Last updated: January 16, 2009
Today we look at 3 citronella collars ranging from $30 to $90.
I will point out what makes the cheap ones cheap and the more expensive ones the price they are.
Do you have to pay more for a quality anti bark citronella spray collar?
Keep reading to find out.. or click here to skip to the final ratings.
Premier Spray Sense Anti Bark Collar
This collar has a 3.5 star rating from 566 reviews at amazon. That means a huge number of people are buying it, and it’s actually not a bad average rating considering the volume of reviews (Most collars have a rating under 2 stars).
Neck size: Adjustable, up to 24″
Features: Spraylogik technology, on/off switch, limited lifetime warranty.
Here are some short excerpts taken from Amazon.com reviewers:
“We are very happy with the citronella bark collars. We have three dogs, all are terriers and they can get into a bark-fest. These collars have worked wonders, and are truly humane– they work without pain. I wouldn’t use one of the shock collars. They are not “humane”- they shock and they hurt! If you don’t believe me, put it on your own neck and give it a try. I have seen dogs with burns on their necks from those. (As an aside, yes, I tried this citronella collar too. I let it spray me full in the face. Not pleasant, but not painful.)”
“Simple, clear instructions for assembling the collar and spray unit. Wish I had ordered this months ago! My 87 lb pit mix is now very polite LOL! No more episodes of unending barking. He now greets me with one “whisper woof” instead of the usual 30 minutes of ear splitting bark-as-loud-as-you-can bellow! I am so very pleased with this product! On cool nights, I now can open windows AND have peace and quiet. Thanks for making such a great product!”
“I have had the collar a week. I had immediate results. The first time the collar sprayed, it distracted him from the barking and he stopped. Even when he doesn’t have it on, he does a muffled bark.”
Lowest Price: $30.98 at Amazon.com
Also see the Spray Commander Remote Trainer (full review coming soon)
PetSafe Deluxe Spray Bark Control Collar
This is one of the more expensive citronella collars available. I did find it hard to justify the cost of it compared with the other cheaper – yet no less effective – collars.
Neck size: adjustable, up to 28″
Sprays per refill: 50
Waterproof: Yes, collar and receiver.
Features: quick connect collar buckle with quick release snap feature, low battery indicator.
Lowest Price: $89.97 at Amazon.com
Multivet Gentle Spray Citronella Anti-Bark Collar
This collar has a 4.5 star rating at Amazon from 21 customer reviews which is exceptional. That means just about all customers rated this collar over 4 stars out of 5.
Neck size: Adjustable
Features: SprayLogik technology
Reviews:
“Didn’t think it would work so quickly. I selected this product because it was recommended by our vet and it works like a charm. Within 2 days he no longer barks in the mornings. We take it off as soon as we come down because he also barks to be let in and we don’t need to discourage that.”
"I bought it on Amazon with some refills, but was still sceptical to say the least. Well, I was shocked (No pun intended)by the results. After testing that it worked, I put it on her (a bit bulky for her small neck) and let her out. Of course she ran down the stairs ready to defend but when she barked and the short spray went off, she was immediately snapped out of that state of mind… 3 barks, she figured it out, no more barking. What a Godsend. We put it on her, let her out, and there is never a peep. If you have any doubts, believe me when I say this is worth every penny. The only draw back I see is that the company says it’s not waterproof and shouldn’t be used if it’s raining. I use it when it is, but just don’t turn it on. She doesn’t know it’s off, lol. Don’t worry about the Citronella. It’s mild, but dogs don’t like it."
Best price: $36.38 at Amazon.com
Top 3 Anti Bark Citronella Spray Collars
1. Premier Spray Sense Anti Bark Collar
Price: $30.98
Conclusion: One of the most popular and talked about spray collars. One thing is clear: it will either work for your dog or it won’t. This is not an indication of product quality, but rather compatibility with certain dogs.
Reviews have shown that there is a strong tendency to either give this collar a perfect rating or a zero rating – at $30 odd dollars it’s a small investment that is worth the ‘risk’ of your dog not reacting to it – but when it works, it works well.
Best price: $30.98 at Amazon.com
Quick Online Review Roundup
Amazon: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 566 customer reviews)
There are a substantial number of customer reviews submitted for this product. Upon looking at the review rating chart, one thing stands out: 199 customers have given the Premier Spray Sense Anti Bark Collar 5 out of 5 stars. 130 people have given it 1 out of 5 stars. And the remaining reviewers rate it a 4, 2 and 3 star respectively.
What this tell us is that a high percentage of people either had perfect success with the collar, or it did not make a difference to their dog’s behavior. This is good to know, as you will know what to expect – there’s a good chance it will work for your dog, but if it doesn’t, it is only $30.
The 5 star reviewers are adamant that this is the best anti-bark system they’ve come across. Obviously, it works very well on their dog, thus 199 people were moved to give a 5/5 star rating.
But what did the customers who voted down the middle really think of the product? I wanted to find out so I took a closer look at the 60 odd 3 out of 5 star reviews. The main issues that were mentioned included:
- Battery life was noted to be too short for some people. Note there are affordable battery replacements here and here. Unfortunately many people do not understand that a spray collar is not a permanent barking solution. Instead, it should be used only some of the time, and certainly not kept on the dog permanently. This could be why their batteries ran out so soon – over use.
- Expensive
This was commonly brought up in the 3/5 star reviews. I gather that these people bought the collar when it was priced at $70. Thankfully it is now selling at less than half of that amount, so this is a moot point. $30 is cheap.
- Not good on all dog breeds
A few reviewers noted that their dog has “saggy neck skin” and the collar thus didn’t sit properly. It may well be that this is true for those breeds who have excessive neck skin (the actual breeds were not mentioned).
Other websites with customer ratings on this product:
Petco.com: 3.8 out of 5 (based on 61 customer reviews)
Petsmart: 4 out of 5 (based on 36 customer reviews)
EntirelyPets: 5 out of 5 (based on 7 customer reviews)
Refill choices: Here, here, here and here.
2. Petsafe Deluxe Spray Bark Control Collar
Price: $89.97
Conclusion: Good quality, but costs quite a bit more. Full analysis coming soon.
Best price: $89.97 at Petco
3. Multivet Gentle Spray Citronella Anti-Bark Collar
Price: $36.38
Conclusion: The mid priced option that has received some positive reviews. In depth analysis coming soon.
Best price: $36.38 at Amazon.com
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