WOOF! A guide to dog barking collars in Australia!

Is your dog barking too much and keeping you awake at night?

Are your neighbours complaining?

Are you wondering if a barking collar will help, or if it’s safe for your dog?

Perhaps you want to know how to stop your neighbours dog barking? If so I’ll give you a great tip at the end of this guide!

Let’s take a look at various dog barking collars in Australia to find out how they work, if they’re safe, and whether they’re a good option to fix your barking problem!

Do barking collars work?

It’s surprising how few dog owners have heard of a barking collar. Most people simply put up with the frustration of owning a dog who barks excessively.

But the good news is, barking collars really do work!

I know, because I had barking problems myself. Well not me, but my Border Collie puppy.

I wasn’t aware until the RSPCA rocked up at my door after my neighbours complained. He was good as good while I was home, but whenever I went out he would bark constantly. I didn’t even know, and I didn’t know what to do until someone suggested a barking collar.

How do barking collars work?

Barking collars are really simple – just put on the collar, and before long it’ll seem like you have a completely different dog.

But are they safe? Let’s take a look at how they work…

A bark collar is a little electronic device that sits underneath your dogs chin. Its sole purpose is to listen out for your dog to bark. As soon as it detects a bark, it will deliver an immediate consequence for that bark.

Depending on the bark collar, this ‘consequence’ can be either an ultra-sonic sound, a spray of citronella, or a static zap.

The idea is that your dogs barking pattern will be interrupted with an unpleasant correction, thus training your dog to change his excessive barking habits.

I’ll go into more detail about the different types of barking collar, as if you’re like me you’re probably thinking the static zap sounds cruel, but the citronella doesn’t sound too bad (in fact it sounds a little refreshing!).

Different types of barking collars

OK, so we know there are three types of Bark Collars – Static; Spray; and Ultra-sonic, but which one should you get?

When considering a collar to stop your dog barking, the type you select is very important in determining the success you achieve. After all, if the consequence a bark collar delivers isn’t enough to get your dogs attention while he’s barking, then you’re likely to get inconsistent results.

Recommended: In Australia the PetSafe brand is the most popular, and the one I used. Prices may vary but you’ll find them available at Pet Circle and My Pet Warehouse. PetSafe make all three types of barking collar (described below) but I personally had the most success with the Spray version.

Let’s take a look at the three main types of barking collars in Australia:

Static bark collars

By far static bark collars are the most effective, but often misunderstood.

People often think static is the same as electrocuting your dog, but I can assure you that’s not the case. They wouldn’t be sold if this were the case.

Sure, static is a form of electricity, but it’s the same form you would get by rubbing your feet on the carpet or you may get from a towel. Static gives us a fright, but doesn’t do us any harm.

Barking collars give a measured level of intensity of static depending on how much your dog barks, which is beneficial as it quickly teaches them the consequence of excessive barking.

The more your dog barks, the level of intensity of the static automatically goes higher until the dog stops barking.

For example, when the dog barks the first time the collar will give a LEVEL 1 intensity which is only a slight tingle.

If the dog barks within 30 seconds the intensity increases to LEVEL 2.

If your dog still barks within 30 seconds the intensity will increase to LEVEL 3, and so on.

So the more your dog barks, the higher the level of static it will deliver until your dog stops barking.

These static bark collars do this automatically, and they are the most effective bark collars because they only deliver what YOUR dog needs to convince him he needs to quiet down.

Spray bark collars

Some dog owners prefer spray bark collars because they feel it uses a more humane method of correction. That’s fair enough, as even for me the thought of static zaps to my barky dog still feel a little “wrong”.

Spray barking collars deliver a burst of citronella to your dogs snout every time they bark, which acts to distract your dog from barking.

It’s not just the smell of the citronella, but also the sound which helps distract your dog, hopefully causing him to stop barking.

The spray bark collar contains a reservoir which you fill with citronella, which for most collars is good for about 40-50 sprays.

