The importance of fitting the collar properly.
We often have people contact us, concerned that their dog's anti-bark collar isn't working and experience shows that the problem usually occurs for one of the following reasons:
- The Bark Collar is faulty,
- The Bark Collars battery is flat, or
- The bark collar has not been fitted adequately.
Where the collar is faulty, we will replace it promptly. Fortunately, this is not common. Flat batteries are easily replaced to resolve that situation. However, if it appears that the battery has gone flat too quickly, the anti bark collar may need to be looked at more closely. Quite often, there is a link between a flat battery and the bark collar not being fitted properly to your dog.
Whether your dog is wearing a static-electric bark collar or citronella spray bark collar, fitting the collar properly is essential. A properly fitted collar will deliver the most consistent and effective results. It is important for the barking collar to be positioned properly to ensure the vibration sensor or microphone can detect your dog's barking. Bark collars will not deliver a consistent correction if the collar isn't fitted correctly. Read the paragraph below to understand how to correctly fit your dog's barking collar.
How should I fit the collar on my dog?
The collar needs to be positioned high up on your dog's neck (underneath their jawline) and adjusted tight enough so that it doesn't move side to side.
When you fit your bark collar on your dog, it's important to ensure that the anti-bark collar is positioned high up on your dog's neck (underneath their jawline) and adjusted tight enough so that it doesn't move side to side. The area just underneath your dog's jawline is the narrowest part of your dog's neck, ensuring that the collar doesn't slip out of position.
If you have a static electric bark collar, the two probes must be in contact with your dog's skin and the module must not be able to move side to side. If you have a citronella spray bark collar, ensure the nozzle is facing the correct direction for the spray to come in direct contact with your dog's snout. Some citronella spray collars are sound activated, however, if it's dual activated, you will need to ensure the vibration sensor is fitted firmly on your dog's neck for consistent corrections.
How tight should the collar be?
The collar needs to be tight enough so that you can't move it side to side.
This is another area that can convince people that their bark control collar is faulty. The truth is that anti-bark collars have to be on tighter than a normal leather or nylon collar. Some people do get a little concerned that putting the bark collar on so securely may be uncomfortable for the dog, and may even choke the dog. The truth is that anti-bark collars must be fitted in a secure and snug fashion to ensure that it operates correctly. Another thing to remember is that your dog has a strong, tough neck, much thicker than ours.
The bark control collar is not designed or meant to obstruct a dog's breathing, however, it has to be secure enough to not move around.
Fitting the collar high on the neck will also overcome much of this concern. Of course, this will vary from dog to dog depending on the size and build of your dog.
A dog's coat can also hinder a collars ability to stop a barking dog. The coat's and undercoat's thickness can make it hard to ensure that the probes get past the hair of thick coated dogs and make contact with the skin. Citronella spray collars can also be hindered by a thick coat if it obstructs the spray from reaching the snout.
This is particularly true here in New Zealand due to our climate and the fact that dogs have their thicker coats on for a good portion of the year. If this is the case, you may need to look at trimming or shaving the coat in the bark collar area. In situations where the collar is too thick and prevents the probes from contacting the skin or hinders the spray, it is common to see batteries go flat quickly and the spray reservoir to empty quickly. This is due to the anti bark collar detecting and trying to stop the barking dog, but the dog isn’t receiving any correction and continues to bark. The result is the bark collar is being activated more than normal and demands more from the battery and/or spray.
Fitting the collar around the widest part of the neck (often where the neck and shoulders meet), the bark control collar will slip up to a more narrow area, which will result in it being loose and moving around the neck. This will mean that the second aspect of fitting the bark collar isn't being met - and the barking collar appearing though it is not working.
All of our bark collars include extensive instructions, and some include DVDs. As with most men, I am not inclined to properly read through instructions. However, trust me and take the time to go through these instructions to help make sure that you are able to stop your barking dog problem quickly.
Please feel free to contact us if you are having trouble fitting your bark collar.
