Debarking

[Sarah]

Debarking surgery bad for dogs KS 'Deborah Diehl Nelson, D.V.M. and owner of Blue Hills Animal Hospital, Manhattan, said the [controversial vocal cord cutting] surgery is risky, and dog owners should try to find an alternative approach to the problem...' Better alternatives include activities to keep dogs engaged in learning and retraining...

Has anyone tried this method? What about the "shock therapy" collar?

[Toby2]

I think that this is just mean. Would you do this to a baby who cried a lot? I've met some humans who could use it, but DOGS? No no no

[Rio&Nickysmommy]

I agree with Toby, I too know people who could use a debarking. Its cruel to do to animals. People just need to use the right training methods to correct barking problems. If someone was breaking into my house the last thing I would want would be a mute dog.
Rio&Nickysmommy

[HeatherIhn]

At the daycare that I work at, one of the dogs has been debarked (due to his abusive previous owners...not his current). It is so sad! However, I don't know if you know this...but it doesn't make them mute. They actually still do bark, it is just a horrible painful sounding bark (but I don't think the procedure causes them pain). It just sounds muffled, and gurgled. So sometimes I actually think I'd prefer to hear the real bark! :(

[redridinghood1313]

my dog doesn't bark. I don't know why, I know she can (there has been the occaisional single bark). My guess is she sees no need to. I've had other dogs that loved to hear the sound of their own voice. They knew the command "QUIET!!!!" (usually yelled from accross the house) and would let out one last bark and settle down.
If you have a barky dog, teach them the "quiet" and "speak" commands. It'll teach them that there is a time and place for everything.
For people who find the barking sound in general offensive, get a basenji...or better yet, a cat!

[pitbullsrock]

debarking is painfull and crule there is no reason whats oh ever for this to be done.

[msvette2u]

Depending on the breed (collies have a high pitched bark, shelties have a shrill bark) and your location (neighbors can complain) I have mixed feelings on this issue. If you have tried other methods to get your dogs not to bark and you are at risk for having to turn them in to a shelter, I think it could be done as a last resort. For just nuisance barking you should exhaust other methods first. Dogs bark for a reason, if it is lonliness or boredom or to release stress, but if you have tried all else you could consider it. It beats turning your dog in to a shelter if your neighbors won't quit complaining and you've tried other methods to get them to stop barking including crating at night, inside the house.
Some dogs can tolerate a bark collar and use it successfully, others cannot tolerate it.

[StarWhisper]

Personally I think de-barking is a "quick fix solution" for people who are too lazy to train and work with their dogs by modifying the behavior.

[Luigi]

Gosh no on the de-barking.

I'm not too big on the shock collars, either.

If you can't work on that behavior via training, and I know how hard it is, maybe a citronella bark collar, at the most.

Good luck! :)