The bark of a large dog is usually low resonant and frightening. Now imagine your giant dog developing excessive barking. It’s intolerable, especially if you live in an apartment. But how do you prevent it? By using a bark collar. These collars make barking unpleasant, and the dog has no option but to stop. However, not all collars are the same nor use the same correction method.
I have tested many bark collars, and, unfortunately, most only work well in small and medium dogs. After many trials, I have finally found some that work crazily well for the giant dogs. Let me share some of the best bark collars for large dogs, their features, and what to look for when buying.
The Best Bark Collars for Large Dogs Reviewed
The work of a bark collar is to make barking uncomfortable, not to harm the dog. Dogs are intelligent, and over time, they learn that something unpleasant happens every time they bark. It can be a bad smell, disrupting beeping sound, vibrations, static shock through the neck, or a combination of all.
Now, before deciding which bark collar to buy, there are things you need to know about bark collar types and how they work. For instance, you can’t use a vibration collar on a 6-inch-haired dog like the Briard, or a sound collar on a deaf dog.
You also don’t want to put a non-waterproof collar on a Newfoundland, well knowing it’s a water magnet, will swim and damage it. So, consider the following features when choosing a bark collar for your giant furry friend.
Correction Type
All bark collars don’t use the same type of correction. Some use vibration mechanisms to send a buzzing sensation, others emit ultrasonic beeps, others discharge a puff of citronella or lemon-scented spray while others send a static shock. So, when deciding which collar to buy, consider which type works best for your dog. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the types.
Spray
The spray bark collars do exactly as the name suggests. They release a scented spray, usually of things dogs don’t like, such as lemon or citronella. The good thing is that dogs detect smell at lower concentrations than humans.
In fact, scientific reports show that the dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than ours. Another thing is that the collar discharges the spray mist right in front of the snout. That means the spray can distract the dog, but not strong enough to distract you.
So, don’t worry even if you don’t like lemon sprays. Another advantage is that these sprays are harmless to dogs. However, confirm that your furry friend is not allergic to the spray ingredients.
Sound
Sound collars emit distracting sounds to interrupt the dog. You’re wondering what’s the essence of stopping dog barks, only to hear noises from the collar. No! The collar emits an ultrasonic beeping sound. As humans, we only hear sounds of frequencies up to 20,000 hertz.
Dogs have better hearing ability and can hear sounds of up to 65,000 hertz. That means the dog hears the irritating beeping sound from the collar but is inaudible to you. Since the frequency falls under the dog’s hearing range, it’s safe for its ears. However, you can’t use this collar on dogs suffering from hearing impairments.
Vibration
Just like how human vocal cords vibrate when talking, the dog’s vocal cords vibrate when barking. The vibration collar has electronic sensors that detect this vibration. In response, the collar sends an interruptive pulse of vibration waves of the bark.
The idea of this collar is not to produce high vibrations or loud noises but to do it in a distracting way. It interrupts the dog’s barking pattern, usually within a few barks. The interruptions make the dog reduce the barking and eventually stop it.
The best thing about these collars is that they just catch the attention of the dog. No pain or punishment. They are great for senior dogs, dogs with hearing impairments, and timid giants. However, dogs with thick fluffy coats like the Newfoundland won’t feel the vibration. Also, the vibration is irritating to dogs with sensitive skin.
Static Shock
Remember we’re talking about large dogs. Some of these giants like the Tibetan Mastiff are just protective, territorial, independent, and stubborn. It’s not uncommon to not respond to ultrasonic sounds and citronella sprays. This is where the static correction collars come in.
The collar contains electrodes that contact the neck skin. When activated, the collar releases a short pulse of static electricity between 20 to 90 volts to the neck area. The power is not strong enough to cause burns or travel throughout the body. The aim is to cause unpleasant feelings without harming the dog.
The traditional models use remote controls. You activate the static shock when the dog starts barking. The limitation is that you can’t control barking when you leave for work, or asleep. On the good side, you can fail to activate the shock when there’s a valid reason for barking, like an intruder entering your compound.
