Best dog citronella collars

Should you get a citronella collar for your dog?

There could be serious issues if your dog barks too much and is a nuisance. For example, your neighbors might complain to you and even get angry (especially if you live in a condo building). Someone might inform the city’s animal control and you might receive a citation from then. When this happens, the dog owner usually scrambles for ideas. Sometimes they try expensive sessions with a trainer (which sometimes works and sometimes does not). They might want to look into a citronella dog collar. 

Many dog owners have heard of anti bark devices, which let off a sound or even give off a small electric shock to the dog when it detects a bark emanating from it. Some people think this is inhumane. A more humane method has emerged: citronella dog collars. They are even recommended by dog veterinarians as a kinder device that can teach a dog not to bark.

What is citronella? It is an essential oil that comes from the stems and leaves of lemon grass. It has many uses and purposes. You’ve probably seen or smelt a perfume, soap, candle or incense that uses it. It is also an excellent plant based insect repellent and has strong anti fungal properties. It is very effective in stopping nuisance barking. Dogs really do not like the smell so they get conditioned not to bark. Meanwhile, most people do not find the smell of citronella to be unpleasant. So your house might smell like it for a few days. 

So how does a citronella dog collar work? You place it around your hound’s neck. The device usually has someway to detect a bark (often a microphone). Most collars have some way of distinguishing between a bark from the wearer and a bark from a neighboring dog. Once it detects a bark, it spray citronella on the dog. 

Dogs do not like the smell of citronella and in most cases they will stop barking. After awhile, they will learn to not bark if they are wearing the collar. Sometimes owners do not even turn on the device when they place it on their pet, knowing that wearing it will be enough to discourage barking. Arguably, this is far more humane than regular anti barking devices, which rely on electric shocks.

Here are the top three citronella bark collars on Amazon. Most of these would qualify for Amazon’s free shipping.

Best citronella collars

Downtown Pet Supply No Bark Citronella Spray Collar

It’s good to see manufacturers stand by their product, and Downtown Pet Supply is no exception. They offer a 60 day money back guarantee on this particular collar. That’s usually enough to see if the product works with your dog. It’s not a large piece of equipment either so it shouldn’t be too difficult to ship it back to Amazon. 

This collar is designed for dogs 8 pounds and up. It’s safe, effective and humane. Unlike electric shock collars there is no pain. It does not indue anxiety, stress or aggression. It has sensors that prevent it from spraying when your dog whines or there are other little noises. 

There is only one setting on this particular product. This is a drawback as some people like fine tuning.  There is also no remote. It’s automatic. 

This collar uses a 6V battery, which is sometimes difficult to find it stores (but is usually in the inventory of Amazon). The instructions are in tiny font and sometimes hard to read. The product includes a can of citronella, which is a plus. 

WWVVPET Spray Dog Training Collar

This particular collar is notable because it can be used automatically or with a remote control mode. This is quite nice as you can train your dog not to do particular things. For example, some dogs like to chew wood. You can use the remote control to spray whenever it does this. 

It uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This is very convenient and cost effective as you don’t have to keep buying replacements. 2-3 hours of charging yields enough for 3-7 days of use. So it won’t be an inconvenience at all.

This collar is waterproof as long as you don’t soak. This means you can use it in the rain and don’t have to worry if your hound is jumping into puddles. 

It’s usable by all dogs over 8 pounds.

Quite annoyingly, the box does not include a can of citronella. Why it doesn’t is beyond us, ,as some other citronella bark collars do include it. So be sure to buy some if you’re buying this particular collar.

Warning LED lights on the collar light up when lacking spray or when battery is low. This is really handy as you don’t have to keep checking on the collar; you merely have to wait for the lights to turn on.

Range is up to 500 ft. This makes it perfect for using around the house, in the park or yard.

The sensitivity level is adjustable. Some owners really like this, as they find the initial settings to be too strong or too weak. Every dog is different. You’ll can sometimes see a big difference between small and large dogs. 

Another great feature of this collar is that there is both a beep and a spray. You can eventually taper the spray off and just keep the beeping. That’s often enough for a dog after using it for several months. Not to mention you can save on citronella.

Lastly, but by no means least, the seller/manufacturer is very communicative. This is great as support online from vendors is sometimes mixed. So you have any questions or need to buy replacement parts or such, this is a great vendor to work with.

Zeonetak Rechargeable Spray Bark Collar

This is a solid and lightweight device. It is waterproof but should not be used when the dog swims.How often do dogs go swimming though? This is nice to have as you do not have to worry when it rains.

It has a rechargeable lithium ion battery. It is very quick charging. 2-3 hours gives it 6-7 days of use. So it’s not like your phone, which you have to charge every night.

Each filling of the tank gives it enough citronella for 25-30 sprays. This is nice, as this means you don’t have to fill it repeatedly throughout the day. 

There’s a warning for low battery. This is nice to have, as some electronics don’t have this and abruptly turn off. 

It comes with a 30 day money back guarantee and 90 day warranty support. This gives more than enough time to figure out if the device is working well with your dog. 

This product doesn’t come with citronella. You’ll need to buy it.