Police K-9 Magazine - September/October 2010

have to determine through experimentation.

For some dogs, none of those collars will work effectively. Some dogs will simply “bark through” the negative stimulation. I actually have seen some dogs “fight” the negative stimulation and bark even more because the negative stimulation creates additional stress. So there is no guarantee a bark collar will work for your dog; however, I would say that the bark collar is effective in a very high percentage of cases.

As to any negative effect the use of such a collar will have on normal e-collar training, I have not seen that to be a problem. Normal e-collar training should not be negatively affected by the use of a bark collar.

Dick van Leenen replies: You can use the anti-bark collar on a PSD without any problems. There is no association with the e-collar during training because the context for the use of each collar is completely different.

I have even seen handlers use the anti-bark collar during patrol to make sure the dog isn’t barking constantly and expending all his energy in that way. When you make sure that the context is appropriate and clear to the dog, you can use both collars perfectly.

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Mike Colton replies: Part of a police service dog’s (PSD’s) job description is to indicate the presence of a secreted subject or item through vocalization, or barking. I am cautious about using any means to punish a dog for barking without first defining what is the driving force creating the behavior. You have stated that this dog is your third assigned K- 9. I am curious whether this is your first Dutchie or Mal? I have found these dogs to be highly social and almost needy when it comes to their relationship with their handlers. I would guess that this dog is highly attentive to your every move. The very thing that makes them solid PSDs can make for a challenging home life.