At different times, two different dogs I was living with got shock collars. I say living with, because they each belonged to one of my grown children, rather than to me directly. For one it worked, and worked quickly, and for the other it didn’t.
I’m impressed that your dog will quit when told ‘no.’ That might be a good sign. The dog that it worked with could be told to stop, while failure dog is almost impossible to shut up, even when we’re there.
I don’t know how familiar you are with shock collars, but they’re designed to give a high pitched buzz when the dog barks and only if the dog continues do they shock. They’re also usually programmed to stop shocking and reset if the dog keeps barking. The timing depends on the unit, and maybe on the setting.
So a dog who knows how to listen to commands is more likely to figure out the cue. Of course, that means that they learn that they get one free bark. Sometimes they learn how long they have to wait before they get the next free one.
Oh, and if their regular collar has loose tags, you have to remove it. They can bang against the sensor and trigger it.
Before resorting to shock collars…what’s his situation during the day (when you’re not home?) Assuming he’s crated, does he have plenty of your scent, as well as his own, in his crate? I find that helpful. Old bedding with scent all over it is more comforting to them than freshly-washed stuff (and doesn’t smell like that damned Snuggle bear, which I don’t blame him for regarding as a threat).
This was our result, with the additional consequence that the dog knew that whenever the collar came off (for bath, vet, whatever) it was free barking time and she barked frantically and without end as soon as it was unclipped. A failed experiment that we gave up on (the collar, not the dog;))
Your dog may be barking, probably due to anxiety issues, so you’re thinking about anti-bark devices?
If you don’t even know if the dog is actually barking when you’re gone, how will you know if an anti-bark collar is working?
And why not attempt to resolve the actual problem first, instead of addressing only the (possible) symptom? Why waste time on gadgets that may or may not work for your dog, thereby wasting time and money you could have used towards the real problem?
I understand your concern about the neighbors, but if there’s been only one complaint of an unknown dog barking somewhere in your building, I doubt they’re going to be lynching your dog tomorrow. Especially if you can apologize for the problem and explain to them the steps you’re taking to resolve the issue.
Sampiro, make sure first it is your dog barking. Set up a webcam or something, so that you can video while you’re out what the dog does. The animal behaviorist will also like it. As I said, it was a veterinarian behaviorist who recommended that to me.
You need to know if it is indeed your dog who is barking. And perhaps it is not an anxiety bark, but a defensive bark, like my dog (understandably, she didn’t like strangers in her yard or close to the house).
Also, if the dog has anxiety problems, the collar may not help, and the dog may also need some other therapy or even medications. These are all things to discuss with a veterinarian, who can recommend someone more interested in behavior issues. Heck, you’re in Alabama, you have two vet schools at your disposal!
Have you tried a ThunderShirt? I know several skeptical people who have tried them for severe storm anxiety and said they really helped. The principle is the same as cattle chutes, which Temple Grandin found worked to calm her anxiety. You might give it a try.