My doxie is a major league, Hank Aaron barker. This product is 100% effective for him. He is a little shy (although stubborn sometimes), which might make a difference. He weighs 19 lbs. I really am not sure I could bear to shock him, as I am a bit tender-hearted towards him, but I probably would if that was what it took to stop heavy barking.
There are a lot of nice extras about using this collar.
-- It doesn't seem to cause him any pain, it just startles him.
-- He seems to be comfortable with it, as large as it is (we keep it loose), and can run, jump, and sleep with it on.
-- It allows him to bark at a very subdued volume, which I think is nice. It's a pleasant deep soft sound, not at all bothersome, and it lets him satisfy his bark urge to a degree. It also lets him communicate when he needs something.
-- If he does bark, it keeps the mosquitoes away!!
-- The spray does not smell bad at all -- it's almost pleasant
-- It WORKS (for my doxie); after two or three single barks, he stopped completely.
-- Strangely, he doesn't seem to object when I put it on him. He really lets you know if he doesn't like something, and he doesn't mind wearing this collar hardly at all.
Here are the bad things:
-- If you leave it turned on, the battery will run out.
-- The collar itself is quite hard to size for a smaller dog; I had to use scissors and Scotch tape, which does not hold up well.
-- It IS quite large on a small dog.
We had him wear it for three weeks. Now, we just put it on him for a booster course if he barks twice in one day.
You have to remember to turn it off when you take it off, and turn it on when you put it on your dog. This becomes automatic quickly. The citronella lasts a long time; at least, it lasts a long time if it works. Some dogs apparently are not impressed by the spray and bark the reservoir empty.
There is a problem with recommending this collar, because it may or may not work for your dog. It is either the greatest thing since cut bread, or a total waste of money.
My personal experience has been great with this product. It stopped a major behavioral problem immediately, without any pain inflicted on our dog. It's a bit expensive for a product that may not work at all in an individual case. The upside though is a big one, it is a FABULOUS product if your dog responds to it.