Although spray barking collars are not quite as effective as static barking collars, they’re probably the next best thing. You’ll probably feel much happier using a citronella barking collar, and it may still do the trick!

Sonic bark collars

Sonic barking collars tend to be the cheapest option. They target your dogs ears with an ultra-sonic (annoying) sound.

Every time your dog barks, the collar will emit the sound which aims to distract them from barking.

While some dogs may be sensitive to the sound, from reading many reviews it seems they aren’t as effective as the other two types of bark collar. They may work for you if you’re looking for a cheaper option, but keep in mind the chance of success won’t be as great as the static or spray collars.

Buyer’s Guide: My top barking collars (Australia)

Based on reading many reviews and speaking with consumers, below are some top recommendations for barking collars in Australia.

I had the most success with the PetSafe collars (notably the spray version). I wouldn’t mention the other brand I tried, but the battery barely lasted and it wasn’t as good. The good thing about PetSafe is they offer all types of collar and they’re easily available at Pet Circle and My Pet Warehouse (who I also recommend – great prices!)

Let me know if you’ve had success with any brands! (comments section!)

Small dog barking collars

Small dog barking collars are usually suitable for dogs less than 3kg in weight.

PET SAFE LITTLE DOG NO-BARK COLLAR

Type: Static

• The smallest bark collar available!
• Perfect for small dog breeds.
• Microphone and vibration activated
• 10 automatic levels of correction
• Waterproof

PET SAFE DELUXE LITTLE DOG SPRAY BARK COLLAR

Type: Spray

• Uniquely designed for small dogs
• All natural citronella scent safe and effective
• 30-40 sprays per refill
• Microphone and vibration activated
• Waterproof

Medium dog barking collars

Medium dog barking collars are usually suitable for dogs weighing 3kg to 45kg in weight.

INNOTEK NO BARK COLLAR BC-200

Type: Static

• Designed for small to medium sized dogs
• Rechargeable
• Vibration activated
• 7 automatic levels of correction
• Waterproof

PETSAFE BARK CONTROL COLLAR PBC-102

Type: Static

• Effectively stops barking when it is worn
• Activated by vibration
• Waterproof
• 6 automatic levels of correction
• Replaceable battery (6months)

INNOTEK ANTI BARK SPRAY COLLAR

Type: Spray

• Uses a harmless spray which is a great alternative to the static shocks of the other collars
• All natural citronella spray (so no side effects)
• Activated by microphone

Large dog barking collars

If your dog is over 45kg in weight you will need to opt for a large dog barking collar.

SPORT DOG NO BARK SBC-10R COLLAR

Type: Static

• One of the most advanced bark control collars in the market!
• Fully programmable bark control system
• Rechargeable
• Microphone and vibration activated
• Waterproof

PETSAFE BIG DOG NANO NO BARK COLLAR PBC00-11047

Type: Static

• The perfect choice for larger dog breeds!
• Microphone and vibration activated
• Waterproof
• Replaceable battery (6months)

PETSAFE DELUXE SPRAY BARK COLLAR PBC00-11005

Type: Spray

• Uses both sound and vibration sensors
• All natural citronella scent
• Waterproof

Important considerations

When using a bark collar on your dog there’s a couple of important considerations:

• Consider why your dog is barking – he may be expressing an underlying insecurity or discomfort. For example, if he’s suffering gut ache from a kibble, then receiving a consequence for verbalising his discomfort may cause him to manifest this in another way, such as chewing or biting.
• Be consistent – our dogs are easily confused, so if you’re using a bark collar in a specific setting (such as in the garden) it’s important they always wear the bark collar in that setting. Otherwise they might not understand why they’re being corrected for barking sometimes and not at other times.

If you find you’re not getting positive results, then try a different method.

For example, use the bark collar during training when you’re around, or if your dog’s barking a lot at home alone then you may find having the collar on while crated will work.

How do barking collars detect a bark?

