Well, as I said before, if it was the only way I could keep my sheltie, I would do it. On the other side, I should mention that I have a sheltie puppy, Buddy, that is 11 weeks old. We have had him for three weeks, and he knows what "Quiet" and "Heyyyy!!" means. At least 60% of the time, he will obey the command and I expect he will have it down good in another month. Of course, I will never be able to stop him from a few barks when the doorbell rings or somebody knocks on the door. However, I have constant migraine headaches and can't stand a barky dog, and I absolutely love shelties, so I am very motivated to teach the dog "quiet". I am home most of the time too, so that makes it easier. I don't think I would buy a sheltie with the intention of getting him debarked, I would definitely put a lot of effort into training first.
To debark or not to debark
- Thread starter Wagonracer
- Start date
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
I'm not saying that I'm for it. If my sheltie was an excessive barker I wouldn't have it done. But at the same time, many people being the way they are have made this procedure necessary.
Facts are facts, dogs are abandoned and euthanized because of people's ignorance toward barking. If debarking was made illegal this problem would most definitely be made worse.
To me, this is a similar situation to the band on certain breeds. Its completely unfair but also the sad reality that people are too ignorant to bother to learn how to control their dogs. I don't agree with banning any breeds but perhaps making it necessary for people to be licensed to own a dog/dogs or at least be required to take training courses on dog obedience and physiology before owning one.
Facts are facts, dogs are abandoned and euthanized because of people's ignorance toward barking. If debarking was made illegal this problem would most definitely be made worse.
To me, this is a similar situation to the band on certain breeds. Its completely unfair but also the sad reality that people are too ignorant to bother to learn how to control their dogs. I don't agree with banning any breeds but perhaps making it necessary for people to be licensed to own a dog/dogs or at least be required to take training courses on dog obedience and physiology before owning one.
Debark
Yes, Ontario Sheltie is right. Shadow is debarked and his bark is still loud.I feel sometimes you have to do what is right for you and if it means giving up your sheltie or debarking him then I would debark.Most of the shelties breeders I know their dogs are debarked and they dont even bat an eye.There is a vet here by me that does it with a laser.Everyone has do to what is right for them.
Yes, Ontario Sheltie is right. Shadow is debarked and his bark is still loud.I feel sometimes you have to do what is right for you and if it means giving up your sheltie or debarking him then I would debark.Most of the shelties breeders I know their dogs are debarked and they dont even bat an eye.There is a vet here by me that does it with a laser.Everyone has do to what is right for them.
I have to say I think it should be kept a legal thing to have done (as they are proposing a bill in MA that would make it illegial to have your dog de-barked) Having multiple shelties things here can get ummm rather loud! Mine know the command no bark however I have one girl that if shes mad because I put her outside and she doesnt feel that she needs to be she will bark non stop until I let her back in or where ever she feels she needs to be! I have 6 neighbors within 1 acre (the way my propery is laid out its in the middle of all their land) no to mention that between all of us there is atleast 14 dogs. I am seriously considering having her debarked because I dont feel like having the animal control on my doorstep because shes outside for an hour a day and doesnt like it. And she also barks at every thing she sees/hears...and Yes she has been trained but she is just a barker, just like some people talk more than others...Its better to have them debarked then either turned into a shelter (which I would never do) or like caro said someone poisioning them because they dont want to hear their barking! In an Ideal world I would have over 30 acres where I dont care if they bark since there is noone to distrub!
We have had 4 Shelties and all 4 had been debarked before we got them. Did that mean they couldn't bark it most certainly didn't. Were some louder than others after being debarked, most certainly. Trinkie was the quietest of all even our neighbors didn't know we had a new girl and we live very close together.
Their habits of warning us about things or the letting the neighbors know they were out there didn't change they barked the same as the dog next door it just wasn't as loud as a Sheltie that hadn't been debarked.
Is it painful, probably right after the surgery is done, how painful though is up for debate. Is it any worse than being spayed or neutered,? I would imagine less. Any worse than a human getting a tonsilectomy? a sore throat? laryngitis? Is it painful to them long after the surgery, the way they bark to warn or alert I doubt it but who knows we don't speak dog at least I don't though I wish I could.
What dogs were originally bred for versus the lives they lead now a days is generally much different than their breeding called for. I don't think it is just a matter of training a dog not to bark as some are more alert and hear better than others and as a result they can and will bark more than others to let you know they hear something they think we should be aware of.
I understand we all have opinions and I don't know that one is anymore correct than the others. Heck I worked with some people who should have been debarked, you could hear their phone conversations through walls, closed doors, throughout the building. Much more annoying than a barking dog.
Their habits of warning us about things or the letting the neighbors know they were out there didn't change they barked the same as the dog next door it just wasn't as loud as a Sheltie that hadn't been debarked.
Is it painful, probably right after the surgery is done, how painful though is up for debate. Is it any worse than being spayed or neutered,? I would imagine less. Any worse than a human getting a tonsilectomy? a sore throat? laryngitis? Is it painful to them long after the surgery, the way they bark to warn or alert I doubt it but who knows we don't speak dog at least I don't though I wish I could.
What dogs were originally bred for versus the lives they lead now a days is generally much different than their breeding called for. I don't think it is just a matter of training a dog not to bark as some are more alert and hear better than others and as a result they can and will bark more than others to let you know they hear something they think we should be aware of.
I understand we all have opinions and I don't know that one is anymore correct than the others. Heck I worked with some people who should have been debarked, you could hear their phone conversations through walls, closed doors, throughout the building. Much more annoying than a barking dog.
