Bark Collar Buying Guide
What is a bark collar?
We define a bark collar as a collar your dog can wear that corrects your dog’s behaviour when it senses barking. This is a collar you put on your dog for short periods of time, whilst you are at home preferably, and you don’t need to push a button for your dog to be corrected.
What is a training collar?
A training collar is a device that trains a specific behaviour out of your dog; examples include climbing onto furniture, jumping up on people, recall etc. These collars come with a remote, so you control when your dog is corrected. Over time your dog will have the specific behaviour that you think is negative corrected out of them.
What is the difference between a bark collar and a training collar?
It’s important to note that a training collar cannot auto-detect the behaviours that you choose to be corrected, whilst a bark collar auto-detects barking. Read our training collar buying guide here.
Different Types of Dog Bark & Training Collars:
| What Does it Do | Dog Personality it Suits | |
|---|---|---|
| Static | Sends a static shock to the outer neck, some collars also beep before sending the shock | Stubborn dogs |
| Citronella | Sprays citronella at dogs jaw, some collars also beep before spraying | Dogs who are sensitive and/or don’t like water |
| Vibration | Vibrates against dogs neck, some collars also beep before sending the vibration | Dogs who are sensitive or deaf |
Please note: We currently do not stock any vibration collars that are remote free, thus all of our vibration collars are considered training collars in our buying guides.
How Do You Choose The Right Bark Collar?
Choosing the correct bark collar depends on your dog, how big it is, its personality, and your preferences. Here are a few key factors to consider before you purchase a bark collar.
Type of Correction
What sort of correction does your dog need? If you haven't tried a static shock collar before, it's recommended to start off with a citronella bark collar first. If you have a highly stubborn dog then using a static shock collar may be more suitable for your needs.
Citronella Dog Collars
Citronella dog collars emit a puff of citronella spray to distract your dog from continuing its barking. Citronella is the best option for those who have a sensitive dog, a dog who may not like water, or for dog training beginners.
Static Shock Dog Collars
A static shock collar sends a small static shock when it senses barking; we recommend you try them on yourself (in your hand) first. Testing the device on yourself first helps you understand what your dog will feel, and know what level you're comfortable setting the device. A static shock collar is an effective training tool for stubborn dogs and owners who have tried every other training method to no avail.
If you are unsure which sort of correction you prefer, try using a citronella dog collar first. If your dog continues barking through the citronella, move onto a static shock dog collar option.
Control the Intensity Level
Most static shock collars have a variety of intensity level options. Some go as high as 127, others are on a 1 to 10 scale. This allows you to control the intensity of the static shock, and ensure you are never harming your dog. Again, we recommend trying the collar in the palm of your hand to ensure that the intensity is acceptable for your dog.
Size of Your Dog
Make sure to buy a collar that suits the size of your dog. For both bark and training collars, it’s very common for them to give a guide to size with weight. This is to ensure that the collar will fit your dog’s neck. By buying a bark collar that has a weight range your dog falls into, it’s very likely the collar will both fit your dog and be comfortable on them.
Durability
If you know your dog loves to dunk its head into the water bowl, frolic in the rain, or likes to play rough, make sure you invest in a collar that can last. Most of our collars are waterproof, with some even being submersible. When looking at each bark collar, make sure it matches your dog’s lifestyle.
Consider Your Dog’s Personality
There are a variety of contextual personality traits you should consider when investing in a bark collar. Considering personality is important, your dog needs to respond appropriately to the correction and not have their behaviour be overcorrected.
Sensitive Dogs
If you have a dog who is anxious, sensitive and you think may react negatively to feeling a static shock, a citronella collar is a perfect fit for them. It provides enough of a distraction to teach them to stop continuing with their excessive barking, without adding to their anxiety.
Stubborn Dogs
If you have a dog who is stubborn, determined, or perhaps was a rescue dog who came from an abusive environment, a static shock collar is usually a better fit. This allows you to correct your dog’s behaviour without getting in any worrying situations, and you’ll quickly get the best out of your dog. Most dogs tend to learn from static shock collars very quickly. In a short period of time both you and your neighbours will get some quiet.
| Model | Correction Type | Features | Dog Size | Dog Personality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barktec BT-100 Bark Control Kit Citronella | -Citronella spray | -Refillable spray device - Adjustable collar |
-Suits dogs of all sizes, from Chihuahua to German Shepherds | -Dogs that are sensitive -Dogs that don’t like water -Dogs that don’t respond to vibration |
| Dogtra YS600 Dog Bark Collar - Medium to Large Stubborn Dog | -Static shock | -Waterproof -Rechargeable, rapid charging lithium battery -10 variable intensity settings -Indicator to tell you if stimulation is set too low |
-Suits medium to large dogs, 15kgs + | -Suits dogs that are stubborn and determined |
| Dogtra YS300 No Bark Collar - Small to Medium Dogs | -Static shock | -6 intensity levels -Waterproof -Rechargeable, rapid charging lithium battery -Submersible -Tri-colour LED battery life indicator |
-Small to medium dogs, 4kgs -25 kgs | -Suits small stubborn dogs -Dogs that love to yap |
| Barktec A01 Static Bark Collar |
-Beep -Static Shock |
-3 levels of sound, 7 levels of static - Shock metal sheet distributes the static shock along, better for dogs will longer fur -Waterproof and light-weight |
- Suits dogs of all sizes | -Suits stubborn dogs |
E-Fence
Electric fences and e-fences are often used interchangeably, when there actually is a considerable difference in what they do.
Training Collar
A training collar is a device that trains a specific behaviour out of your dog such as climbing onto furniture, jumping up on people, recall issues etc.
Bark Collar
We define a bark collar as a collar your dog can wear that corrects your dog’s behaviour when it senses barking.
