Have you got a pup who barks all day long while you’re out? As much as we hate to have to correct our best little friends’ behavior, there’s sometimes no avoiding it. Thankfully, there are many options that allow you to avoid shocking the dog and avoiding the potential to cause them discomfort or even pain.
We only want to train the dogs, not hurt them!
Thanks to some great and well-thought-out products that put the dogs first, we don’t have to risk it! From high-tech to low cost, we’ve got some amazing options that will get you and your dog sorted out in no time! Here are our 10 best no-shock training collars, starting with a techy entry.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Wagz Freedom Smart Dog Collar
GPS tracks your dog’s activities
Modern humane deterrents
No shock
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Best Value
PetSafe Spray Dog Bark Collar
An ultrasonic deterrent is a great setting
Citronella is a gentle and effective deterrent
Great affordable option
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Premium Choice
Garmin Barklimiter Deluxe
Great battery life
Automatic intensity distribution
Intuitive design
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Best for Outdoors
GroovyPets Anti Bark Humane Collar
Excellent range
Incredible battery life
Built for comfort
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Best for Multiple Dogs
PetSpy M919 ½ Mile Training Collar
Great range
Decent battery life
Well regarded in reviews
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The 10 Best No-Shock Training Collars
The Wagz Freedom Smart Dog Collar training system makes our top pick based on one standout feature alone. Have you ever been away from home and wanted to check on what your dog is doing? We know we have. This system allows you to set up an invisible fence and track your little buddy’s activities! It uses GPS technology and feeds it to your smartphone. That’s pretty cool!
Range: Connects to a smartphone—Unlimited
Battery Life: N/A
Deterrent Type: Vibration, ultrasonic stimulation
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: Any
Includes shock?: No
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We really like how it connects to your smartphone, however, the downside of this is it requires a subscription to the app. However, if you’re willing to get the app, this is a great smart tool that is more affordable than an invisible fence. The other piece that we like to see is that it uses only vibrations and ultrasonic stimulations rather than any form of shock, which is great. A great training tool for dog parents!
Pros
GPS tracks your dog’s activities
Modern humane deterrents
No shock
Cons
Requires a paid monthly subscription
The PetSafe Water Resistant Rechargeable Spray Dog Bark Collar is a water-resistant version from the same makers as the vibration collar listed above. This one is even more affordable for any pet parents who are on a budget. The only downside is it does also come with a mild shock feature that is said to feel like tickling—but you just need to be careful not to use it.
GPS tracks your dog’s activities
Modern humane deterrents
No shock
- GPS tracks your dog’s activities
- Modern humane deterrents
- No shock
Requires a paid monthly subscription
- Requires a paid monthly subscription
Range: N/A
Battery Life: 40 hours
Deterrent Type: Spray, ultrasonic, shock
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 8 lbs up, 6 months and older
Includes shock?: Yes
It also features a citronella spray cartridge option, which is an unpleasant, but humane correction. It’s said to be quite a gentle and stain-free spray and makes this collar a good option for those of us who don’t have much for a training collar but need one now!
Pros
An ultrasonic deterrent is a great setting
Citronella is a gentle and effective deterrent
Great affordable option
Cons
Disposable spray cartridges are a consumable
Includes mild shock option
The Garmin Barklimiter Deluxe Dog Training Collar is our top choice for pet parents who have a large dog and a bad barking problem. These are kind of the big guns, so to speak, and aren’t recommended for smaller breeds. Sometimes, it’s in the dog’s best interests that the correction is effective, and some dogs have very thick skin!
An ultrasonic deterrent is a great setting
Citronella is a gentle and effective deterrent
Great affordable option
- An ultrasonic deterrent is a great setting
- Citronella is a gentle and effective deterrent
- Great affordable option
Disposable spray cartridges are a consumable
Includes mild shock option
- Disposable spray cartridges are a consumable
- Includes mild shock option
Range: N/A
Battery Life: 3 months
Deterrent Type: Vibration, shock
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: All ages, better for medium and large breeds
Includes shock?: Yes
This uses a vibration, but it also comes with a shock and vibration setting, so make sure you know what it’s set to. For the purposes of this article that is going to count as a strike against, but what puts this item higher up on the list, is its intensity sensing ability.
The vibrations increase automatically as the dog keeps barking which is good for efficacy. In terms of how humane it is, we also like the intuitive design. It’s built for distinguishing between barking and other vocalizations and seems to do quite a good job at avoiding false corrections.
Pros
Great battery life
Automatic intensity distribution
Intuitive design
Cons
Includes shock feature as well
Not for smaller dogs
- GroovyPets Auto Anti Bark Humane Static Shock Waterproof Collar – Best for Outdoors
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Range: 1,100 yards
Battery Life: 40 days
Deterrent Type: Tone, vibration, static shock
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: All sizes, 6 months and older
Includes shock?: Yes
The GroovyPets One Dog Set 1100 Auto Anti Bark Humane Beep Vibration Static Shock Waterproof Collar is going to be a great choice for those of you who love to take your dogs into the outdoors—even the real outdoors! What makes it great for the backcountry is the range of the remote—boasting a generous 1100 yards, as well as a long battery life which lasts over a month long! This design seems to highly prioritize the dog’s comfort and features silicon caps to prevent irritation.
