Manufacturer description: The PetSafe™ Big Dog Bark Control Collar stops barking with the use of harmless and humane static correction. The QuickFit™ buckle ensure a perfect fit for neck sizes up to 34 inches in size and can be trimmed to fit. Light Touch technology provides 10 levels of self-adjusting, progressive correction.
This Temperament Learning System automatically adjusts the level of correction to your dog's temperament. The Perfect Bark™ technology makes sure your dog's bark is the only one that can activate the collar. This system tracks barking frequency and duration to automatically provide proper correction to your dog's individual breed and barking behavior.
When your dog barks the system will emit a low-level correction, however, if excessive barking continues, the corrections increase in intensity with each successive bark until the barking stops. Once your dog has learned to reduce the barking, the initial warning corrections are reduced. The system works by tracking the number of corrections needed to substantially reduce (and in most cases eliminate) the number of nuisance barks. The Bark Control Collar provides the most reliable bark detection available by using both vibration and sound sensors (dual-detection) to discriminate each bark from other external noises. The collar effectively and humanely stops all barking when worn and should only be worn during periods of unwanted barking.
Product feature list
- The QuickFit™ buckle ensures a perfect fit for neck sizes up to 34 inches
- Light Touch technology provides 10 levels of self-adjusting correction
- Perfect Bark™ technology makes sure that your dog's bark is the only one that will cause correction
- Durable, waterproof receiver collar
- Limited lifetime warranty
- On / Off switch and Led indicator
Whats the buzz?
Well, I tested this unit on a fantastic but very determined Weimaraner. She was a fan of nuisance barking when we would leave the house. I wanted to find a way to help her remain calm while I was not home and found this product to be the only effective way to do that.
Dogs sometimes get themselves into a bark-excite cycle. This cycle is initiated by dog being bored, nervous, or possibly even destructive. With each barking fit, the dog will become more and more excited (don't confuse this with happiness, they are not the same in the canine world). As this continues, the dog may work itself into a frenzy and become very uncomfortable.
I was uneasy about the "static" correction, which is essentially a low-level shock emitted by the collar during correction. After reading the documentation on the Pet-safe website I felt comfortable using the system due to the integrated progressive correction incrementing system. With this, your dog will be able to control the collar and determine a good time to stop barking.
Pros
- This is a quality product, and does indeed reduce barking
- The quick fit buckle on the collar makes putting the collar on and removing it a breeze
- The collar helped to completely remove my dog's anxiety while she was left alone in the house
- The bark-excite cycle has been broken
Cons
- When using a device such as this, you will want to help your dog transition. Initial training is needed and not explained thoroughly in the instruction manual. You will want to make the now famous 'psst' noise at your pet during the first few uses of the collar as a warning that they should be quiet.
- If the collar is not being used, the dog may resume barking. I believe the dog is learning not to bark with the collar on, instead of to completely stop barking (but she is a Weimaraner!)
- I would prefer the collar had an audible warning before the correction, immediately following and bark or growl. This would give the dog a chance to correct themselves prior to static correction.
Conclusion
DO NOT just place this collar on your pet and walk away with a "good luck pal", as you may actually prolong the transition to a beneficial correction cycle.
As with anything involving pet training, you will need to first determine the root cause of your dogs barking. If for instance, he barks when he needs to go out, you would want to let him out and not use a bark control device. If you leave curtains and blinds open during the day and your dog is constantly barking at passers-by and traveling vehicles, you will want to close the blinds and begin training them to stay away from the windows.
However, if your situation is much like mine, and you have removed any bark instigators from the environment and determined the barking to be a type of destructive behavior, this product may indeed help make a marked reduction in the level and frequency of barking and help your pet to learn to relax when you are not home, potentially enhancing the dog's overall behavior.
