GSPS4ME Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I was lost for words when talking to my sister this morning. She knows I am into my dogs so rang to ask me a question. She has a lovely little dog that has a barking problem. I know from the last time I was up there that it likes to bark at anything outside the fence. Apparently her neighbours have complained to the council about the problem and they have been around to see my sister and her dog. While this is all fine and understandable what made me very upset was that instead of advice on how to help with the problem, Logan City Council offered to lend her a shock collar to see if it worked for her dog . When I asked what advice or training they gave her , she said nothing other than to try it out on the dog and if it worked go and buy one. What sort of Council even endorses let alone gives out shock collars, especially without advice on how to use them? I wonder how many poor dogs Logan Council has put shock collars on? My sister did not want to complain about the collars as she wants to stay on the good side of the council but I had to say something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) If the collar`is an electronic anti bark collar .. there is no training involved that I know of .. One just fits the collar snugly onto the dog .I use one here ..and it has worked well If the collar is an e collar with a remote control, then yes, there needs to be some training done on how to use it safely. These collars are a legitimate tool, but there are cases where they would be unsuitable - dogs barking from anxiety, for example. What other methods has your sister used to try and stop the nuisance barking? If she is upset at the use of an anti bark collar, then this may be a good time to look at her options... Edited December 14, 2011 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Our Council offers these if you cannot control the barking problem, they take no action on the first complaint but visit to give you a chance to rectify the problem by the means of your choice - behaviourist, training etc. If the complaints continue and the barking hasn't stopped they offer a bark count collar for monitoring,and to check the complaint is not malicious -if the problem is proven i.e. the dog barks excessively; they will then offer static collars (with instruction) for trial as they are so expensive to buy. Most modern collars offer a warning tone before any shock and varying levels according to the sensitivity etc of the dog. I know a lot of people don't agree with them but to me if you cannot stop the behaviour any other way - and as long as they are used correctly it is better than having to a. rehome the dog b. risk the council repeatedly fining you, c.have all the neighbours hating you because your dog is disturbing them and possibly some idiot baiting/hurting your dog. We had a problem with our girl barking when we moved house and had a complaint from a neighbour,the council came round ,explained the steps they would take and the help they could offer,we were lucky we were able to modify her behaviour with help from a trainer and without a collar but if the options had been a short stint in a static collar,giving up the dog or constantly worrying that she was causing the neighbours endless misery and someone may hurt her, I know what I would have done. Just my opinion. I hope your sister finds a good solution for her dog (and her neighbours). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 For a dog that's a nuisance barker, shock collars can be a low stress alternative to continual correction of the dog. Far kinder than always yelling at it for barking. And a lot nicer than angry neighbours. And they work quickly. Usually two barks is all it takes for the dog to get the idea. There's no training involved, just put it on the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 The one I bought has saved my sanity .. and saved the dog/s from much negative attention from me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytmate Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Off topic, but has your sister tried to solve the problem by stopping her dog seeing beyond the fence? The easiest way to stop barking is to prevent it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) The problem is with training a dog to stop barking, first of all even the best trainers don't always succeed, but secondly it requires being with or near the dog all the time. Our nuisance barker only barked when we were at work....if he barked while we were home we brought him inside to shut him up. He didn't bark through anxiety or boredom, he barked cos he liked the sound of his own voice. A shock collar gave us and our poor suffering neighbours instant quiet. Edited December 15, 2011 by Gayle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Congratulations to the council for their forward thinking. It's about time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) Yep I think its a brilliant idea and I wish they were allowed in NSW. I've seen e-collars in use as a training-tool and they're amazing. Have you ever felt the very low stim that they give GSPS4me? I would imagine you're anticipating a shock as was I - they're actually very, very mild. Edited December 15, 2011 by Trisven13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantsapuppy Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 i dont have any dogs yet but i think that if there have been multiple complaints and nothing else is working then this would be the better option rather then rehoming etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 The shock is like an anti-static shock from rubbing your feet on carpet then touching metal. It's more of a surprise for the dog than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 It's more of a surprise for the dog than anything. The first time or two, one of mine shrieked for a second . and wondered what the dickens had him .....then barked again... shrieked, then was quite happy ...and quiet . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachiie Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Mine always seems to "forget" what happens when I put the bark collar on. So he runs off to the fence (which is far away and I have no chance of catching him) and starts barking, then yelps, then gives me a sheepish look. I'm like "You tool, Dog." :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 . . . She has a lovely little dog that. . . likes to bark at anything outside the fence. Apparently her neighbours have complained to the council about the problem and they have been around to see my sister and her dog. If you live next door, such a dog is not lovely. Has your sister tried other solutions, such as keeping the dog inside when she's out? I would be grateful to the council for offering one solution to try rather than slapping her with a fine, that gets doubled on the second offense and ends with the dog being taken away. If she has a better solution than the bark-collar, I doubt the council or the neighbours will object. All the electronic bark collars I've seen come with a simple instruction sheet . . . basically, 'not too loose, not too tight, don't keep it on for more than 8 hrs'. No training required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Bark collars are a bit different to remote training collars but I don't see a problem with either when they are used properly. People are always "shocked" (pardon the pun lol) when I fit my e-collar on them and they can't even feel the level of stim my dog works on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Bark collars are a bit different to remote training collars but I don't see a problem with either when they are used properly. People are always "shocked" (pardon the pun lol) when I fit my e-collar on them and they can't even feel the level of stim my dog works on. Yep - I so wish I could use one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickasyoucan Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Perhaps the OP has never lived next to a problem barker and never seen how effective and humane static collars can be. We have a cocker that lives next door. Literally from the day the dog came home at 7 weeks it has either cried or barked. All day. And I mean all day. I am out during the week at work but on rare occasions when I have been at home this dog literally barked and barked. We have a lot of stay at home mums with babies in the area they must have been driven mad. I am pretty sure the barking had just become an obsession. Neighbours on both sides complained to council (they have 2 side neighbours and me at the bottom of the garden), one neighbour 3 doors up started a petition for them to get rid of the dogs. Anyway they very sensibly got a collar for the dog. Literally this dog never barks now. I see him sitting up on the porch looking at us in the garden when before I could not use my own garden nor make too much noise inside the house without starting him off. It is not a great way for anyone to live. He actually seems calmer as he used to work himself into a frenzy. Collars can be very effective and save owners a lot of heartbreak and neighbours a lot of earache. You need to feel the stim (or not feel it really) before you make a judgment call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Great idea!! I wish they'd hand them out here too Better than those awful citronella things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachiie Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) I see him sitting up on the porch looking at us in the garden when before I could not use my own garden nor make too much noise inside the house without starting him off. It is not a great way for anyone to live. He actually seems calmer as he used to work himself into a frenzy. This^. My boy is a cocker, and he is the same. When we are inside and close to him we can control him, but when he's out in the yard he runs off to the fence to bark. It's a big yard and he just barks, and barks, and works himself into a frenzy. The collar helps us help him. PS: I notice you only have one post - Did you join up just to ask us about bark collars? Edited December 15, 2011 by rachiie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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