My dog barks a lot. Are bark collars safe with collapsed trachea?

I personally recommend against them. Most bark collars work by delivering a shock to your dog, in an attempt to "stop" them from whatever behavior they are doing. However, this often either causes pain to your dog, or starts an association of the shock with other things, such as you, or a nearby child or person, which may cause redirected aggression instead. Instead of shocking your dog when they bark or do something they shouldn't redirection through positive reinforcement is a better option. it can help build a bond with your dog without resorting to pain or fear, and while still stopping the problem. If your dog likes to bark, say, when someone walks past the house, you can instead get your dog's attention with a favorite treat or chew toy, moving them to a different room and refocusing their behavior on that, instead of the person causing them to bark. If they are distracted or upset, refocusing them into a sit or down (far enough away that the stimulus causing them to bark isn't as distracting) can help change the behavior from "bad" (barking) to "good" (sitting), which you can then start to reward if they present that behavior instead of the bark in the future. It does take longer to work with positive reinforcement and redirection training, but the overall result is a change in your dog's underlying behavior, rather than just a band aid that can lead to fear, redirected aggression, and at worse severe injury. If you're curious to work on more positive reinforcement behaviors, speaking with a local dog trainer or animal behaviorist (specialists in behavior training specifically) is best as they can work with you in person on any specific problems you're having.

I suggest you try a citronella bark collar as the first option. They work well in most cases and are not harmful. This is not a shock collar. This video should explain more about them and how they work. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXwstVpzALY&t=102s )

This is my own opinion unrelated to either Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach or Petco. I am not a fan of prong collars. The potential for injury or misuse is too great. Damage to the trachea, larynx or esophagus is possibly along with the risk to cervical vertebra. If you choose to use it, consider a consult with a certified trainer to learn proper use. You can also consider a Gentle leader or Halti. Both are head harnesses that allow for quick correction of negative behavior and offer greater control than a simple leash and collar. Remember, positive reinforcement and consistency lead to better results when training your dog.

No, there are no known links between shock collars and cancer that I am aware of. It sounds like a horrible coincidence for your previous dog. I would recommend working with a dog trainer to teach Bailey how to walk politely on a leash. There is also a brand called Gentle Leader that has both a chest harness and a head harness that will help with pulling. They include instructions on proper use so that Bailey learns to walk politely while using the harness.

Shock collars, bark collars, and clicker training are all acceptable ways of training pets. The down side is they are ineffective if not done properly. They are great modalities in the correct hands that know how to implement them and do it correctly to where the dog understands what is being asked of them. Consulting a behavioral/trainer that is experienced is the best way to achieve positive results.

Collapsing trachea is not usually a huge issue with anesthesia. While under anesthesia, Bella will have an endotracheal tube in her airway which will keep her trachea open, preventing collapse. The only potential issues associated with this condition come during recovery if Bella becomes overexcited as she wakes up from anesthesia. Her vet will be able to monitor her and give mild sedatives during recovery if needed. Personally, I do not worry extensively about anesthetizing dogs with known collapsing tracheas provided that they have no other systemic diseases or cardiovascular problems. I hope that all goes well for Bella!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is an anti-inflammatory drug and it is helpful in some cases though it is not to be used longterm as it can result in muscle wasting and even diabetes in rare cases. For this reason, I would suggest another medication to be used on an as needed basis such as butorphanol and most importantly modifications you can easily make such as avoiding excessive exercise and to make sure Paris is at a healthy weight which can help manage collapsing trachea. Have a good night!