I’ve had my dog for almost 3 years now and I will admit he’s not very social, especially to other dogs. I would always dread taking him for walks because he would just make SUCH a ruckus. He would back and scream bloody murder if even the dog was on the other side of the street. Well imagine this 6 o’clock in the morning when the whole neighborhood is asleep. I’m sure you could imagine the embarrasement. Well I got this collar last week and I swear it’s been a miracle. I’m kicking myself in the a## for not buying this collar earlier.

The first time he barked, he was startled out of his mind. The second time, same reaction. The third time, he just barked once, then kept quiet once the spray went off. Now he doesn’t even bark. You could tell he wants to, but just knows the consequences. Words can’t explain how thrilled I am to have purchased this collar. Now I’m saving up to purchase the one with the remote. That way I can use it when I get home and he’s screaching, waking up the neighborhood, and announcing my arrival.

One thing to keep in mind is that this collar does not work for high pitched screaching like my dog does when I get home. Hence the reason for buying the one with the remote. Oh, and for those wondering if it will work on your small dogs, it will. My dog is a chihuahua/pomeranian mix.

We are very happy with the citronella bark collars. We have three dogs, all are terriers and they can get into a bark-fest. These collars have worked wonders, and are truly humane– they work without pain. I wouldn’t use one of the shock collars. They are not “humane”- they shock and they hurt! If you don’t believe me, put it on your own neck and give it a try. I have seen dogs with burns on their necks from those. (As an aside, yes, I tried this citronella collar too. I let it spray me full in the face. Not pleasant, but not painful.) If you love your dog, try this method. BTW, don’t buy the expensive replacement batteries here. They are a standard size and can be obtained at any Walgreens, Target, etc for around $3.

This collar worked great for my smart and trainable long-haired German Shepherd — effectively re-trained her barking behavior, and we quickly got to the point where she didn’t need it any more. I also loaned it to a friend with a very spirited Golden Retriever, and it has worked well for their dog, although she continues to need to wear it most of the time even after a year. My mother tried it with her keeshonds, who are the most stubborn dogs I’ve ever met, and it really didn’t work with them, even when she made adjustments for their thick fur. Of course, those dogs are pretty behaviorally challenging, and a strong shock-collar has only been moderately effective for them. So … for a spirited but reasonably compliant dog, it has seemed to work well, but for more stubborn dogs, the barking challenge may go on and on.