I'd love to have some outdoor runs! My damned dogs scale the fence and I'd like to leave em outside.
I keep the crates in the garage that's climate controlled, glad I'm not the only one who doesn't see treating dogs as dogs as abuse <.< people are way to sensitve
I put wire top on my outdoor runs. Some runs you can buy extra side panels that you can put on top, but I use regular 2x4 mesh welded wire. If your dog digs the runs must be on concrete or a wood deck and attached to the concrete or wood (U bolts work on a wood deck).
I actually have my runs inside a fenced area. In this day and age if you go out (like to work) you need cable locks and electrified fencing to keep the "we must rescue the dog" people away from your dogs if you live in a populated area.
Isn't the use of a shock collar typically something that requires the guidance of a professional who is experienced with their correct use, and also knows the signs of detriment / fallout / damage to watch out for ?
I guess disclaimers and warnings aren't necessary anymore. Just go straight to the recommendation, simply because "the dog will learn quickly to be silent when you put the collar on" and "most dogs learn to shut the collar off"..
Actually, with a ANTI BARK collar, No you do not need special training. There is NO remote and you are not even there. The collar is sound activated. SOME training collars with a remote also have an Anti Bark feature. I am not a fan of that. I want the bark collar to be just for that purpose and no other.
The dog learns to shut the collar off and you are not even there. Yes, the dog barks and the dog is stimmed. Absolutely. It takes a few times. You stay out of the picture and IGNORE what is going on. It is not about you. It is about barking and the dog learning to shut up when the collar is on.
My only warning with no bark collars is that you get one that is not activated by another dog barking. I also know they need to be set high enough to make a point.
The ONLY time I have seen a dog "bark through" an anti bark collar after they understand it is in an extremely high drive dog in a high drive situation. The OP is not describing that.
Something that you may find interesting.. I do train using an e collar. My sport demands barking. My dog knows the difference between that training collar and the bark collar. He barks just fine in the training collar. Again, barking is something dogs LIKE to do. It is a privilege, not a right. My dogs I can turn barking on or off in training and my dogs will alert bark when people come etc.
The bark collar is only used to prevent nuisance barking when I am not there.