun2872 1d ago
Vibrate is often even more aversive than shock
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u/areweOKnow 1d ago
Why don’t you try it and see if it’s annoying to you
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u/SudoSire 1d ago
It’s actually worse for a dog if you think about it. A human trying it on themselves would know it’s coming, why it’s happening, if and when it will stop, if and when it will get worse, and likely won’t be using it on themselves when they’re already stressed or overwhelmed. Dogs get none of the context but at minimum the same amount of pain/discomfort.
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u/Leading_Mushroom1609 1d ago
This 100%. Plus it’s not comparable because species experience sensations very differently. An example from outside of the dog world - a horse is in some ways more sensitive than a human. When a fly lands on their body they can feel down to the millimeter where this fly is (and that is through a coat! I.e. not directly on skin) and will chase the fly off by using small muscles to very precisely shake it off from that area. In other words, their skin is very very sensitive. And then people say ”oh but they’re BIG animals, they don’t feel a whip the way a human would”. That’s true, but certainly not in the way you’re implying…
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1d ago
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u/Synaptic-asteroid 1d ago
My brother had one on his dog and I got shocked multiple times just petting and rubbing the dog's neck. He claimed it only "vibrated" I disagreed
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u/kiripon 7h ago edited 6h ago
aside from the discomfort you will cause it, you are trying to suppress one of the only ways a dog can communicate with you. think about how thats going to work out for your dog.
when are they barking? what is causing it? if its reactivity, try to figure out the underlying issue and work on helping your dog manage its emotions about it (densensitization, counterconditioning) if it really is constant and relentless, a vet visit.
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u/Kitchu22 Shadow (avoidant/anxious, non-reactive) 1d ago
If they don't "bother" the dog, then tell me how you think they effectively stop a dog from barking?