# Spray collars?



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

So, apparently Bishop barks a LOT when we're not home, whenever our downstairs neighbour comes home. It apparently takes a little bit for him to calm down. He IS a protective dog so that's probably why. He almost never barks when we are home. The neighbor complained.. so.. how do I stop a behavior I can never catch? I was thinking about an e-collar that just sprays water (he hates that), but not a shock collar. Has anyone else used one?


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## kennyk (Sep 17, 2011)

I didnt try the spray OR the ultrasound one but the Electric collar worked wonders for Max. One shock shut him up quick! I tried the shock on myself and it doesnt hurt at all. Is more or less the feeling that you get from a cheap hand buzzer and I still put it on him when no body is home.


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## Tahlz (Sep 15, 2011)

I've never used one but if you have to, I'd try the spray collar before a electric collar. It's hard to teach a behavior when you can't catch it. I was going to use a spray collar on my boy awhile back but thankfully he stopped barking when I decided I was going to buy one.


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## emilie (Sep 15, 2011)

my mom tried the spray collar on her dog and it worked just fine. if you do decide to use one, make sure that you put the collar on your dog and dont let it spray for a few days so that when you do set it as "on" your dog wont assosiate it to the collar. or else everytime you take that collar off, your dog will know and start barking again.


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## PennyGreyhuahua (Aug 13, 2011)

my bf actually tried the e-collar on himself (yup!) when he had the german sherperds and he said it's effing pain and would not use it on a dog...he said it's like getting a thunder strucked!! not sure how the spray one works but i think maybe getting him smelling or meeting the neighbours so that when they come home he wouldn't bark as much?


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## emilie (Sep 15, 2011)

the collar sprays citronella in the neck of the dog, harmless really. but obvisouly there are other ways to deal with it but the spray collar is not a bad way IMO.


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

Do they have any that spray JUST water, no citronella? I've heard that because the citronella scent lasts so long it continues punishing the dog long after he's stopped barking.


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## emilie (Sep 15, 2011)

Yes there are some with just water and it works the same i dont really know why they use citronella.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

My aunt used on of these collars with her little dog once. She outsmarted it by barking even higher pitched than the collar could detect. 

And honestly I don't have much experience in working with dogs on this issue so I can't be of much help. I look forward to hearing some other constructive posts on this subject. 

Do you know when he starts to bark? Right when you leave? Five minutes after? Is it constant?


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

My mom went through this with her sheltie. He was fine until they took care of some else's dog who was a barker - once he started he just wouldn't stop. They tried citronella and water collars, e - collars (we have an adjustable on and it feels like a weird zing and your muscles twitch but there is no pain on the lower levels - I would say levels 9 and 10 are the ones that are more of an actual shock. ) She finally had to have him debarked. He is doing great and doesn't seem to realize he is not barking as loud ass ever. It was just a behavior that would have cost them their home and they couldn't correct what they couldn't catch him doing. So I hope you can correct with a collar. Oh yeah they also tried the unltra sonic sensor thing and that was a joke.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

In response to shock collars...depends on the setting. You are supposed to start off with the lowest setting and only go up high enough that gets the dog's attention, not shock the crap out of him. And IF you are going to use one, you should have one with tone and vibrate, not just straight to shock. Using straight to shock and using it at a high level that is painful like being "thunderstruck" is NOT the appropriate way to use the collar. 

Either way, I don't agree with using them for barking.

There is a device that will emit a tone that seems to get the dogs attention. I forget what it's called but I remember I read about them, found one on Amazon and read those reviews. Apparently one of them worked really well that even the neighbors who were the victims of the non stop barking would buy one, point it at the area where the dog typically stood, (at the window, door, whatever), and when the dog barks, a tone is emitted and the dog shuts up. It's not attached to the dog at all, there is no shock or spray in the face or anything of the sort. I guess it's the same theory of dog whistles..not painful for the dog but seems to get their attention and they stop in their tracks. 

I would suggest looking on Amazon, (or any other site), for that device. See what you think. I don't know if I'm allowed to link it here...is that considered advertising?

Edit: Ok, getting my forums and their rules mixed up but I see Natalie linked to Amazon so here's the device I was talking about:

Outdoor Ultrasonic Bark Deterrent

Has 358 three stars and above and 289 low ratings. Worth a try, I think. I would read the ratings of course but if I had this problem, (maybe I do, no one says anything to me), I would give this a try over the spray collars. Most of the reviews I read on spray collars say they don't work that well. 

