Barking

My neighbor's girlfriend just moved in with him and she has 2 yorkshire terriers. Apparently, she had their vocal chords removed a couple of years ago because they barked so much. Is this cruel? I would think so, but don't know much about it.



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Tanya

[bugmom]

I did a transport of Shelties this weekend and one of the drivers was telling me that some breeders have the barkers taken out early on in life for the Shelties cuz of the high pitch bark.

It all sounds cruel, dangerous and mean to me! a bark is all part of the dog... now i'll admit at 2am when bug starts barking at the skunk i have thoughts of ripping out the barker but i don't think thats the same thing cuz i've also thought about duct tape at those times too!

I'm with you - it sounds cruel

Hi Bugmom!

I let Fritz out today for 1/2 hour and then he came in and pooed on the living room floor. You're thinking of duct tape and I'm thinking of a cork!

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Tanya

[bugmom]

But mommmmm he's just a puppy! isn't that one of those shake your head moments. Serves you right for taking those bathtime photos! that'll teach ya puppy pay back and you know he's been waiting for this moment.

i got a winery down the street i can send you a cork or two

You two are hilarious! Tanya I think a cork is something all us mom's have considered !

As for the debarking topic, I think it's awful. That takes away part of their identity. There are other ways around barking without hurting the animal. (Duct tape is one of them.. hee hee hee) I think debarking is worse than but right up there with cropping ears

I wonder what dogs do after they are debarked. Do they try to bark but nothing comes out? If that's the case I think I would cry every time I saw that.

BTW, Tanya I like your new signature. This whole image thing we learned is totally addicting!

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Angel
"To err is human. To forgive is divine."
Lexi Sasha Maddie

[RachelJ]

I can't imagine even considering debarking. Although I don't approve of tail or ear docking, this sound even worse. Ugh!

[aly]

A cork!!!!!
Hahaha, thats funny!

Debarking is awful. It breaks my heart. I have heard of some cases where the person HAD to do it due to their neighbors calling the cops on them numerous times and threatening to kill their dogs. I think in EXTREME cases it might be better than the dog ending up in a kill shelter or on the street. BUT I DO NOT agree with it at all and think its soooo sad.

[Pam]

I had my two toy poodles when my children were very, very little. I can't tell you how many afternoon naps were cut short by the dogs' barking, but even so I could have never had them de-barked! It does sound cruel!

[crow_noir]

i think debarking a dog is VERY cruel.

we were actually talking about this on another forum on how to stop barking.

what worked for two people was, they bought a muzzle. whenever the dog would bark, they'd say no! and if the dog did it again the muzzle was put on for five minutes. if the dog kept it up, it sayed on. and the muzzle was always hanging up near where the dogs barked the most. it ended up working. i had never thought of the idea, but it sounds wonderful. i hate muzzles, but this sounds like one of a few reasons that i actually approve of them.

A little bit of sound comes out when they bark but it's very quiet. I use a spray bottle with Hans. Every time he barks I spray him. It works great!

[bugmom]

There was a beautiful golden that used to come to the puppy park and he had been de-barked. The sound he would make was a cough-like sound of a person with really bad laryngistis. It was awful and sounded sooooo painful. and he was such a beautiful dog - the owner didn't like the true bark sound. (My thought was "so get a turtle!")

[Stenograsaurus]

I wouldn't call this cruel, I would call it torture!!! I couldn't imagine doing such a thing.

[ownerof3dogs]

I think that debarking is so mean. That would be like a mother not liking her baby crying so she had its vocal cords removed! If you don't like a dogs bark then don't get a dog

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[Albea]

The thought of de-barking a dog is too horrible to contemplate.
Bugmom, I'm with you. If you don't want to hear a dog bark get a turtle.
My second Golden, Irina, used to bark so much when another dog walked by the house that once she made herself hoarse. I had to give her baby medicine on the vet's advice. But I would never, ever, consider de-barking her.

[crow_noir]

to: ownerof3dogs
Exactly!!!
i like the personality and look of most begals, however, i can NOT stand their bark or bay at all. so, i will never get one. as much as i would love to, i know i don't need to be on edge all the time.