There are some products on the market that are aimed at preventing dogs from barking such as sound collars (collars that emit a high-pitched sound when the dog barks), electronic collars (collars that deliver an electric shock to the dog when it barks) and citronella collars (collars that spray the dog’s face with citronella scent when it barks).

RSPCA Australia does not recommend the use of these devices to stop your dog barking for a number of reasons:

1. This type of training is called 'punishment' as the dog is effectively punished by the collar for every bark.  Punishment, as a method of training, is often ineffective as dogs often do not associate the punishment (the citronella spray, sound or shock) with the behaviour.  Positive reinforcement is a preferable training technique as it provides an incentive to behave well.  In this case you would reward your dog when he stops barking and stays silent by offering him a tasty treat.  Food treats are good to start with but as training progresses your dog should recognise verbal praise and a pat as a treat.
2. This type of behavioural modification does not tend to be successful because it fails to address the cause of the behaviour.  Dogs bark for many reasons: play, fear, separation anxiety, environmental factors, boredom.  These devices will not necessarily solve the cause of the barking and will only temporarily mask the problem.
3. Scientific evidence shows that dogs will eventually habituate to the collar and barking will resume again.
4. Sometimes it is appropriate for dogs to bark (eg. as a means of communication) in which case the collar punishes them for normal behaviour.  Because the collar does not discriminate between problem barking and normal canine behaviour, there is a potential for abuse if the collar is routinely left on for too long.
5. Dogs have much more acute ears and noses than we do, and therefore what we may smell as a relatively nice citrus smell, can be overpowering for a dog.

The treatment of nuisance behaviours such as excessive barking should begin by attempting to address the root of the problem.  It is a good idea to see a veterinarian or animal behaviouralist to assess nuisance behaviour and provide advice on how best to address it.

RSPCA Australia is opposed to the use of any electronically activated devices such as anti-barking collars that deliver a painful stimulus. As a very last resort, when all other methods have been unsuccessful, an owner could consider using a citronella collar. to deal with excessive barking. We advocate that where a citronella collar is used, the owner must be trained it how to use the device correctly, and the dog must be under constant supervision as repeated use of a device such as this results in habituation (being ignored by the dog).