training collars?

[PucciNPoni]

hi guys,

Has anyone on here used a citronella or vibrating/noise emitting correction collar for excessive barking?

Friend of mine has a really barky terrier (barks out of sheer excitement, but refuses to shut up) and while she can correct him if she's on the ground, when she's on a horse he takes the utter pee. I realise that training from the ground would be beneficial but the main thing is that she does take him out hacking and he just yaps constantly.

I'd suggested a citronella collar, but the vibrating / noise one are a bit cheaper and don't require refills. Just wondering how effective they are? I've been told they only work for about two weeks if they work at all?

I'm also thinking of getting the vibrating ones for in my salon (for the kennel area for those dogs that I know are barkers). The dogs are in the shop for a max of three hours and many I've trained to stay quiet but there are some absolutely howlers that can't / won't stay quiet.

Any thoughts?
cheers

 

[Dobiegirl]

I have no experience of these collars but just wondered when your friend is riding she could carry a water pistol to shoot the little blighter when he starts to bark. I would be afraid with the collar it might make the dog run away.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I have no experience of these collars but just wondered when your friend is riding she could carry a water pistol to shoot the little blighter when he starts to bark. I would be afraid with the collar it might make the dog run away.

oooh, good point!

I love the water pistol idea - she could get holsters and a cowboy hat too - will look fab on her colored horse! LOL

 

[Jake10]

I wouldn't use a citronella collar as a dogs sense of smell is far better than ours and I wouldn't be comfortable subjecting one of mine to that.

I'm guessing the dogs in the kennels aren't yours? Again I would not be impressed if you used any form of bark control collar on my dog.

 

[Dobiegirl]

There you go she would look the part and she could also carry 2 guns in her holsters.

 

[Spudlet]

Plant sprayer with plain water only, set to the jet setting and aimed at the chest will do it. She might have to practice first, set up a target range in the school

PnP, I hope you'd be seeking written permission before using that on clients' dogs?! I'm not entirely against the water collars in appropriate circumstances, but I would not want someone other than myself to use one on my dog, and it would be a cold day in Hell before I allowed someone else to use one without my being there to supervise! Absolutely not!

 

[PucciNPoni]

Yeh, she would need two as I'm sure with his barking she'll need refills pretty quick!

Yes, correct assumption that the dogs in kennels aren't mine - but I wouldn't use citronella or water pistol on those (would make a mess of a fresh coif) or shock - and would certainly get permission to use from the owners. This is for chronic barkers only and as a last ditch thing (those that are so bad that I'm considering asking them to find another groomer). People do have a choice and if they choose to go elsewere at least I won't have to listen to or subject my neighbors to the constant yap for the entire three hours they're here. 99 % of the dogs we do are very well behaved and very quiet - but there's always one percent that are otherwise lovely but just really noisy.

I once had a guy that lived above come down and give me such abuse because of a barker. He was tyring to study and I had a TT that just screamed the entire time she was in. I asked them to find another groomer in the end cos I couldn't stand it any more than my neighbor.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

The trainer at Bear's class uses an old washing up bottle, it was used on Bear and did shut him up, but I wasn't thrilled at the idea. I'd rather teach a 'Quiet' command.

 

[GinaGem]

We used one on the advice of a trainer to stop barking in the car. One of the dogs responded correctly to it but learnt when he was wearing it so didn't help in the long term. The other freaked out and thought something was attacking her (she's not that bright bless her!).

 

[Teaselmeg]

I would not use any kind of spray collar, particularly one that is triggered by the dog barking, as it can be set off by another dog barking. Citronella is very unpleasant and lingers and so the dog is being punished long after the spray goes off.

Your friend's dog may find hacking just too exciting ( or frightening ?) I would stop taking him and work on training him to be calm around whatever he reacts and barks at, rewarding him for not barking rather than punishing him by spraying water at him.

 

[Elle123]

Don't use citronella ones please it turns from quick shock tactics into continued punishment, its just too strong. My sister used a plain spray one years ago on her schnauzer, they quickly work out when they have it on not to bark but the poor little schnauz was a nervous wreck! Plus my clever (and potentially mildly sadistic!) Golden Retriever worked out it was great fun to slope up to his friend and bark into it, set it off and watch as his friend went flying off in fright and hiding under a chair! I would have thought in a grooming situation it could make
Dogs a lot worse (even a vibrating one) as a lot of this kind of barking I've seen is due to anxiety and stress in the situation.

 

[GinaGem]

Teaselmeg your dogs are gorgeous

The spray collar i used was one you activated yourself by a remote control.