Modern models use vibration sensors or microphone sensors to detect the barking. The collar can have a combination of tone and vibration warnings. When a dog barks, the collar vibrates and produces a beeping sound. If the dog continues to bark, the static shock starts.
Size
Even if we're talking about large dogs, they are not all equal. Of course, you don’t want to suffocate your dog. Take a measuring tape or string and wrap it around the neck. Don’t make it tight! Give a breathing room. The best way to do this is to slip two fingers between the fur and the tape.
Another option is to reference the size of your dog’s standard collar. If the measurements fall between the collar sizes, go for the larger size, not the smaller size. Something to note: don’t use a bark collar on puppies less than 8 pounds.
Even if they are puppies of large breeds, they’re still puppies, and the collar and its receiver can strain their necks. Still, bark collars weigh differently depending on the material and controller. So, check the manufacturer's weight range when shopping.
Intensity Control
It’s not a good idea to hit your dog with the same amount of correction, regardless of how badly it has misbehaved. It’s like getting the same jail term, regardless of the crime committed. It’s therefore advisable to get a collar with adjustable intensities, such as the Dinjoo Smart Bark Collar.
That way, you warn the dog that it’s crossing the boundary and that it should stop. For example, the collar starts with a beep. If the dog ignores it, the collar starts to vibrate. If the dog still doesn’t respond, the collar releases the static shock.
Weatherproof Design
Some large dogs like Golden Retrievers love swimming and playing with water puddles. Now, think about this: bark collars have electronics such as sensors that detect the barking, electronics that release vibrations and static shock, an LED display that works as the interface, and of course, a battery that powers it.
If water reaches these electronics, they’ll short circuit and blow, or shock the dog. The same happens with dust. If it enters the collar, it obscures the LED display and reduces the sensitivity of the sensors. That is why you need a weatherproof collar.
Note that weatherproof comes with ratings such as IPX7 and IP67. The first digit after IP represents dust resistance, while the second digit represents water resistance. That means IPX7 has a 7-rating on waterproof, but not dust-resistance.
To be on the safe side, go for a collar with around an IP67 rating like the Akuvu Dog Bark Collar. It means the collar is dust-tight, and withstands immersion in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes. I can bet a dog can’t stay under 1-meter deep water for 30 minutes.
Battery Life
As I have mentioned, bark collars use electronics to detect barking and respond, usually powered by a battery. Just like phones and cameras, these batteries don’t last forever. You’ll have two options: a rechargeable battery, usually lithium-ion, or a non-rechargeable battery.
The non-rechargeable batteries serve longer before dying, but, once they die, you get the hassles of buying a replacement battery. The best thing is to get a collar with a rechargeable battery. Still, not all rechargeable batteries are the same. Consider the battery life.
Go for a collar that can last 2-5 weeks without recharging, such as the Delupet Dog Shock Collar. Keep in mind that battery life varies with usage. For example, if the dog is not responding to stimulation, and the collar combines beeps, vibrations, and shocks many times a day, it can’t last long. The good thing with a collar like Delupet is that it takes only 2 hours to fully recharge.
Accuracy
Bark collars rely on microphones to detect barking. Have you ever thought of the background noises in your home? Maybe a child crying, a rooster crowing, a pig oinking, or even your neighbor's dog barking. The microphone can pick up these noises and trigger the collar.
That’s why you need a collar that can filter background noises and detect the unique bark of your dog. The best option is a collar with adjustable sensitivity levels, such as the Dinjoo Smart Bark Collar. You reduce sensitivity when there’s a lot of background noise, and increase it when the compound is quiet.
Our Top Bark Collar for Large Dogs Recommendations
As you have seen, different bark collars have varying features and build quality. This makes it challenging to choose the right collar for your dog. Fortunately, I have compiled for you a list of bark collars that excel in build quality, battery life, correction versatility, and adjustability.
1. DogRook Automatic Bark Collar
The DogRook Automatic Bark Collar is one of the collars that won’t pain or terrify your dog. This collar uses a combination of vibration and sound, without shock. To make sure the dog doesn’t get familiar with the vibrations and sound, it uses 7 sound stages and 2 vibration modes.
