Above anything else, a dog wants to please its owner. Dogs view their family as their pack, and they are biologically wired to provide and desire extensive protection for them. There are times when a dog's passion for protecting its 'pack', however, is translated through an excessive amount of barking, which may quickly become a nuisance for its owner. It may not be appreciated by those next door either and its owner may be met with a barrage of complaints from sleep-deprived neighbors.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to achieve bark control which don't put our enthusiastic, four-legged friends in danger. Some of the most common tools for bark control are anti-bark collars. These collars have an assortment of designs, but the two most popular on the market are shock collars and spray collars.

Shock collars work by delivering a small, yet harmless shock to a dog when their barking is detected to be excessive in volume or length. Some models deliver a warning tone first so that they aren't immediately punished for what is, after all, their instinct. The shock collars often come with a number of settings so that the power of the shock or the sensitivity of the collar can be carefully adjusted to meet the owner's preferences, with the maximum settings still being safe for even the tiniest of dogs.

Just the idea of shocking a dog, however safe it may be, may come off inhumane for some owners. For those, there is the popular alternative of spray bark collars. The spray bark collar works in a way easily predicted from its name. Just like shock collars, it has the ability to detect nuisance barking and can be adjusted to meet a number of settings. However, instead of delivering a shock, it simply sprays the dog with a bit of liquid which the dog typically finds unpleasant.

The spray bark collar can be filled with many liquids, but the citronella bark collar is a highly recommended choice for any owner seeking a bark-controlling collar, as it is fully safe while still remaining remarkably effective. The liquid inside it, citronella, is colorless and has a lemony odor, making the citronella bark collar an even friendlier choice for owners who are concerned about ensuring their house looks clean and keeping the aroma of their house pleasant.

It may be a dog's instinct to bark in order to protect its 'pack', but a dog is also known for its extreme intelligence and ability to adapt. Dogs are certainly smart enough to adjust to anti-bark collars quickly, and they can be a perfect aid in the training of dogs at night when their owners are not present to guide them. Since dogs function as our best friends, showering us with love, attention and joy, it’s best that we treat them well in return. If excessive barking is an issue, anti-bark collars are safe, effective, and humane tools we can use to improve our and their environment alike.