If you are having difficulties with dog barking control, there are a few simple methods you can use and devices that you can purchase or manufacture to make your dog quiet.
Spray Your Dog with Water
The spray with water is the oldest trick in the book when it comes to reducing dog barking and it works.
Whenever the dog barks, spray him with cold water. The dog will not like the water in his face and will stop barking, but may also become irritated and aggressive. In time, the dog associates the water sprays with his behavior and will avoid barking.
This trick can work if you have time to supervise your dog and administer the water when needed, at least while he is trained and learns not to bark at all times.
Ultrasonic Devices
The ultrasonic devices can be installed outdoors and set to be triggered by the dog’s barking noises. When the dog barks, the device will produce a signal that is high pitched and cannot be heard by humans but is audible for canines. The sound is annoying and the dog will be startled by it, so he will stop barking, at least for the moment. In time, the dog will discover that the sound is only produced when he is barking, so this behavior will be corrected.
The device should be effective to cover your entire yard, so that whenever the dog starts barking, the device will emit the signals.
These devices are also effective if your neighbor has a loud dog, as typically, the noise emitted by the device is audible within 20 to 30 feet from the location of the ultrasonic device.
Bark Collars
A dog bark collar can be worn both indoors and outdoors and will be effective to reduce the barking. When your dog is barking, the collar will be activated and there will be an inaudible vibration that will bother the dog, making him stop.
There are various bark collars:
- Shock collars, may hurt the dog, so are not recommended by all vets
- Citronella bark control collars, which will activate and spray the dog with a harmless citronella scent, typically not liked by canines
- Ultrasound emitting collars, which will work on the same principle as the ultrasonic devices
A Can with Pebbles
You can make an anti bark device using a can of soda and a few small pebbles. When you hear your dog barking, shake the can and the dog will be distracted by the noise. The noise may also irritate the dog.
Alternatively, you can use a whistle or even a whistle that emits ultrasonic sound, so that you won’t make a lot of noise that may bother other people. Dogs are responsive to ultrasonic sounds, as these can be compared to the noise of a piece of chalk on a blackboard makes and the effect of this noise for humans.