Small dogs tend to have a reputation of being excessive barkers. Small dogs are usually pretty spunky in temperament and like to make sure that they are seen and heard and feel like they are important in the ‘family pack’. When verbal training and reprimanding fails to stop the non-stop barking, dog owners look for other methods of curbing the behavior and one of the successful tools they use are bark collars for small dogs.
Anti-bark collars for small dogs come in many different varieties with different features that help to train the dog to stop barking excessively. One of the most common type of bark collar is the remote control shock collar for dogs. This type of collar uses a static shock to correct the dog when it barks. The small dog version is smaller and uses a less powerful shock for the correction. The shock can normally be adjusted to a higher intensity if your dog does not respond to the lighter shock, but it is best to start on the low end and adjust up as necessary. The remote control version can be used in a manual way to correct the dog when it is barking versus the regular shock collar that automatically delivers the shock each time the dog barks. As a helpful warning, the automatic shock collars typically sounds a warning when the dog barks before the first shock is given to allow the dog to decide to stop before it receives the shock correction. On most collars there are options to turn this and other features on or off.
One of the other types of no bark collars for small dogs is the citronella dog collar. This collar uses a more humane method of correction to teach the dog not to bark. When the dog barks, the collar sprays all-natural citronella into the air and the smell discourages the dog from continued barking. Citronella bark collars for small dogs have received good reviews from dog owners and are worth looking into if you are looking for an anti-bark collar that does not use shock for the correction.
When deciding on the best bark collars for small dogs, you will have to take into account your dog’s size and temperament. The shock collar might work better for dogs that are more stubborn, whereas the citronella collar might work better for those small dogs that are more timid. However, both collars have been shown to work for any kind of temperament so the decision is up to you in which type of anti-bark training collar you prefer to use on your dog.
Finally, one thing to note – if you have a very small dog or toy breed, make sure you read the bark collar manufacturer’s recommendations on the weight of the dog to be sure the bark collar for small dogs includes very small dogs. Some of the collar descriptions say they are only for dogs 8lbs and over.