The amazing feature of this collar is the smart microphone. You don’t have to worry about the collar activating when other dogs bark. The smart microphone identifies the dog’s unique bark.
Another feature I like about this collar is the 5-step adjustable sensitivity. When there is lots of background noise such as when several dogs are eating from the same bowl, just reduce the sensitivity so it doesn’t activate on false alarms.
2. Dinjoo Smart Bark Collar
The Dinjoo Smart Bark Collar is an automatic bark collar. You don’t need to activate and deactivate it using a remote. It’s a great solution if your dog is barking excessively due to separation anxiety when you leave for work, or at night when asleep.
The collar comes with a whopping 8-step sensitivity level adjustments and 4 working modes. This gives you better control than the DogRook collar. The modes include:
- Beep only
- Vibration only
- Combination of vibration and beep
- Combination of vibration, beep, and shock
In short, this collar covers almost all the correction types we have covered above. It’s a matter of choice depending on how stubborn the dog is.
3. Dogrange Bark Collar
The Dogrange Bark Collar is one of the most versatile collars. You can literally use it to train your dog right from puppyhood to maturity. It features an adjustable strap that fits dogs from 11 pounds up to 140 pounds. Even better, the collar has an IPX7 waterproof rating.
That means it’s usable virtually everywhere, from indoors to outdoors in bad weather. Another great feature is the dual-trigger recognition system. It can precisely detect whether it’s your dog barking.
So, if you’re visiting the Toronto pooch park and you see the no barking sign, don’t worry. This collar is the perfect solution. It will activate when your dog barks, and deactivate when it stops, without picking interferences from other dogs.
4. Delupet Dog Shock Collar
There are situations where you would like the dog to bark. For instance, you want the dog to bark when a stranger enters your home. This is something smart collars can’t achieve. I consider the Delupet Dog Shock Collar to be the collar that offers you complete control over the barking behavior.
This collar comes with a remote, so you manually activate and deactivate based on your judgment. The good thing with the manual remote is you choose to not activate it in such situations, so the dog knows under which situations barking is allowed.
This remote has a range of up to 1600 feet. That means you can activate and deactivate the collar even if the dog is on the opposite far end of the field. You can activate beep, vibrate, or shock. To make sure that you don’t press the remote accidentally, it has a security keypad locking mechanism.
4. Akuvu Dog Bark Collar
You can tell Akuvu Dog Bark Collar is a high-quality collar, right from the high 4.6 rating on Amazon. The collar comes with 5-step adjustable sensitivities and 4 working modes that include vibration only, beep only, vibration and beep, and vibration, beep, and shock. But what I love most about this collar is the battery life.
This collar features a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that has a short recharge time of 2 hours, and a long life of up to 15 days. It also has a low battery reminder, so the battery doesn’t die unexpectedly. Another area this collar excels is the weatherproof design.
It comes with an IP67 waterproof rating. That means you can use this collar on dogs that love swimming like the Newfoundland. The adjustable straps make the collar fit for small dogs from 10 pounds to large dogs of up to 150 pounds.
Safety Tips When Using Bark Collars for Large Dogs
You want the dog to learn, without making it anxious and confused about what to do or not. If the collar creates a negative effect, the dog might even refuse to wear it again after removing it for recharge. The following safety tips help you use the collar in a humane way.
- Use the collar safety mechanism such as automatic stop after 6 stimulations. That way, you’ll avoid overstimulating your furry friend.
- Do not allow the dog to swim or play in the water if you’re not sure whether the collar is waterproof.
- Make sure the vibrations and the material of the collar don’t cause skin irritations
- If your dog is suffering from hearing problems, don’t subject it to high-frequency beeping sounds.
Final Thoughts
Excessive barking can be intimidating, especially when it’s the resonant barks from large dogs. It’s even worse when you have several dogs, and one dog triggers the others. The best way to stop that annoying behavior is to buy them bark collars. The above collars are high quality and can withstand bad weather. They use a combination of correction methods to reduce the training time.