I often receive links to articles about dogs due to the nature of my work. I was reading an article today about 'shock collars' or 'no bark' collars and was really interested in people's thoughts about these.

My personal opinion is that I would never use one of these on my own dog as I really don't like them, but they seem to be so 'every day marketed' these days that I just wondered what everyone thought?

personally i think they're cruel, i would never use one, it would be like giving a child an electric shock when they got too loud!

Can't think of a circumstance when I'd promote their use... a thousand other methods if the people can be bothered

Lost Soul and Muze I completely agree, there are so many alternative methods! They just seem to be so easily available as if they're the norm - I even saw them in the Betterware catalogue!!

My parents' dog barked at anything and everything. Even it's own shadow.

I recommended that they get a shock collar for it a couple of years ago. They thought it was a cruel and decided to try a variety of other methods.

It still barks at everything and anything.

tbh, I've often thought about them for my dog, shes a bugger for barking, but she's also a good a guard dog too, when shes being a pain, (have people here we like!) I squirt her with a water bottle, she now knows the bottle and doesnt bark!

Dogs bark.its natural. All a shock collar does is punish a natural behaviour. A barking dog is either protecting its territory or a very nervous animal, I suspect the latter with your from your comments. What good is shocking a nervous dog? All it's going to do is scare it more.

Shock collars are forms of negative reinforcement, and one of the worst kinds too, all they do is create different problems, particularly behavioural issues, changes in temperament and in easily spooked dogs, they often make the problem worse. They are for lazy, uncaring owners.

What your parents need to do is a) ignore you and never ever get a shock collar and b) spend time working on positive reinforcement techniques to encourage appropriate barking and build the dogs confidence.

Whilst the water bottle is preferable to a collar that actually hurts the dog, you'd be better to work at solving the problem with training and positive reinforcement than by diverting the behaviour. What happens when you are out? The barking may continue uninterrupted. You say she stops when she sees the bottle, why? Because she has negative reactions to it, and in association you. Why would you want her to fear you, even just a little?

Dogs bark for a reason, the best methods of reducing excessive barking is understanding why they bark in the first place and working on that, not punishing the result.

I could never live with myself if i hurt an animal on purpose and putting one of those shock collars on is hurting the dog,
Surely there must be times when people want their dogs to bark...like if someone breaks into their home, what good is a dog then whos petrified of barking because it knows it will get hurt. I'm surprised they're sold at all, what's next collars to shock babies when they cry.....!

If you'd be happy to taser children for being a bit unruly then these would be ok for a dog otherwise they are not ok for a dog.

You mean I'm not suppose to taser my demon child?

I'm an advocate of birching. It leaves a more lasting impression.

Next you'll tell me that prong collars are not allowed for the under 5s...

Off to Google...

you`re doing it wrong.

These collars are a device for lazy, self serving morons who need a quick solution to 'dominate' a dog. They are banned in Wales for a good reason.

I've complained to companies that sell them with variations on this article and did manage to stop a local pet store selling them.

http://www.apbc.org.uk/articles/shockcollars

good on you shadow

Unfortunately there is no way of testing for morons when buying a dog, there should be a licence test imo!

Dogs bark for the same reason humans talk - communication - and stopping a dog from performing a natural behaviour is like giving children an electric shock if they talk too much.

I'm not saying 'excessive' barking shouldn't be delt with but these collars are just the easy and cruel way of doing it.

I agree with bazaar1 - good on you!

Have to say that most people will think this is stupid but my dog loves to bark at anyone and everything - the slightest noise, someone closing a dustbin lid, people walking by etc. I eventually found that just walking up to her calmly, saying thank you and stroking/cuddling her made her stop - she also puts her ears back and wags her tail madly when I do this. People have told me that when they knock the door and we're not in, she doesn't make a sound.l It's almost as if she's trying to let me know something is going on or someone is going by and when I let her know everything is ok, she stops. It's taken time, but it's worked.

I'd never use one on a dog, awful things. However, I met a couple with a Jack Russell and they used one on him. They said they'd tried everything and this was a last resort. When not wearing the collar the dog would bark and run up to random people snarling, with the collar a perfectly behaved dog.

I still don't agree with them though, but I'd never have a Jack Russell anyway, I see far too many barky snappy ones.

Just out of interest, did the dog still bark occasionally and get a shock, or could they have put a normal collar on him but hed think it was the shock one and continue to not bark?

My dogs similar. If someone comes in the back door hes quiet, as thats family. If a stranger knocks at the front door he will bark to let me know. If im in the living room sometimes he wont bark if i acknowledge that i know someones there.

He barks louder if someone knocks on the door while im in bed. He must think im deaf that i cant hear the door but i can hear him!

They pick up on your reaction too, so with you being clam it's helping her be calm, and when your not in, well there's not any point in barking is there (aka lazy dog syndrome ) our collie x is famous for being a horrendous barker, when we are there, but when we are not hell let anyone in without a peep, cleaners, work men, etc. he's now so dead we often come home and have to shout loudly 'burglars' to get a reaction. Hes a great guard dog

I do hope that's a typo and is supposed to read 'deaf' - otherwise the fact you get any reaction at all is pretty amazing!

Ha ha yes, deaf. He's also blind but still alive