Anti-Bark Spray Collar - any experience?
Discussion
My 7 month old lab is quite the barker at night. I've tried ignoring him which is of course the number 1 way of getting him used to not being with us all day and night but I have neighbours and will not just let him bark away for the 38 mins it takes him to tire himself out and return to sleep. Every week I drop over some Guinness and nice shortbread to the elderly couple next door so this will be a cost saving exercise too 
i've been searching for some other options and one that seems to work very well are anti-barking collars. These spray when the dog barks and slowly he gets the message over a week or so when the collar isn't required.
Have any of you had any experience with these are the reviews I've read are 90% positive with very good results.
David
i've been searching for some other options and one that seems to work very well are anti-barking collars. These spray when the dog barks and slowly he gets the message over a week or so when the collar isn't required.
Have any of you had any experience with these are the reviews I've read are 90% positive with very good results.
David
Ved said:
My 7 month old lab is quite the barker at night. I've tried ignoring him which is of course the number 1 way of getting him used to not being with us all day and night but I have neighbours and will not just let him bark away for the 38 mins it takes him to tire himself out and return to sleep. Every week I drop over some Guinness and nice shortbread to the elderly couple next door so this will be a cost saving exercise too
i've been searching for some other options and one that seems to work very well are anti-barking collars. These spray when the dog barks and slowly he gets the message over a week or so when the collar isn't required.
Have any of you had any experience with these are the reviews I've read are 90% positive with very good results.
David
I have no experience with negative association methods, so can't advise, but there's some people on these boards that can perhaps offer some different options for other methods? -what have you tried? Do you know why he's barking?i've been searching for some other options and one that seems to work very well are anti-barking collars. These spray when the dog barks and slowly he gets the message over a week or so when the collar isn't required.
Have any of you had any experience with these are the reviews I've read are 90% positive with very good results.
David
To be fair the collar may well help, but I would rather look at the broader reason for the behaviour.
A much cheaper option that may well work is that when the dog barks you rap a wooden spoon on the stair banister hard two or three times. Say nothing and don't appear to the dog. Depends on your location in relation to the dog, but most normal sized homes would allow this. Wait after the first bang as he may start again. Repeat as needed. At 7 months it may well be enough and you're sorted.
Otherwise, is the dog toilet trained? Does it genuinely need a toilet break?
This could be a separation based issue, so examine how touchy feely you all are with the dog when with it. CALM greetings and departures and build in time during the day when it is alone and left to settle away from you.
Hope that helps a little.
Nick
A much cheaper option that may well work is that when the dog barks you rap a wooden spoon on the stair banister hard two or three times. Say nothing and don't appear to the dog. Depends on your location in relation to the dog, but most normal sized homes would allow this. Wait after the first bang as he may start again. Repeat as needed. At 7 months it may well be enough and you're sorted.
Otherwise, is the dog toilet trained? Does it genuinely need a toilet break?
This could be a separation based issue, so examine how touchy feely you all are with the dog when with it. CALM greetings and departures and build in time during the day when it is alone and left to settle away from you.
Hope that helps a little.
Nick
Hi thanks for the response. We've tried leaving him alone, taking him out but he doesn't like being on his own. His crate is covered, snug and warm but when he wakes up in the middle of the night he demands attention. If I go down he'll jump on the sofa with me and sleep until the morning with no problems. He's from a litter of 10 so it seems he just isn't good being on his own. We see this if we do separation training for 10, 15, 30 mins too. He just barks constantly when we aren't there with him.
Ved said:
Hi thanks for the response. We've tried leaving him alone, taking him out but he doesn't like being on his own. His crate is covered, snug and warm but when he wakes up in the middle of the night he demands attention. If I go down he'll jump on the sofa with me and sleep until the morning with no problems. He's from a litter of 10 so it seems he just isn't good being on his own. We see this if we do separation training for 10, 15, 30 mins too. He just barks constantly when we aren't there with him.
Assuming you lock him in his crate at night? The first rule of puppies at night is not to return to them. I now forbid it 
During the day begin to build up 1 or 2 minute sessions when he's left with a stuffed Kong alone in his crate. Aim to build these times up each day. All daytime sleeping should be in his crate with the door closed. In the day when he wakes and cries, if say you think he's ready to come out, wait until his crying has stopped by standing just out of sight. Most important that your dog does not feel he can cry and you immediately return. Can't emphasise this enough.
Have you tried the 'spoon' technique?
Ved said:
He's from a litter of 10
Not surprised he's struggling to adjust to life on his own!
