The anti-bark collar for dogs is a widely used and widely used tool, however, before purchasing it, it is essential to know what it is really for, how it works and the side effects that its use can cause in dogs. Have you been advised to use it? Do you want to know more about its potency or effectiveness?
In this article on our site we will explain if the anti-bark collar is good or if, on the contrary, it is a tool that we should avoid in education and training, all based on scientific studies diverse and independent of each other that will help you answer your questions objectively, keep reading:
Electric collar for dogs (or training collar)
What many owners know as an "anti-bark collar" is actually a " electric dog collar" also called a "training collar ". It basically consists of an adjustable collar that has a device that emits electrical and/or vibratory stimuli Its intensity will vary depending on the specific model, but in general is around 6 volts.
This tool is very useful when trying to educate and train a deaf dog, because the vibrate mode allows us to call the attention of the dog to ask or teach certain obedience commands. However, there is another functionality that consists of emitting electric shocks when the dog barks or leaves the perimeter, automatically. Likewise, the tutor can also manually download a behavior.
But how does it work? This tool uses the positive punishment, that is, it provokes an aversive when the dog performs a certain behavior, with the aim of stopping it. It also uses the negative reinforcement, that is, the aversive is maintained until the dog stops displaying said behavior. However, both techniques, based on classical conditioning, are not considered suitable for positive education, in addition to the fact that they can cause certain problems, which we will discuss in the next section.
Bark Collar Side Effects
Various countries have regulated or restricted the use of electric collars for dogs due to various studies that warn about their possible side effects that compromise the welfare of the dog. Some of them are:
- It is not possible to control the intensity: the degree of humidity, the type of hair or the levels of fat modify the intensity of the collar of training If it is too high it can cause pain, fear, phobias or an aggressive reaction. Conversely, too low an intensity can lead to habituation. In this case the dog will get used to the pain and the behavior will persist.
- Stress can cause the dog to not learn: When a dog experiences high levels of stress and anxiety she is unable to learn properly. It is also likely that this state becomes chronic, remaining constantly altered and being more vulnerable to suffering from other behavioral problems. Some of them are stereotypes (repetitive movements) or inhibition.
- An incorrect association may occur: The goal of this tool is to associate the aversive with the negative behavior performed, however, especially when the timing is not adequate, the dog can associate the electrical stimulus with anything, including the guardian itself. Precisely for this reason, an inexperienced owner can cause serious consequences in the dog. Again we talk about fear, phobias and aggressiveness.
- The risk of abuse is very high: Education and training are processes that require a lot of patience, in fact, most owners go through moments of frustration. Precisely this encourages us to abuse this tool.
- Causes he alth problems: The anti-bark collar encourages the appearance of certain physiological risks, such as an excessive increase in salivary cortisol and the frequency heart rate, which can lead to shock. In the most serious cases we also speak of physical burns that lead to skin necrosis.
- Harms the bond between dog and handler: Compared to other methods, the use of positive punishment and negative reinforcement decreases quality of the relationship between the dog and its owner, in addition to favoring the possible appearance of behavioral problems towards it.
- There are no studies that support its effectiveness: compared to other training techniques that are more friendly to the dog, which prioritize the use of positive reinforcement (rewarding the dog after a positive behavior) and negative punishment (removing a pleasant stimulus after a negative behavior), the use of electric collars is not more effective.
Many people look to this tool for an "easy solution" to put an end to a behavioral problem, without being aware that precisely its use can cause the appearance of new behavioral problems. In addition, they neglect the importance of understanding the reason for the barking and the correct way to handle it.
How to stop a dog from barking?
We must understand barking as one of the many forms of dog communication, and not all types of barking are the same and have the same meaning. Some may show alertness in the presence of strangers, while others will appear when left alone, as a way of expressing their anguish. To solve this problem we must find out why our dog is barking and, only then, can we start working, always prioritizing positive education.
It is highly advisable to visit a professional advisor, such as a veterinarian specialized in ethology, who will help us identify the cause but, In addition, he will offer us driving guidelines and will be able to help us with behavior modification sessions. In any case, we should not apply guidelines that are not specifically prescribed for our case, since then we run the risk of aggravating the situation.
While we wait for the specialist's visit, we can follow some basic advice to prevent a dog from barking, as well as improve the dog's quality of life in different ways: increasing the number of walks, working on basic obedience, performing more physical and mental games, etc.
Other methods not recommended to prevent barking
To finish, we wanted to share with you other techniques that are not recommended either:
- Using physical punishment: Some people use physical punishment to stop barking. However, we are still talking about a positive punishment that, again, can cause fear, phobias, aggressiveness and break the bond with the tutor. The possible negative effects are, therefore, the same that we have explained about the training collars.
- Use of muzzle inside the home: the muzzle is a tool that should not be used for more than 60 minutes in dogs that have it properly worked. In addition to causing them discomfort, it does not solve the problem, so it is not advisable.
- Bocal Cords Removal: This surgical procedure involves removing some of the tissue from the dog's vocal cords. When the dog recovers from the operation, it can still bark, but its volume is much lower because it has less tissue to create the acoustic vibrations. We can cause behavior problems and, again, we are not fixing the cause of the barking. We can also cause he alth problems.
Once again we emphasize the importance of going to a professional to discover the underlying cause that is causing the dog's barking and, only through the guidelines of a specialist, start working to solve it. It is a process that will require patience and effort, but will be more positive and effective in the long run.
Bibliography
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