So after getting our first complaint about Conan and Carl (roommate's dog) barking, we bought two Tri Tronics collars. We've used them correctly (starting at the lowest level), they're wearing them on the right spot, Conan has the longer stimulator things on his to go through his coat. They wear them 24/7, but the collars are only on when no one is home and at night when we're sleeping. This is because our next door neighbor is a party animal who has people walking outside at 2 and 3 in the morning, with the dogs barking and waking everyone up.

Level 3 works excellent for Carl. He gets one bark out, yelps, and is silent. We got them Monday, and today he only tried to bark once and didn't bark at all the rest of the day (with the normal things he would bark at).

We had Conan on level 3 too, because he barked right through 1 & 2, but last night he yawned and it shocked him. He helped so hard it was like he'd been beaten with a baseball bat. It was the saddest thing. So we dropped it back down to 2. He hasn't tried to bark since. But I definitely feel like the next time he tries - a level 3 might be too high. What do you think? Thanks!

I would definately drop it down to 2, Katie.

I introduced the bark collar (the Tri Tronics Bark Limiter) a few months ago to my Mom's poodle that is now living with me -- after a few stimulations at level 2 he doesn't bark at all. Just physically putting the collar on him now seems to stop any barking attempts.

Katie

Thanks Katie (love that name)!

I'll keep it at 2. I feel so bad, but he really wasn't responding. They haven't been barking now though!

I bet Conan will recover quick, Katie.

Don't feel bad -- I was amazed at how quickly Pierre caught on to the bark collar and associated it exactly to the behavior I was trying to correct. I started at level 1 and he barked through it so I turned it up to level 2. That did the trick and like I said just putting the collar on him now stops the barking.

Katie

 Quote: Katie Finlay

They wear them 24/7, but the collars are only on when no one is home and at night when we're sleeping.

Hey Katie, I just caught this -- I wouldn't recommend letting the dogs wear the e-collars 24/7. I don't do that and I have read of instances of the prongs causing irritation from prolonged contact with the skin. I've heard some recommend rotating the collar periodically to avoid that, but personally, I wouldn't keep them on that long -- especially if there is no need and they are off.

Katie

Hey Katie (or Katies, lol), I know the Tri Tronics bark limiter is supposed to be a good quality collar but I have to ask ~ have you had any issues with one of the dogs barking and (to your knowledge) setting off the other dog's collar? My roommate has two dogs and I wouldn't want their barking to set off the bark collar if I used it on Keiko.

I haven't noticed that one dog's barking initiated a stimulation of the other dog's collar -- that said, I don't think I use them routinely enough to get a fair indication of that either.

Katie

Nope

The Tri Tronics Bark Inhibitor reacts to vibrations in the dog's vocal chords, not sounds. So only the dog wearing it can set it off by making noise (or vibrating their vocal chords, aka making noise).

So far, they work GREAT. Silence at last! Carl still gets one bark out, then yelps, and then is quiet. It's amazing!

 Quote: Katie O'Connor

 Quote: Katie Finlay

They wear them 24/7, but the collars are only on when no one is home and at night when we're sleeping.

Hey Katie, I just caught this -- I wouldn't recommend letting the dogs wear the e-collars 24/7. I don't do that and I have read of instances of the prongs causing irritation from prolonged contact with the skin. I've heard some recommend rotating the collar periodically to avoid that, but personally, I wouldn't keep them on that long -- especially if there is no need and they are off.

Katie

Well, we've decided that Carl does need his on all day, because he will bark anyways. He even barks when it's on, he just gets one bark out and yelps afterwards and then is silent. But he would bark all day long otherwise. Conan would bark when Carl does, but he won't if he's wearing the collar, even if it's not turned on.

I'll watch for irritated skin though. Thanks for the heads up!