Great battery life
Automatic intensity distribution
Intuitive design
- Great battery life
- Automatic intensity distribution
- Intuitive design
Includes shock feature as well
Not for smaller dogs
- Includes shock feature as well
- Not for smaller dogs
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Range: 1,100 yards
Battery Life: 40 days
Deterrent Type: Tone, vibration, static shock
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: All sizes, 6 months and older
Includes shock?: Yes
The only downside to this awesome training collar is the fact that it’s a single set, and of course that it includes a shock feature. If you have 2 dogs and want to use this otherwise great remote, then you need 2 sets. That might be less than ideal, but won’t be the end of the world for most—this is a collar for the great outdoors.
Pros
Excellent range
Incredible battery life
Built for comfort
Cons
Includes shock
Set of 1 dog only
The PetSpy M919 Premium ½ Mile Training Collars are good for owners who want to get out on the farm or bush. They have a good range of 880 yards and can go for 72 hours on their batteries. There were a lot of positive reviews about these collars, however, they are big, bulky, and bright orange. They also feature a shock function, which gets points docked, however, there aren’t many buyers who have anything negative to say. So, while we may think they look like inmate shackles, they do seem to rank highly in customer satisfaction and look like a good option for training dogs out in the great outdoors.
Excellent range
Incredible battery life
Built for comfort
- Excellent range
- Incredible battery life
- Built for comfort
Includes shock
Set of 1 dog only
- Includes shock
- Set of 1 dog only
Range: 880 yards
Battery Life: 72 Hours
Deterrent Type: Vibration, sound, shock
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: Over 10 lbs
Includes shock?: Yes
Pros
Great range
Decent battery life
Well regarded in reviews
Cons
Shock option included
Big, bright, and bulky
PetSafe is a brand that makes quite an extensive line of no shock training collars, so they actually have a couple of entries on our list. First, the PetSafe Vibration Remote Dog Training Collar is a vibration-only bark collar. This is a remote training collar with an ok range of 100 yards—good for the park or maybe a trail, but not enough for hunting and tracking or agriculture. That said, this is a very solid collar that comes with a strong ‘bang-for-buck’ ratio.
Great range
Decent battery life
Well regarded in reviews
- Great range
- Decent battery life
- Well regarded in reviews
Shock option included
Big, bright, and bulky
- Shock option included
- Big, bright, and bulky
Range: 100 yards
Battery Life: 14 Days
Deterrent Type: Vibration
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: All sizes, 6 months and older
Includes shock?: No
You can choose from 16 levels of vibration, and it is also safe for dogs of all sizes. We love that it doesn’t feature a shock option, and this collar is also reportedly quite useful for training dogs who are deaf or hard of hearing. The only downsides we found were a couple of reports of poor battery life, but other than that, for most people’s needs, this collar delivers!
Pros
Vibration only, great for dogs that are deaf or hard of hearing
Versatile
Great all-round choice for value, performance, and humane deterrent
Cons
Some complaints about battery life
- Frisco Rechargeable No-Shock Dog Bark Collar
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Range: N/A
Battery Life: Approximately 400 discharges
Deterrent Type: Sound, vibration
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 15 – 110 lbs
Includes shock?: No
If you need value but aren’t willing to concede on quality and your deterrent options, then you should really consider the Frisco Rechargeable No-Shock Dog Bark Collar no shock training collar. The only caveat to this, is it explicitly states that it should not be used with aggressive dogs. Considering the types of deterrents used, that makes some sense.
Vibration only, great for dogs that are deaf or hard of hearing
Versatile
Great all-round choice for value, performance, and humane deterrent
- Vibration only, great for dogs that are deaf or hard of hearing
- Versatile
- Great all-round choice for value, performance, and humane deterrent
Some complaints about battery life
- Some complaints about battery life
Range: N/A
Battery Life: Approximately 400 discharges
Deterrent Type: Sound, vibration
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 15 – 110 lbs
Includes shock?: No
We like the sound and vibration combination. It’s a highly effective way to approach the correction on 2 fronts. The design of this is nice and modern – the unit looks almost like a smartphone that’s been attached to the collar! Despite the modern aesthetic, it is one of the most affordable options going—the only possible gripe we could come up with was the prongs need to be in contact with the skin, so long-haired dogs need either another collar or a little buzz cut.
Pros
Great value, no shock
Effective, yet humane deterrents
Cons
Have to shave long coats for it to work (not the whole dog, though!)
