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Bark collars are designed to help break excessive barking habits. We spoke with veterinary behaviorist Katherine Houpt, a professor at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, to better understand how these collars work.

It's important to understand that barking is a natural way that dogs communicate with each other and with humans. Training your dog to stop barking by identifying the root of the behavior and using positive training techniques should always be your first attempt.

"Dogs hardly ever bark just for the sake of barking — they usually have a reason for it," Houpt said. "If you can find the reason for it, you might be able to eliminate the barking without having to punish the dog."

The collars in this guide work by administering an unpleasant stimulus when your dog barks. The stimulus could be a vibration, high-pitched sound, or scented spray. Other anti-bark collars administer a static shock, but we do not endorse their use as they can cause both physical and psychological harm to a dog. You can read more about each type of collar at the end of this guide.

The various types of no-shock bark collars can be safe and effective when used properly. Houpt explained that timing is important with these collars. The collar must be triggered immediately after the bark in order for the dog to make the association. The stimulus is meant to deter a dog from barking through causation — a dog will associate barking with discomfort. However, if used incorrectly, they can create additional stress for a dog.

Based on this information, we researched the best spray, ultrasonic, and vibration bark collars. If you've been thinking about getting one for your pet, be sure to consult your veterinarian first.

Here are the best bark collars in 2021

Updated on 5/05/2021: We updated this guide to include additional information about the types of bark collars you can buy. We are currently testing bark collars for an update to this guide in early summer 2021.

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