As a hunter, you need to not only keep your dog from barking when he’s at home but you also want to make sure that the dog isn’t barking at times when it’s inconvenient while you’re hunting. Let’s face it if your dog barks at every little thing he encounters while you’re out hunting, you’re not going to have a good hunting trip!
Although there are a few ways of training your dog not to bark, a good choice is to get a dog bark collar. It’s a negative reinforcement method that can teach your dog that it is not okay to bark.
You have a choice of two types of dog bark collars to teach your dog not to bark, or not to bark when it is not appropriate. They are safe to use and are effective for dogs, whether it is for your hunting dog or a pet at home.
One thing to keep in mind however not every collar is going to work on every dog – you’ll have to do some of your own homework to make sure that your dog will react well to the training collar (bark collar) that you’re going to invest in.
Electronic Bark Collars
These collars work by emitting a light jolt to your dog when he barks, surprising him and stopping the bad behavior. It sounds cruel, but the jolt is so light, it’s nothing compared to even the static jolt you might get by touching the doorknob in your stocking feet. It will not harm your dog.
The idea behind these collars is that the “jolt” when he barks surprises him out of the behavior. Repeated enforcement of this pattern (bark, then jolt) ties the activity (barking) in with the result (jolt) and the dog soon learns not to do the activity that causes the result.
Most electronic collars come with settings, from extremely mild to more severe. All have safety settings to keep them from being accidentally misused. The settings for severity are generally for different sizes of dog, not necessarily for “impact.” Smaller dogs require less while larger dogs disperse more of the static. Start out with the lowest setting and work your way up until you find the one effective for your dog.
Citronella Bark Collar
If you’re uncomfortable jolting your dog, a spray bark collar may be a better option over the electronic bark collar. Although electronic collars are harmless and humane, some people are unable to get used the idea of electrically jolting a dog. The spray collar utilizes citronella and is a good choice to control dog barking.
The citronella spray collar works similar to the electronic barking collar in that when the dog barks the collar produces a sensation that is not pleasant for the dog – in this case a spray of citronella into his face. Most dogs find this smell very unpleasant and will eventually stop barking (since the barking is what creates the citronella spray). These collars are effective for all size dogs up to 160 pounds.
Summary
As a hunter, you probably enjoy taking your dog when you go hunting, and your dog probably enjoys it as well. However, it’s very hard when your dog barks at every small movement or sound when you’re hunting. A dog bark collar may be helpful to you when you’re out hunting. When you invest in a bark collar, you don’t have to be concerned about incessant or untimely barking and actually have a good time out with your dog. Dog bark collars, whether citronella or electric, are great hunting dog supplies that are humane and effective so be assured that you’re doing the right thing.