A Few thing I don't like about this product:
-The collar loosens and has come off by itself. It may seem like an innovative collar design to have both a buckle and a clasp, but it's not. It's a very cheap collar. As another reviewer stated, it's worth buying a quality collar to replace the el-cheapo one that comes with the device. (Hey, I bought one from the grocery store for 4 dollars that is higher quality). Also, because it's very important to have a dog bark collar that is snug, but not overly tight or too loose, a buckle is terrible idea. The holes in the collar are at about 1 inch increments so your most likely not going to get the best fit. Buy a collar that allows for a custom fit.
-Other reviewer's mention that the collar repeatedly shocks their dog for no reason at all. I've also experienced this and it was due to user error. I had my mini-aussie sitting in the truck next to me and I was talking in her ear telling her she's a good girl and I saw her head bob as it does when she is getting a static correction. I looked at the collar and the setting was set to 'test'. She was getting shocked each time I talked to her. Setting it to off or a regular setting fixed the problem. Kind of a design mistake if you ask me. I don't like the thought that I could accidentally leave the device on test while I'm in a hurry to get out the door and my dog gets shocked the rest of the day. It's the lowest setting shock, but just moving or slight sounds set it off. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LEAVE IT ON TEST MODE.
-The RFA-97 proprietary batteries. While they are not going to break the bank at 4 for ~13 dollars plus shipping, it does add up. (My first battery was depleted in aprox. 6 weeks of continuous usage). Another reviewer briefly mentions that she was able to pry the battery out and replaced it. I have not done this and instead was able to find a company on ebay that mentioned their website rfa97 (I don't want to directly link, but you can search for RFA67 Battery Holder). disclaimer: I have not yet used this product, so I can't comment on it. But I can say that it will save me money because it uses the ubiquitous cr-2032 watch batteries. Shame on pet safe for profiteering on a battery revenue.
What I like about the collar:
-Seems to work better then my other cheaper pet safe model. I was using a cheaper brand for a while but lost it around the house. (fell into the couch cushions!) I still needed a bark collar, so I spent a long time reading reviews before I settled on the pdc-300. I have to say that it has been a night and day change with my dog. She used to herd other dogs and not care about the static correction on the cheaper model, but this model has 3 levels of adaptive correction and when it's on 2 of 3, one bark is enough and she quiets down. The collar works from the start and keeps her calm to avoid escalation of her barking. I was about to get kicked out of the place I"m living because of her, and just today my landlord said she has seen a huge improvement.
**KEEP IN MIND static correction is not a substitute for exercising your dog. Your dog may be barking because he/she is bored. Exercise your dog for at least 45mins-2 hours a day (depending on breed) and keep it up. In a few weeks you will see the difference Exercise is fun for you and your dog. Yes, you do have the time. Just because it gets dark outside when you come home is no excuse. Train your dog to run on a treadmill or buy an LED meteorlite ball that lights up the night (also sold on amazon) and play fetch with your dog in the dark.
I gave the product a 3 out of 5 stars due to what I view as shortcomings of the product. However, it's better than most of the collars on the market, so I would still recommend it.
Finally, if you learned something from my review, please click it as being helpful.
I bought one of the collar as pictured directly from the PetSafe website. It was the best I've had of three different types of bark collars because it doesn't fire when the dog shakes his head, and the adjustable dial gives me control over the severity of the "reminder" the dog receives. A school play yard is adjacent to my backyard, and the dogs would bark hysterically whenever the children were outside, driving my wonderful neighbors nuts. It worked so well on my younger Schnauzer that I decided to get another one for the older Schnauzer. The new collar arrived with a different buckle arrangement than the one in the picture. It has the black plastic snap fastener, a metal buckle, holes for the buckle tongue to go through, and a black plastic holder for the excess strap. All this gear on a little mini Schnauzer neck is not a pretty sight! The holder piece broke, so I have to weave the excess strap under the collar so it doesn't flap around. Now, the good news: Amazon.com is sending me a free replacement, and I don't have to send back the one I have until the new one arrives! Way to go, Amazon.com!
Just a note for the unaware: smart dogs who really want to bark quickly learn that they can bark through the series of six shocks at the first (mildest) level, then they won't get shocked again for quite some time. That's a safety feature built into the collar, and can make one think the collar isn't working. This particular problem can be overcome by adjusting it up a notch on this collar! A nice feature!
Another note: DO NOT LEAVE THE COLLAR ON THE DOG FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS AT A TIME. My grandson was at a customer's house and noticed a neglected dog in the back yard that never had the collar removed. He had developed sores on his neck from the contact points. The owner was reported to the animal safety people. ... The collar itself is not cruel, but owners sure can be! I've used the collar on my dog for over five years, being careful to remove it every night, and there is no sign of injury from it.
Update, 12/28/11 The metal buckle on the second collar mentioned above wore out the collar. The working part the box with battery still works great, but the collar is shot. There are no replacement collars available, so I had to buy a regular collar to adapt for the use. The first replacement had a snap collar and a fairly wide band, which is what i wanted. I had to disassemble the collar to remove the metal ring that I was afraid might make contact with the prongs and cause inadvertent zaps. After doing that, I discovered that the snap buckle with it's sturdy metal casing was so heavy that it caused the collar to spin on the dog's neck, getting the control box out of position and rendering the collar ineffective. Second collar, plastic snap buckle, MUCH effort getting three holes through the collar to place the control box, and we have a successful replacement. When the collar needs replacing again, I will take it to a shoe-repair place to have the holes put in it. Beats buying a whole new collar!
Buy PetSafe Deluxe Bark Control Collar, PDBC-300 Now
This is an excellent collar/training system.. PetSafe is a reliable company that takes pet care seriously. My dogs took to the collars so well, they only need to wear them as a reminder a few hours a week. They actually go the hang of it after just one doorbell/bark session and actually stayed away from the door the entire time they had the collars on. If the kids get the dogs going, all I have to do is grab a collar and show them and they settle down immediately. There is an intimidation factor present and it works wonderfully. The nylon section is strong and durable and I have had nothing but good luck with the product. I would highly recommend it to anyone who cringes every time a visitor rings your doorbell or a squirrel passes by. It truly helps them keep control without you lifting a finger. Excellent product!
Read Best Reviews of PetSafe Deluxe Bark Control Collar, PDBC-300 Here
I have a stubborn dog and this worked great. I tried it on my self and it didn't really hurt as much as it was just startling and there were no after effects from the shock (no lasting pain of any kind). I am ordering another one for my second dog!
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I have 3 dogs (2 mini-dachshunds and a mutt), and decided to invest in this for the instigator of the bark-fest that takes place at my house daily. I tried an ultra-sonic device that didnt do anything, along with other behavioral things. My husband was ready to get rid of the dogs and I was getting a little nutty. This was worth every penny.
I started on the weakest setting and that worked fine for my dog. When the collar gave a "correction", my dog yelped, and would run into her kennel, which made me feel horrible. It took only about 3 "corrections" over the course of the week to transform my dog into being a church mouse.
Since my other dogs took up the barking given up by the instigator, I rotated it among my 3... until the mutt got ahold of it and chewed off the dial....
A couple of things... You have to buy the special batteries by Petsafe for this, which is sort of a pain. It is also rather bulky for smaller dogs.
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The picture looks as if they are metal strong flags....they are plastic and break very easily. If you are looking to have them last more than a day and if you are putting them into dirt that is hard in anyway, they won't last or will break going in. I bought them for invisible fence flags to mark an area and it is worth the money to buy invisible fence flags or ones that are actually metal and made to last.