The PatPet No Electric Shock Remote Dog Training Collar is waterproof and of good value, offering 3 kinds of deterrent—none of which happen to be a shock. The styling of the collar is quite nice, it’s somewhat understated, and not as bulky as others that we’ve seen. Its specs are quite impressive, as well. With a 600-yard range, you can brave some decent trails. The collar also has a battery life of 5½ days, which is decent.
Great value, no shock
Effective, yet humane deterrents
- Great value, no shock
- Effective, yet humane deterrents
Have to shave long coats for it to work (not the whole dog, though!)
- Have to shave long coats for it to work (not the whole dog, though!)
Range: 600 yards
Battery Life: 10 days for remote, 5½ days for collar
Deterrent Type: Tone, vibration, light
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 30 – 110 lbs, 6 months and up
Includes shock?: No
It’s great to have a few different humane options when calibrating the collar for your dog’s particular needs, and that makes this a great temporary solution for more sensitive dogs. It allows you to switch between intensities and the remote will warn you if it’s getting to be too much for the dog, which is a nice feature.
Pros
Design totally puts the dog’s comfort first
Great range
Decent battery life for weekend trips
Best choice for less tolerant dogs
Cons
Limited size range—not for dogs under 30 lbs
The PetSafe Rechargeable Remote Spray Dog Collar is a nice option if you’re into easier trails with good visibility and don’t mind a spray collar. That said, this training system comes with 2 other no-shock modes—vibration and tone. We love it when we have options! While this one may not have the range for the backcountry, 300 yards is a totally sufficient range for most people’s needs.
Design totally puts the dog’s comfort first
Great range
Decent battery life for weekend trips
Best choice for less tolerant dogs
- Design totally puts the dog’s comfort first
- Great range
- Decent battery life for weekend trips
- Best choice for less tolerant dogs
Limited size range—not for dogs under 30 lbs
- Limited size range—not for dogs under 30 lbs
Range: 300 yards
Battery Life: 40 hours
Deterrent Type: Spray, vibration, and tone
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 8 lbs and up, or 6 months and older
Includes shock?: No
If you like going to the park and maybe the odd small trail, then this is a great option. The only drawback we find is that the citronella cartridges need to be replaced, which does add to the cost a bit. That said, if your dog responds to tone or vibration, then you’re off the hook. This is a very reasonable option for what the average pet parent requires.
Pros
Great humane deterrent options
Versatile
Decent range
Cons
Not the best choice for multi-day trips without power
Cartridges are a consumable
- Eyenimal Deluxe Lemon Scented No Bark Spray Collar
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Range: N/A
Battery Life: 3 years
Deterrent Type: Spray
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 6 months and older
Includes shock?: No
We like the gentle approach of the Eyenimal Deluxe Lemon Scented No Bark Spray Collar. It simply works by spraying a lemon-scented mist that is completely harmless, other than it smells bad to your little pal. It is vibration activated, so it doesn’t get the most points for sophistication in terms of determining if your dog is barking or not, though the spray is harmless, it loses effectiveness as a training tool if misfiring.
Great humane deterrent options
Versatile
Decent range
- Great humane deterrent options
- Versatile
- Decent range
Not the best choice for multi-day trips without power
Cartridges are a consumable
- Not the best choice for multi-day trips without power
- Cartridges are a consumable
Range: N/A
Battery Life: 3 years
Deterrent Type: Spray
Recommended Pet Weight or Age: 6 months and older
Includes shock?: No
We didn’t see any reports of that yet and it does boast quite an incredible battery life. Hopefully, after 3 years, it won’t be in full-time use anymore, unless you have more dogs who need some correction! Again, a spray collar requires refilling in one way or another, but this doesn’t use cartridges, it uses a citronella refill.
Pros
Great battery life
Spray is harmless
Cons
Citronella is a consumable
Great battery life
Spray is harmless
- Great battery life
- Spray is harmless
Citronella is a consumable
- Citronella is a consumable
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best No-Shock Training Collar
Choosing the right tools is a fundamentally important part of setting you and your dog up for success. As far as buying a training collar is concerned, it’s all about trust, reliability, and buying one that meets the needs of your particular dog. It’s best to always dig deep in the research and reviews and have a look at the quality of the product.
Another important aspect is getting the sizing right. This might seem obvious to some, but most of these collars use small prongs to detect the barks if they are automatic. Choosing the wrong size can cause it to either not work when it should or to correct when it shouldn’t. Neither of which is good for you or your pooch. Make sure you get the right size for your pup!
- See Also: 10 Best Dog Training Books in 2022: Reviews & Top Picks
Conclusion
At the end of the day, we love how much thought and care went into the designs of these. It’s a really difficult challenge to train a dog—how do you discipline them effectively, but not too heavy-handedly? From high tech to the outdoors, these no shock options help walk the line between love and leniency, so you can get those behavioral kinks all worked out!
Featured Image Credit: Zhanna Kavaliova, Shutterstock