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romeosangiovese
Forums Enthusiast
True, I do agree that alot of the problems stem from people's ignorance to barking or their being too ignorant to bother to train their dogs. But for me though, debarking is only a cure to the symptom not the root cause. I'm just waiting for the day we have to go through tests and courses before one can get a dog (I mean, we do it for driving don't we? Owning a dog is just as great, if not a greater, responsibility).
I live in a very densely populated country and most of the folks here live in flats with easily over 100 families in a block. Everyone lives within spitting distance, at most a stone's throw, from another person. Noise is something we are very conscious about. With 100 families around you, there's a higher probability of someone who'd ring up the authorities (Singaporeans love to complain too). But I have friends, who have more than one sheltie (up to 4 in a flat), living in such tight conditions, who have been able to control all of them. I know these dogs personally and they are not all the silent types.
Our situation is rather pathetic. We don't even have suburbs to run to, to live in a less densely populated area. You would expect every other dog to be debarked, but they're not. I would like to think that is a result of having learnt to live in (relative) harmony and having learnt to be more tolerant (on the part of the neighbours) and being very aware of noise disturbances and actively doing what we can to reduce barking (on the part of dog owners). Debarking isn't that common amongst dog owners here.
I was just thinking, if we debark dogs because barking is a nuisance due to people not stepping up to the plate and doing what needs to be done or knowing what they should know, then it seems inevitable that there will be procedures to take all of a dog's perfectly healthy teeth (I'm not talking standard dentist care!), or maybe just the fangs, out too. Owners who can't control their dog and are afraid they'll bite might turn to that. There are so many fear aggressive dogs out there that end up that way because of the owners. Here's another easy way out for them to keep their dog but take away some of the responsibility and risks that come with owning a dog. I don't know - I just feel the more options we give, the more people will take advantage of them and eventually reduce their dog to whatever is convenient for them.
It's 1am here so I might not be very coherent! Haha!
I live in a very densely populated country and most of the folks here live in flats with easily over 100 families in a block. Everyone lives within spitting distance, at most a stone's throw, from another person. Noise is something we are very conscious about. With 100 families around you, there's a higher probability of someone who'd ring up the authorities (Singaporeans love to complain too). But I have friends, who have more than one sheltie (up to 4 in a flat), living in such tight conditions, who have been able to control all of them. I know these dogs personally and they are not all the silent types.
Our situation is rather pathetic. We don't even have suburbs to run to, to live in a less densely populated area. You would expect every other dog to be debarked, but they're not. I would like to think that is a result of having learnt to live in (relative) harmony and having learnt to be more tolerant (on the part of the neighbours) and being very aware of noise disturbances and actively doing what we can to reduce barking (on the part of dog owners). Debarking isn't that common amongst dog owners here.
I was just thinking, if we debark dogs because barking is a nuisance due to people not stepping up to the plate and doing what needs to be done or knowing what they should know, then it seems inevitable that there will be procedures to take all of a dog's perfectly healthy teeth (I'm not talking standard dentist care!), or maybe just the fangs, out too. Owners who can't control their dog and are afraid they'll bite might turn to that. There are so many fear aggressive dogs out there that end up that way because of the owners. Here's another easy way out for them to keep their dog but take away some of the responsibility and risks that come with owning a dog. I don't know - I just feel the more options we give, the more people will take advantage of them and eventually reduce their dog to whatever is convenient for them.
It's 1am here so I might not be very coherent! Haha!
HopeShelties
Forums Enthusiast
Sometimes, especially in todays society, debarking is an only option. I live in Louisville, home of some of the ugliest dog laws around. I have several friends with multiple dogs where it was either get rid of the dogs or get them debarked. They love their dogs, and wanted to keep them, so they were debarked. People live in crowded neighborhoods with laws in place that limit/forbid noise from the dogs. It's just the way things are now. Sure, shutting one or two shelties up, and being diligent about it is easy enough, but a breeder with say... 12 dogs, is going to have a much tougher time keeping the dogs quiet.
Only 1 of mine is debarked, and came to me already done. The rest aren't. Right now, including a litter, there are 12 shelties here. They are let out in groups of 4, and I have to be very careful of the barking. My neighbor has dogs that will run the fence when mine come outside, and that gets the dogs on both sides of the fence going. That's not boredom on my dogs part. That's reaction to my neighbors dogs. Regardless, because of my number of dogs, and the laws, here, they automatically must come in whenever the barking starts. I try to be very considerate toward my neighbors. If it should ever come down to me either having to get rid of them, or get them debarked, you'd best believe they'll be debarked.
Only 1 of mine is debarked, and came to me already done. The rest aren't. Right now, including a litter, there are 12 shelties here. They are let out in groups of 4, and I have to be very careful of the barking. My neighbor has dogs that will run the fence when mine come outside, and that gets the dogs on both sides of the fence going. That's not boredom on my dogs part. That's reaction to my neighbors dogs. Regardless, because of my number of dogs, and the laws, here, they automatically must come in whenever the barking starts. I try to be very considerate toward my neighbors. If it should ever come down to me either having to get rid of them, or get them debarked, you'd best believe they'll be debarked.
But shedding won't get the cops called on you
In my area, there is an ordinance in place that if my dogs bark at all and the neighbors say that it is a nuisance, than I have to go to court. This can be one bark in the middle of the afternoon. My dogs wouldn't be able to go out at all for fear it might bother that one person that might call the cops! It really should be up to the owner and their own morals and standards. I personally don't think it is necessary to put a dog to sleep to clean their teeth when there is plenty that can be done at home to maintain them. Either surgery can be thought of as unnecessary by each individual.
HopeShelties
Forums Enthusiast
Yes, that's pretty well what it is here as well Crestlynn. It's gotten near impossible to have dogs anymore 