After four anonymous complaints from the neighbors which brought the police to our house we finally decided to do something about it. I researched the heck out of these things particularly after reading some of the horror stories in the reviews of the other collars. Short story: the dogs are finally behaving themselves.

These collars have 3 different ways to program them. One, the collar increases the shock level beginning from the lowest level when your dog starts barking and then escalates eight levels until the dog stops. It then remembers the level necessary to stop the barking and commences at this same level the next time your dog begins barking. This is the default program, but my wife and I found it too punitive.

The second program begins at the lowest level and escalates until your dog stops but reverts to the lowest level next time your dog starts barking. This is the program we use.

The third program gives him the same shock each and every time he barks. My wife and I preferred what we considered the most humane program, number 2, and it works great. The collar requires a sound and a vibration to buzz the dog which theoretically reduces false discharges.

I directly compared this to the Tritonics and the Remington, both of which worked fine. The Sportdog was rechargeable which is what ultimately sold us and it had more different ways of programming the collar for the ultimate in flexibility. The Tritonics only shocks at one level. The Remington included programs 2 and three but no escalating shock found in Sportdog's program 1. Since we don't use program 1 that would not have been a problem. The other reason we went with the Sportdog rather than the Remington is that the Remington, though theoretically just as good, is new to the market and I could find no reliable user reviews.

For our dogs, you must remember to put the collar on or the darn mutts will begin barking again. My wife wanted our dogs to continue barking while in the house for the additional security and that has been no problem.

Your dog will take some time getting used to the collar and may behave a bit neurotically until they figure out just what the heck is going on. To reduce the level of neurosis, use program 2 which gives them a chance to learn and is less punitive.

Great product! For the record, I called the manufacturer and it is waterproof.

I have a very protective Border Collie that had become too much so, Barking at every little sound or movement. We live in the country so nieghbors were not the problem but for us to get a good nights sleep was.
I purchased the rechargable bark collar hopeing for relief. The first night it registered 2 barks, the next night 1 bark. Since then the collar was removed with no further problems. He still barks when he actually should but not to an excess like he did before. I plan to put it back on perodicaaly just as a reminder. I am very happy with the purchase and would not only recomend the collar but the dealer as well. Happy Custumer

We have a large, tough, and independent Lab. He has developed a dislike to the varmints in our neighborhood and has taken on the sole duty of warning the household. We put the new collar on and he can't even get a full bark out. He may try 2 or 3 times and then he is finished. It will get his attention. The collar is simple to set up, we used the default settings (escelates on each bark until he stops) charged it up and your ready to go.

The construction is tough, plenty long for even the largest dog and I believe it will outlast any attempt by our dog to destroy it.

We have tried several collars but this is the first one that works, period.