And I would throw in some of what Danemama linked to because, hey, maybe the dog is bored. The game and toy should keep your doggeh occupied.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

You could also try something like these for long periods of time when he's alone. How long is he left alone during the day? 

Manners Minder:

Amazon.com: manners minder

Kong Time:

Kong Time | DogTime.com - Find your wag.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

He knows the neighbour really well, I think it's more that he's excited or doesn't know WHO it is since he can't see him. I'd not use a shock collar. He does have interactive toys available to him when I leave with treats inside. The dogs are left for around 5 hours per day, from 10-3, sometimes till 4, so not all day or anything. They go for an hour walk in the morning offleash with fetch, frisbee etc within that hour. They get more at night, also  I don't think he's understimulated or bored, just.. protective. He doesn't bark when I am gone except for when he comes home, so the neighbor said. If he is home the whole day he doesn't bark at all.


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## DoglovingSenior (Jun 26, 2011)

PennyGreyhuahua said:


> my bf actually tried the e-collar on himself (yup!) when he had the german sherperds and he said it's effing pain and would not use it on a dog...he said it's like getting a thunder strucked!! not sure how the spray one works but i think maybe getting him smelling or meeting the neighbours so that when they come home he wouldn't bark as much?


 WHOA, what setting did he have it on? Many people who don't know how it works set it at the highest/or a very high setting-some people in protection use them because you MUST be able to call that dog "AUS" no matter what. That is why they go to this pricey training tool-good ones cost $500 -$800. These are not toys.

Those who know how start at the very lowest/low settings which do not hurt I've tried them or I should say it should not hurt. The experience just makes the dog "aware" later, they never have to go to the highest setting or very high setting the "buzz is enough. They also let the animal wear the collar, or one of equal wt. around. I would return any collar that did what yours did on a low setting. Also, if it was an inexpensive collar-I would NOT recommend using one.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

DoglovingSenior said:


> WHOA, what setting did he have it on? Many people who don't know how it works set it at the highest/or a very high setting-some people in protection use them because you MUST be able to call that dog "AUS" no matter what. That is why they go to this pricey training tool-good ones cost $500 -$800. These are not toys.
> 
> Those who know how start at the very lowest/low settings which do not hurt I've tried them or I should say it should not hurt. The experience just makes the dog "aware" later, they never have to go to the highest setting or very high setting the "buzz is enough. They also let the animal wear the collar, or one of equal wt. around. I would return any collar that did what yours did on a low setting. Also, if it was an inexpensive collar-I would NOT recommend using one.


Agreed. The one I had, (two dog unit), was very expensive. I used it to keep the hoodlums from trying to play with alligators where we lived. (So, to me, the price didn't matter over losing my hoodlums.) It had tone, vibrate and a dial that went up to who knows what numbers. I tested it on myself at the lowest setting and didn't feel a thing. It wasn't until I reached 65 that I felt it was painful. Not something I would like zapping me on the neck. The girl required a setting of about 20 and the boy, stubborn, grrr, required about 35-40. But again, that was to get their attention, NOT shock the hell out of them. God, no WONDER so many are against these things. People aren't using them correctly. UGH!

Anyway, CatyM, if the citronella spray doesn't work, try the one I mentioned. One thing I noticed when reading the reviews was that people had it on all the time, not just sometimes and the dog learned to just "deal with it". If your dog is inside the house, I think they sell one for inside...some people have used the one I mentioned inside as well so you could get that one anyway. 

One question: Do you have other dogs or pets? Because if your dog barks and sets it off, your other animals might hear it too. I don't know enough about the dogs auditory senses as compared to other animals but that's something to think about if you have more. Would it be too much for, say, a cat in your house? A bunny? A rat? Guinea pig? I have no idea. If it's just your one dog, it could work out very well especially if it doesn't have to be on every day. Don't know if you know your neighbors schedule that well but if you do, and you get one, turn it on those days when the neighbor is working and you are working and leave it off when you are home or your neighbor is home all day since you said your dog only barks when the neighbor actually comes home. Maybe that will help resolve the issue.

It's hard to train a dog to stop doing something when you aren't there so, not sure what else you could do without using some sort of device.


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