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Choosing on whether to use an anti bark shock collar or not can be hard. After all, subjecting your dog to discomfort is not an easy decision to do. The Article below will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of using an anti bark collar, which will hopefully allow you to finally make a decision. Without further ado, let’s start:
Advantages
- Different modes to choose from
The majority of modern shock collars in the market today will provide you with flexibility when it comes to choosing the intensity of the shock. If your dog is sensitive, or if the pain from the shock is too much, you can lower its intensity. In comparison, other collars like spray collars don’t have adjustable settings.
There are even collars with vibration or warning beep mode. In this mode, the collar will beep or vibrate first. If the dog doesn’t stop barking, the collar will let out an electric shock. After a while, your dog will associate the vibration or warning beep mode with an incoming shock. This point will be discussed in greater detail in the next section.
- You can achieve fast results
Without a doubt, anti bark shock collars can deliver fast results. There are a number of dog owners who reported that their dog only required some shocks before their barking stops being a problem. After those few shocks, the warning beep or vibration mode from the shock collar was enough to control them. Having said that, always remember that different dogs have different reactions, more uncooperative dogs might require more time to train.
- Cheaper than other options
Depending on the features, a shock collar can be purchased from as low as $25 to $200. These features include remote control, flexible shock intensity, range, battery capacity, water proofing, and weather protection.
Even if you go with the most expensive shock collar, they are still cheaper than hiring a professional dog trainer.
Disadvantages
- Exposes your dog to fear
Shock collar uses fear to control behavior. Using fear as a training method can be dangerous for dogs, especially if they associate you with the collar.
- Uses negative feedback to train
Dog trainers prefer rewards and positive reinforcement to train dogs. After all, it is better to train dogs through rewards such as your affection, treats, or playing with them. Shock collars use negative feedback to train your dog not to bark, which is a complete reversal of positive reinforcement.
- False bark detection
Even the most expensive automatic anti bark shock collars can have false positives, shocking your dog even if they are not barking. This can create confusion in your dog, especially if they are shocked while doing something else. After all, the collar is training the dog to associate the shock with excessive barking. If the collar administers a shock even without the dog barking, this can lead to confusion and more training required for your dog.
