Hi there. I am contemplating using an electronic bark collar for our neutered male, 70lb, 14mo old Berger Blanc Suisse (similar to a German Shepherd) and am here to ask for recommendations.

We have a great relationship with our neighbors, but if our dog is outside when they are, then he gives them no audible peace and frankly sounds stressed. It's a tough set of circumstances. Part of me empathizes with our dog; I get that there is an instinct here to be watchful and to want to control the situation ("Who are those voices beyond the fence and bushes? I can't see them! What's going on over there?!").

We tried the bird-house style sonic device - no change. We tried a citronella spray collar. That worked for a while but now he barks right through it. Now we are wondering if we should try some kind of electronic collar.

Using such a collar is not a step we take lightly, and I want to be careful not to create any new problems! Our dog is a great family dog, good health and temperament. He gets four walks daily (some quick, some longer), and while still definitely a puppy, our basic obedience work with him is coming along.

Across Leerburg I've seen references to collars from Garmin, Educator and Dogtra and not sure how to compare and contrast them. Thanks in advance for any input.

 Quote: Christine Quillian

Hi there. I am contemplating using an electronic bark collar for our neutered male, 70lb, 14mo old Berger Blanc Suisse (similar to a German Shepherd) and am here to ask for recommendations.

We have a great relationship with our neighbors, but if our dog is outside when they are, then he gives them no audible peace and frankly sounds stressed. It's a tough set of circumstances. Part of me empathizes with our dog; I get that there is an instinct here to be watchful and to want to control the situation ("Who are those voices beyond the fence and bushes? I can't see them! What's going on over there?!").

We tried the bird-house style sonic device - no change. We tried a citronella spray collar. That worked for a while but now he barks right through it. Now we are wondering if we should try some kind of electronic collar.

Using such a collar is not a step we take lightly, and I want to be careful not to create any new problems! Our dog is a great family dog, good health and temperament. He gets four walks daily (some quick, some longer), and while still definitely a puppy, our basic obedience work with him is coming along.

Across Leerburg I've seen references to collars from Garmin, Educator and Dogtra and not sure how to compare and contrast them. Thanks in advance for any input.

I have the Educator BL 100 Bark-Less ecollars for my dogs, with the metal quick-snap bungee neck strap (no buckle, no "too loose / too tight", no hassle) that I got from Leerburg -- But all they have here right now is one made by Garmin, with which I'm not familiar ... Anyway, I really LOVE mine, because most dogs learn on "day one" NOT TO BARK while wearing these no-bark ecollars !!! After that initial experience of "barking = zapping", they immediately become Collar-Wise in a GOOD way & simply chose Not to Bark while wearing this collar They also realize that it is Still OK to Bark when NOT wearing their no-bark collars. (This is an Instant Fix and EVERYONE is HAPPY.)

Just get a HIGH QUALITY no-bark collar -- Don't waste your time & money on cheap "gimmicks" that are Useless ... And don't buy any that typically Shock the Dog without a GOOD reason

I have seen dogs that were so intense that they would bark right through even a bark collar set on the highest number.

Worth a try though.

As Candi's experience shows above when they work, they work well.

If it's only while you're home I would just get an Educator brand remote collar that has the Pavlovian Tone feature. It's a feature where you can just tap the tone button for a tone or hold it down and it will stim the dog after 2 seconds of tone. The dogs learn very quickly to respect just the tone.

That's what I use for my yappy AmBull and it works very well. I can just touch the tone button as a reminder to curb herself.

If it's while you're not home and crating isn't an option I like the Educator brand bark collar. It doesn't always catch the barking the fastest but this allows for some normal barking while correcting the nuisance barking. I've never seen it go off for extraneous noise either. The auto setting works well for most dogs and it also has a tone only option. I've seen and heard of too many bark collar malfunctions so with my own dogs I use the tone only option once they learn to not challenge the collar.

 Quote: Cathy Goessman

If it's only while you're home I would just get an Educator brand remote collar that has the Pavlovian Tone feature. It's a feature where you can just tap the tone button for a tone or hold it down and it will stim the dog after 2 seconds of tone. The dogs learn very quickly to respect just the tone.

That's what I use for my yappy AmBull and it works very well. I can just touch the tone button as a reminder to curb herself.