Not ever heard the spoon technique, although I've unknowingly replicated something similar! -have you tried it, OP? Do tell!
Do feel for you, OP, with the incessant, feels-like-it-will-never-stop night-time barking.
Don't. Return. To. The. Cage.
ETA - Three seconds upwards counts as "not immediately returning".
They worked Ok for us.
The problem was quite funny because we have two dogs.
When the other dog barked it set off his collar & the other collar ae well quite funny, anyway it worked well enough.
I had asked our neighbour did the dogs disturb them & he said "no its fine", we set up a web cam & the noise! Howling & barkibg non stop for 40 minutes!!
I have nice neighbours & wanted to keep it that way hence the collars.
The problem was quite funny because we have two dogs.
When the other dog barked it set off his collar & the other collar ae well quite funny, anyway it worked well enough.
I had asked our neighbour did the dogs disturb them & he said "no its fine", we set up a web cam & the noise! Howling & barkibg non stop for 40 minutes!!
I have nice neighbours & wanted to keep it that way hence the collars.
Well the neighbours are away for 6 weeks from early January so we can completely ignore him at night then.
I totally understand that we cannot rerun to his cage when he's barking but in a semi detached it isn't possible at 3am with already understanding neighbours. We've done it before and he generally goes or about 30 mins before stopping but lately it's been nealry an hour and that's too much to put onto next door.
We went out for an hour tonight and left him alone but records his barking. He was at it solidly for about 50 mins but it dropped off afterwards so he does get the idea, we just need to do it more in the day time and that should transfer to the night time.
I totally understand that we cannot rerun to his cage when he's barking but in a semi detached it isn't possible at 3am with already understanding neighbours. We've done it before and he generally goes or about 30 mins before stopping but lately it's been nealry an hour and that's too much to put onto next door.
We went out for an hour tonight and left him alone but records his barking. He was at it solidly for about 50 mins but it dropped off afterwards so he does get the idea, we just need to do it more in the day time and that should transfer to the night time.
Ved said:
Well the neighbours are away for 6 weeks from early January so we can completely ignore him at night then.
I totally understand that we cannot rerun to his cage when he's barking but in a semi detached it isn't possible at 3am with already understanding neighbours. We've done it before and he generally goes or about 30 mins before stopping but lately it's been nealry an hour and that's too much to put onto next door.
We went out for an hour tonight and left him alone but records his barking. He was at it solidly for about 50 mins but it dropped off afterwards so he does get the idea, we just need to do it more in the day time and that should transfer to the night time.
As long as you return at night you'll be perpetuating the problem although I understand your concerns. Try covering the crate with a sheet fully as this can make a magical difference also. Have you tried a DAP (now called Adaptil) product? Either a collar which dog wears for a month or a plug in unit. Not guaranteed, but can help.I totally understand that we cannot rerun to his cage when he's barking but in a semi detached it isn't possible at 3am with already understanding neighbours. We've done it before and he generally goes or about 30 mins before stopping but lately it's been nealry an hour and that's too much to put onto next door.
We went out for an hour tonight and left him alone but records his barking. He was at it solidly for about 50 mins but it dropped off afterwards so he does get the idea, we just need to do it more in the day time and that should transfer to the night time.
You really need to be working on gradual increases during the day to get this moving positively forwards. Also, in my experience it's important NOT to just go out in the day for that long at this stage. This can get the dog into such a state that is also reinforced when he's barking and you may be reassuring him on your return, all good ways to deepen the issue. Take small consistent steps at building the times up and avoid leaving the dog (during the day) so that he gets overly worked up.
Don't let the dog on the bed at night as you will soon know the meaning of 'rod and for own back'. It can bring the dog into a full separation anxiety mindset and you may never be able to leave the dog even into adult hood. I can tell you that I have seen many serious cases of separation anxiety this year in adult dogs. It can take literally months to settle the dog long enough to go out of the house long enough for a coffee even.
Hope that helps. I have your interest at heart
Nick
How do you react to the dog when you've been out during the day?
I know a few people who let the dogs jump all over them, give them lots of fuss and attention when they return home - Nothing better to give your dog separation issues.
We ignore our dog for a good 10 minutes when we get back home and have never had a problem. Sometimes he cant even be bothered moving from his bed!
I know a few people who let the dogs jump all over them, give them lots of fuss and attention when they return home - Nothing better to give your dog separation issues.
We ignore our dog for a good 10 minutes when we get back home and have never had a problem. Sometimes he cant even be bothered moving from his bed!
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