The best method is to teach a ‘quiet’ command. Once the dog understands the meaning of the quiet command, you can exercise your authority by using ‘time out’ as punishment if the dog refuses to comply with that command.

I used this method with my very yappy little sheltie, and it reaped many benefits. It instilled an understanding of what I wanted, and that I have authority over her actions.

The effort really paid off for me. At the time it seemed a big effort to quell a barking problem, for which I would have preferred a simple and quicker solution. Long term I was very glad I made the effort to communicate and enforce my authority.

If you decide to use the bark collar, I’d be interested in your experience. Please let me know how it works out, and thank you for the question.

I have a collie puppy and so does my sister. I do a lot of puppy sitting because I work from home and can be more attentive… and the pups get to play.

My sister’s dog is a barker and if I corrected her with a penny can of a time out every time she started, I would have to be next to her every minute.

What do you think of bark collars?

BD