So how do barking collars detect a bark in the first place?

In order to deliver an effective consequence the collar needs to respond quickly and accurately to the dogs bark.

Most barking collars have a vibration sensor to detect barking. This means they detect barking by the vibrations the bark makes.

For the most part, this method works really well. However, if you have more than one barking dog then you risk the dog with the collar getting the consequence for your other dogs bark! All this will do is confuse them, and likely stop you fixing the problem in the long term.

To counteract this, some collars also incorporate a microphone in the bark collar. This means, for the bark collar to trigger, it requires BOTH the vibrations and the sound of the bark.

The combination of a vibration sensor and microphone makes a bark collar far more accurate and particular with what will trigger it. This is one of the key differences between cheaper and more expensive barking collars.

Don’t let this rule out all the vibration only bark collars, especially if you have only one dog. But if you think other dogs could trigger the bark collar then it’s worth spending a little more money on a collar with both vibration and microphone.

Does the size of the collar matter?

It may seem like a trivial question, but it’s actually a very important consideration.

Yes… size definitely matters when it comes to barking collars.

Not only is the size and weight of the bark collar important, but also its suitability to the size of dog.

A big collar on a small dog may deliver a consequence far too great, while a small collar on a big dog may not provide enough of a correction to stop the barking.

Most of the barking collars will suit most dog breeds, but if you have a very small dog, or a very big dog – there are specific collars you can choose from.

Other barking collar features you may care about

There’s a few other considerations when buying a barking collar, so let’s cover those as well. The two main features which may sway you towards a particular collar are the battery or whether it’s waterproof.

Battery

Most barking collars use a replaceable battery. While most of these batteries are proprietary brand specific batteries, they can last anywhere from 4-6 months.

If you don’t like the idea of always having to buy batteries, you can select a barking collar which is rechargeable. Although more expensive, you never have to worry about buying batteries for it.

Waterproof

Does your dog like to swim?

If you have a pool or dam on your property, or live by the beach, then it’s a great idea to make sure the barking collar you get is waterproof.

Most bark collars in Australia these days are waterproof due to our lifestyle, but it’s worth making sure before you buy a barking collar.

Alternatives to barking collars

Some bark solutions come as stationary devices which you can put in the area where your pet usually barks. This really saves putting such a device around your dog’s neck, and may give you more peace of mind.

These devices usually have a range in which it can detect barking, and as soon as it does so it delivers an ultra sonic sound to deter the behavior.

You can use these as indoor or outdoor units. Indoor devices can be put in your room or near your dog’s favourite barking spot to deter them from barking. This will probably be near your front or back door.

How do I stop my neighbours’ dog barking?

Obviously you can’t put a barking collar on your neighbours dog, but investing in a remote outdoor barking device is the next best thing. Simply put an outdoor unit near the perimeter, and they will emit an ultra-sonic sound whenever they bark.

Stationary bark control devices (ultra-sonic)

Here are a couple of recommendations for stationary bark control devices:

Indoor bark control

The PETSAFE ULTRASONIC STATIONARY INDOOR BARK CONTROL PBC-1000 is a great indoor ultra-sonic option for the following reasons:

• Automatic or manually activated – automatic is great for when you go out, or manual for when you want to be in control of giving your dog a consequence
• Effective up to 25 feet on all types of dogs so will cover a good area of your house

Outdoor bark control

The PETSAFE OUTDOOR BARK CONTROL PBC-11216 is similar to the above, but a great outdoor option:

• Automatically activated so you can switch it on and leave it to detect barks while you watch the game!
• Range up to 50 feet which should cover your whole back yard!
• Completely weatherproof so you won’t have to buy another if it suddenly rains.

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What barking collar have you used? What type of collar – ultrasonic, spray, or vibration? Did you have success?

Hopefully this guide on dog barking collars in Australia will help solve your barking problem! If it does, or if you have any useful tips to add – say so in the comments!