Do anti barking devices work?

Question

We have an extremely annoying neighbor behind us. Their dogs bark a lot from the morning until the afternoon. When the dogs stopped, you enjoy the silence only for a short time. They bark for several minutes then they stop, after a break they bark again. It continues for hours.

I read online, that I could buy an anti barking unit for my back yard. But I read that it does not work. They have a wall around their yard. An anti barking collar might work.

I wrote them notes several times. They don't care and let them bark. I have to call animal control. On their web site their wrote: “Unlawful barking is defined as a period of five (5) minutes of barking during a 15-minute interval at any time of day."

An example: The dog starts to bark at 8 AM and barks for 3 minutes, stops and at 8:10 he barks for 2 minutes. Would that count 5 minutes?

In our old neighborhood was a big dog. When he barked, his voice was deep. If he barked for 5 minutes it was not that irritating. When our new neighbor's dogs bark, it's a very squeaky high sound that drives you crazy even if he barks just for seconds.

I hate this neighbor, who destroys our life. He is a public nuisance by disturbing our peace, comfort, health and repose. We can never go into our back yard because that would start dog barking.

Do anti barking collars work?

Answer 1

First of all, no anti barking collars do not work, and they are not pleasant for the dog.

Also, since it is not your dog, I doubt you can convince your neighbour to use one on its dog.

I would video tape a few hours of the annoying dog, to show animal control when you call them. Without proof they don't normally do anything.

Answer 2

Yes anti-bark collars work you just need to get the owner to put it on them. What state are you in? Where I live if the animal control is called to a residence more than three times it becomes a misdemeanor for the owner of the animal causing the problem. I have two dogs both are big dogs because like you I can't stand the annoying little yappy dogs that people have. Call your police station next time and ask them what can be done if anything

Answer 3

Dogs do bark. Anti-barking collars sometimes work. Of the people I've known who have tried them they seem to work best on smaller dogs and dogs without too much hair on the area where the shocks are delivered. The real question is: would your neighbors be willing to use such a device on their dog? As to whether you can add 3 minutes and 2 minutes during a 15 minute period - you need to contact your town. I'd also suggest considering which will be harder to live next to -- dogs who bark - - or neighbors who become an enemy. (People can make themsevles quite annoying too.) JMPO ;)

Answer 4

Anti bark devices usually don't work. Plus some of them (shock collars) are horrible, can kill a dog or drive him mad, and they must never be used. I don't think there is something you can put in your yard and work on the dogs on the other side. I know how you feel, but dogs are dogs, you can't really press a button and stop barking. And i don't think they are barking all the time, because when my dog went in a kennel he barked a lot to other dogs, and his voice closed after a while and he stopped barking altogether. So your dogs bark less than that, for sure. Anyway, try to explain to your neighbours that they should take the dogs inside for some hours, at leat during the times people sleep or relax, or the times they bark most (when other dogs pass nearby, for example). My dog never barked, unless other dogs passed outside his house. Most dog owners would walk their dogs 7-9 a.m and 6-8 p.m., so I kept my dog in the house during those hours.

Answer 5

Earphones, plug them into your iPod and you won't be able to hear them :-) You can't use something on someone elses dog, plus anti-barking devices are cruel, the dog needs to be TRAINED not to bark all the time, but some dogs are just talkers. If you are willing to put money into the problem, buy your neighbor a gift certificate to a doggie daycare, they will be there all day so you won't have to hear them. When they get home they should be pretty tuckered out from daycare (nothing tires out a dog like another dog!) and shouldn't bark to much because a tired dog is a well behaved dog.

Answer 6

I understand your situation and why you're frustrated with what's going on. You are in the right in this case and I'll delve a little into what you can do to help solve the problem in a peaceful manner.

Whenever you encounter a problem of this nature, one of the first things to do is to understand the problem and what's going on.

Canine Separation Anxiety (my class notes):

No one knows the exact reasoning for canine separation anxiety.

It is assumed that the bond between dog and owner has become so strong that the dog begins to feel anxiety when the owner is separated from the dog.

These cases are generally seen in younger dogs (although separation anxiety can occur in older dogs)

Try to remember however; that this really isn't the dog's fault. It comes from failure of your neighbor to appropriate corrective measures to the problem.

Questions to ask:

Will buying an anti-barking/devocalization device work?
- Since this is your neighbor's dog: it will solve nothing.
- It may even be harmful to the dog.

Contact your local Humane Society again and find out if other neighbors are also affected by this problem. Record evidence of the barking dog, and even make a visit to the station if necessary.

If the Humane Society is unwilling to help you (I'm more than positive that they will) with your problem, you should file a complaint with your local police station.

Your complaints will be anonymous, and the Humane Society may be able to order the owners into taking a behavioral class.

Even if this is done, please try to be patient. The kind of solution to this problem does take a little while to solve.

It's the owners responsibility to properly ensure that these behavior problems are corrected. However, the moment YOU do something negatively in retaliation, is the moment you lose your case.

Please keep in mind that punishing the dog for the owner's failure to resolve the problem is a no-no. I mean seriously, the dog doesn't know he's pissing you off, and you shouldn't punish the poor thing for his owners incompetance.

Answer 7

You can't force him to put an anti-barking collar on his dog...so it really doesn't matter. But if his dog is breaking city laws....they can do something about it. Do the other neighbors ever complain that they are bothered by it? One person calling on him might not get the job done...it may take two or three people for them to relize how annoying it really is and actually do something about it.

And yes how you described it...that would be unlawful barking under that law.

Answer 8

Don't start a pet war with your neighbor, it never ends well, in fact it just never ends until one of you moves away.

If a dog cannot see out of the yard, see the cause of all of the things he hears and smells, they slowly go nuts, a canine version of the human cabin fever syndrome.

He needs to be able to see out/

Maybe you can make nice with your neighbor and discuss splitting the cost of having one or two 'windows' cut into the wall.

Before you put an anti barking collar on a dog, put it on yourself and then bark.

I guarantee you wouldn't want that collar on that dog after experiencing that little jobby personally.

Bake some cookies, for the dog too, and sit down like adults and work it out.

There is enough hostility in the world and you are spreading it around like it's perfume.

You're counting the minutes? SHAME ON YOU!!!

Just move into a condo where you can be insulated from the world and the world doesn't have to live up to your expectations. Sheesh!

Answer 9

There are different types of anti-barking devices. Shock collars (which I don't approve of), citronella collars and high frequency collars/devices.

I use the citronella collar on my dogs - when they bark it sprays citronella in front of the nose: they don't like the shock of the spray or the smell. It only took a couple of times and I broke the barking habit. I haven't had to use it in quite awhile. I only used it when I was at home and never just left it on them.

The other device - a high frequency transmitter can be used as a collar or a push button transmitter. The transmitter device may work on your neighbor's dog - it emits a frequency that only dogs can hear that is unpleasant to them. You hear them bark and push the button!

No system is full proof with guarantees to work, but to me, spray or frequency are much more humane than a shock collar.

Answer 10

I am not sure about if they work... i have heard the collars work though... but of course you can't put it on your neighbors dog.... you can't just leave them notes, you need to go there are talk to them. If not you need to really file unlawful barking thing against them.... i think it counts.... just because he stops for a minute does not mean he stops.... he is just taking a breath.... but your ears are not.... his owners need to either train him or stop leaving him alone.... my dog barks, but i know my neighbors can hear her... b/c i stand outside and listen, you can hear her unless you stand at our door.... and i time her to see how long she barks - she wll only bark about 30secs when i leave or enter the house if at all.... I would hate for my neighbors to hear my dog, and i would sure hate to hear my neighbors dogs....