BarkCollar™ Frequently Asked Questions
The BarkCollar™ is used to reduce and eliminate excessive barking.
A sensor inside the BarkCollar™ is activated when the dog barks. After three seconds of barking (the ‘bark-forgiveness’ period), the collar activates and delivers either a vibration or an electronic stimulation. The vibration or stimulation setting is adjustable and should be set to a level that is just enough to distract the dog from barking. If the dog continues to bark, the intensity of the vibration/stimulation gradually increases from the minimum to the maximum for that setting. As your dog begins to associate barking with the vibration/stimulation, he also figures out the sensation stops when the barking stops.
The collar strap needs to be placed on the smallest part of the dog’s neck, just below the dog’s ears. It must fit snugly so the contact posts are touching the center of the dog’s neck where the vibration from the dog’s bark can be detected. If the collar is placed too loosely or too far from the center of the dog’s neck, the bark may not be detected.
Battery life depends on frequency of use and the barking behavior of the dog. A collar that is worn for long periods and triggered frequently will need to be recharged more often than a collar that is worn for shorter periods and triggered only occasionally. The charge typically lasts a month or more for a collar worn daily with low to moderate activation.
Yes. The rechargeable battery life is typically several years. The rechargeable battery needs to be replaced when the duration of a re-charge decreases significantly. Replacement batteries are available from DogWatch. The battery is easy to replace.
Yes. If there is no need to have the collar on the dog, it should be taken off the dog and turned off. We recommend removing the collar at night to prevent skin irritation.
Turn-on the BarkCollar™ and and set it to ‘V’ (Vibration). Put the BarkCollar™ on your dog. Observe the dog barking and look for a response such as a head shake, ear twitch, or change in barking behavior. If you do not see a response, or if the dog continues to bark with no apparent reaction to the collar, increase the setting one level and repeat the process. When you see a subtle reaction from your dog, that setting is a good place to begin training.
There are several variables that affect how quickly your dog’s behavior will change, most notably the personality of your dog, the frequency of things that trigger the barking and your dog’s tolerance for distraction when baking. Most dogs begin to understand the relationship between barking and the sensation from the vibration/stimulation after several activations of the collar. Barking behavior will diminish quickly in some dogs and more gradually in others. If there is no noticeable change after a reasonable trial period, check the collar to make sure the fit is good and the contact posts are the correct size. If collar fit is appropriate and the dog continues to bark, the BarkCollar setting should be increased one level.
Turn-on the BarkCollar™. If the Status Light on the BarkCollar™ blinks green, the battery is charged and the BarkCollar™ is working. There is also an auto “self-test” (see below) to confirm that the BarkCollar™ is working.
There is an auto “self-test” built into the collar. When you turn it “on” and each time the setting is changed, the BarkCollar will vibrate briefly and the status light will illuminate. This auto “self-test” confirms the BarkCollar is charged and working properly.
The BarkCollar™ should be effective on dogs as small as 4 pounds.
We recommend waiting until the dog is 4-6 months.
No. The electronic stimulation is mild. Imagine a slight tickle or light static, like touching a metal doorknob after walking across carpet. The stimulation gets a pet’s attention, similar to a tap on the shoulder.
No – the collar must be in contact with the dog’s neck to be activated.
Yes. The warranty is one year.
There are no specific health restrictions. If you have a concern about your dog using a bark collar due to a health condition, we suggest you contact your Veterinarian.
We recommend using long posts for dogs with long hair or a thick coat. Short posts should be fine for short hair dogs who do not have a thick coat.
The components in the BarkCollar™ are specified to operate from minus 25 degrees (F) to 125 degrees (F). A significant and rapid change in temperature may temporarily disrupt some of the BarkCollar functions until the device adjusts to the new temperature level.
