BARKING DOGS--WHAT'S THE ANSWER?
Written: Jul 18 '00 (Updated Mar 26 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: it does work
Cons: is it humane?
The Bottom Line: This product certainly works to deter dogs from excessive barking. However, there are mixed feeling among consumers on whether or not these devices are humane.
|
|
|
| tbrown's Full Review: Innotek Bark Control System Bc 100 |
A neighbor-friend of mine had a dog that would bark almost continuously at night. Half the neighborhood was up in arms about it. Needless to say, something had to be done. Then, suddenly, I noticed that I was actually getting to sleep all night. It was because the neighbor had purchased the Smart Dog No Bark Trainer. This is a veterinarian-approved training system for dogs who bark excessively.
It comes with a collar and small remote control. The collar looks much like other dog collars except that it has a tiny battery pack and two small metal probes that come in contact with the animal's neck. The remote transmitter controls the electric impulses delivered to the animal with two small buttons. For instance, if a pet is barking excessively, the first button on the transmitter is pressed. The dog receives a warning beep sound. If the dog does not respond by not barking, the owner waits a minute or so and then presses the other button. This delivers a low-level electric shock to the pet. After two to three weeks of this type training, a pet usually responds without the electric shock. The beep is enough to get the desired result.
Having seen this product in action, I can honestly say that it works. My neighbor is very pleased with its performance and raves about how easy it is to train a pet. However, even though I love sleeping at night, I have mixed emotions about this type of training. I know how annoying a constantly barking dog can be but I am not sure that this is a humane remedy. Or maybe the idea of electric stimulation brings back memories of old movies with people being given forcible electroshock treatments!
I think my main concern is whether or not animals feel pain with this type of product. The dog I saw did not seem to be in pain when given the shock but how can we know for sure? My neighbor told me that he had tried the devices that spray a citronella mist when the dog is barking but that these products had no effect on his dog. I suppose he had no choice but I still feel uneasy about this product. What do you think?
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
tbrown
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: USA
Reviews written: 252
Trusted by: 297 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.