Do Citronella Collars Work?
Do Citronella Collars Work?
So, you want to know: “Do citronella collars work?”
The simplest answer to this question is: Yes, citronella collars do work if used properly!
We realize this may not be the answer you expected. But, just as with any other tool, if we do not follow the instructions, we may not get desired result.
How to find out do citronella collars work or not?
In order to find out do citronella collars work or not we should answer the following questions:
- Did we follow the user guide?
- Did we plan our training sessions?
- Did we teach our dog the desired behavior?
- Did we stay consistent with our training efforts
Finally, let’s face it, sometimes it is possible to get all of the fundamentals right and still end up with…well, the lousy outcome.
After we look into the most common “sins” committed by citronella bark collar users and how to avoid it it, we will have much better understanding why do citronella collars work for some and not for the others.
You probably already heard the say:
“Sometimes the only way to improve isn’t being told what to do…it is rather being told what not to do”
With that in mind, here is one of the biggest “No-No”:
Do Not Reinforce Barking
It is already “an old secret” now that the behaviors that are rewarded are more likely to be repeated. We ask our dog to sit and when he does we reward him. In all likelihood our dog will offer this behavior more often.
But, why would somebody reward barking?
(Note: we are not talking about teaching dog to bark on command)
The answer is very simple: It, in most cases, happens inadvertently. Our dog barks and we yell back at him or maybe feed him, play etc.
Remember: using citronella collar is a form of so-called “Positive Punishment” or “Unpleasant Consequence”. This training approach is based on applying unpleasant consequence immediately when dog performs undesired behavior. The goal here is to reduce (or eliminate) the behavior.
On the other hand, the goal of the reward is to increase the behavior. As we mentioned above, our dog does something good and we reward it.
The problem is when we apply both (the reward and the punishment) for the same behavior. Let’s say our dog barks and receives a spray of citronella. But then a few minutes later, our dog barks and we pet him and give him full attention.
The take away: Do Not Confuse Your Dog-Stay Consistent
Here Is Great Article That Goes Into More Details:
How Do I Stop My Dog From Barking
What To Do When Fido Barks Day In And Day Out, Neighbors Are Upset, Landlord Furious, And Law Enforcement Officers About To Knock At Your Door?
Do Not Overlook Medical Reasons
Among the many different reasons for the excessive dog barking, the medical reasons are the most important ones! Therefore it is very important to learn our pet’s body language.
Visit to our pet’s vet is a MUST!
Remember: citronella collar should be used only on healthy dogs!
Do Citronella Collars Work: Scientific Research
There was a great study conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, NY and published in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, May/June 1996.
It was found out that overall 88.9 % of dog owners reported satisfaction with the citronella collars for dogs.
How about you: Do Citronella Collars Work Or Not? Share Your Experience Below.
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