If it's while you're not home and crating isn't an option I like the Educator brand bark collar. It doesn't always catch the barking the fastest but this allows for some normal barking while correcting the nuisance barking. I've never seen it go off for extraneous noise either. The auto setting works well for most dogs and it also has a tone only option. I've seen and heard of too many bark collar malfunctions so with my own dogs I use the tone only option once they learn to not challenge the collar.

YES, those are some of the reasons why I LOVE my Educator BL 100 Bark-Less ecollars -- I only use them OUTSIDE in the YARD while I'm at Home:

One Bark & the automatic Tone Feature gives the dog a REMINDER WARNING so that they Don't Continue Barking -- But seriously, unless the beastie is an OVER the TOP red-zone "Psycho Barker", then even nuisance yappers figure the collar out on Day One and just KEEP QUIET while wearing one ... You're happy, neighbors are happy & the dogs are happy !!! WIN-WIN

Happy New Year!

Thank you for the input offered back in September; it was helpful and appreciated.

Our reason for using the collar is disruptive barking when our dog, Archer, hears our next door neighbors. The collar seemed to work well a period of time - one or two barks then he kept himself under control. But over a period of weeks, his barking returned and we seem to be back where we started.

We have been diligent about keeping the collar charged. Turning the level up over time, now to 4, seems to have no effect. Could he be barking through the corrective stimulation? We are puzzled.

Also, should people be able to hear the education tone? I don't believe we have heard this sound.

I have sent an email to E-Collar Technologies asking for their input as well.

Many thanks in advance for any input.

Christine Quillian

Is it possible that his coat is to long for the prongs to make contact with him?

You can test the collar on your leg by turning it down very low and slowly bring it up till you feel a tingle.

I've known dogs that could bark through a collar but there is almost always some indication the dog feels it.

It may be just an ear twitch but there should be something.

Can't say about the "tone". I don't know anyone that has used one.

Good morning all.

Happy third day of the new year.

I have used the tone but the units I have offer, as optional settings, a tone, a tone with stim, and stim. I try to start out with a tone with stim because there is a slight delay between tone and stim. Of course, both can be set for increasing levels.

I try to end up using just the tone.

It is important to make sure the contacts make good skin contact for any electronic collar to be useful. Usually the probes are of varying lengths to account for dense or less dense hair. On the GSDS I use the long probes with the collar adjusted to insure contact.

I don't use the ecollar unless the dog is unwilling or unable because of drive to comply with my commands. And I believe that repeated use without complementary training just leads a strong dog to endure the stim.

I have found that when properly used to train, in my opinion, the use of a deactivated collar has the reminding awareness I want. Over use of the ecollar can be confusing and result in behaviors that weren't manifest prior.

In fact, I have found that one or two uses of the activated ecollar set to stem to the correct correction level is sufficient. Then the tone alone, and finally just the deactivated collar is sufficient. Ultimately no ecollar.

All in the context of training to commands. Ideally, the dog ceases unwanted behavior with either a firm or in my case a bellowed Enough or No.

I'm not a fan of the dogs barking at neighbors or neighbors dogs. I work to make sure that the dogs respond to me in the first instance. Recently, the addition of a puppy to a neighbor's household caused my two males to bark at the fence much more exuberantly than desired. One needed a refresher in focus and the other got the message. Sounds ominous but it was vocal and posturing but probably reminded both dogs of my spectrum of personal settings and tolerance.

You train the dog today for the dog you want tomorrow, in my never too humble opinion. If a dog doesn't comply with my commands, given I provide it with a wonderful life, it is as if the dog is telling me to go pound salt. I don't suffer such behavior well.

I don't believe in roughing up my mutts but I do believe in posturing and zero tolerance for unwanted behavior. That said, I have one rescue mutt that is still a work in progress after more than two years, and he will probably be for the rest of his life. But his behavior is in the 3 percent unacceptable range and we're working on that. I don't use an ecollar on him because it would prove counter productive. Positive reinforcement seems to work best, all things considered.

Need more coffee to go along with this two cents.

Excellent post Mike!

When set to Auto you should definitely be hearing the tone. I would test the collar by setting it in test mode "T" and then rubbing a coin across the small grooved strip that's on there. It should set the tone off followed by a stim. If not call Ecollar Technologies. They are very responsive to problems with their collars.