Most problematic barking can be controlled by holding the dog’s muzzle and saying, “No bark!”
Dobermans usually don’t have a problem with barking, unless it’s because they are anxious about their owner’s imminent return, especially if the dog is home alone and the owner is late.
For the anxious Doberman who gets into the bad habit of incessant barking, it usually happens when the owner isn’t even home. He can’t assuage his dog’s worry and end the barking. An anti-bark collar may help train the Doberman.
Anti-bark collars are used on a variety of breeds to curb incessant, neighbor-annoying woofing. For the Doberman, the collar will probably be needed for only a couple of weeks.
Before using an anti-bark collar, read all the package directions and make sure that you have the right collar for your dog’s size.
The shock given by anti-bark collars feels like the sensation you get when you scuffle across carpeting in socks and touch a metal object. The collars aren’t “shock collars” that unduly zap hapless dogs into fits of yelping. Like the socks illustration, anti-bark collars give only temporary discomfort.
The collars are worn snugly around the neck and are activated when the throat expands for loud barking. Soft whining, muffled barks, and growls will not activate the collar and neither will eating, drinking, yawning, or chewing on a bone. At the first bark, the collar will chirp as a warning. The second bark will allow the dog to be shocked. Most dogs will yelp from surprise, but the shock really is mild.
The anti-bark collars should be used in conjunction with training. Allow the dog to wear the collar while you are present so that you may verbally reinforce the reprimands given by the collar.
Although Dobermans usually do not have a problem sticking by their owners, field collars can be helpful in training particularly stubborn dogs to stick close off leash.
Like anti-bark collars, field collars work by giving the dog a mild static shock, but the shock is administered when you press the button on a remote control. Field collars are training devices that help owner get control of their dogs for the animal’s most important training. If your dog won’t come on command, his very life may be in danger.
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