To Debark or not?

[SpaceCadet]

My sisters and many of their other dog breeder and/or rescue friends have been debarking their "problem barkers" for years. I take my 3 dogs to the same vet that they go to, and that vet has been performing vocal reduction/debark surgery on shelties as well as various other breeds for years.

I never thought I would even consider it, but I might have my little guy debarked. We are planning to move halfway across the country in hopes of finding the right place to settle down and buy a small house with some land.
Until that day comes, we will be renting. It doesn't seem possible to find an affordable home to rent for the time being. We will probably either end up in a mobile home park or an apartment(which I know isn't ideal for shelties, but I refuse to part with them because of a temporary situation).

Basically, I am terrified of someone wanting to harm our dogs due to excessive barking. I had a friend whose dog was shot to death for barking. When I was a child, we had German Shepherds. Our neighbors slipped poison beneath the fence in hopes that our dogs would find it. People are sick, and I don't trust them at all. I would vocal reduce my boy(the one who barks the most, and gets the others going) if it meant there would be less of a chance of him or his siblings being harmed for barking.

If you were in my shoes, would you debark? If not, do you have any suggestions? Any input would be very helpful. Thank you.

 

[Caro]

I had a sheltie poisoned when he was visiting his breeder and the neighbour tried to poison the breeder's dogs for barking. Unfortunately that was one of the states that has banned debarking - you can't even compete or attend public events with a debarked dog. But from my experience I do support debarking a dog when circumstances require it. Your situation sounds like one where debarking may be warranted. If you know of a good vet who is experienced in doing it you are certainly half way there.

There are quite a few threads on debarking on this forum, it's always an ongoing question for many people.

 

[Silaria]

My two are debarked and live very happy and healthy lives.

My breeder had them debarked while they were living with her as show prospects. She lives in a very close (physically) old community in Western PA - the homes aren't more than 20 - 30 foot apart. She has 4-6 dogs at any point and time, not including puppies, and she likes her neighbors.

Personally, I would probably only do the surgery if I had to - meaning soften the bark or give up the dogs. It's not that I disagree with the procedure, it's just that I hate doing unnecessary surgeries. If I had to do it to keep them, then it suddenly becomes necessary.

 

[Mignarda]

If you can't control the barking, and it's a yappy, incessant type of thing, I'd say do it. Most people have dogs and understand that they bark, but there's a certain threshold beyond which the understanding comes to an end.

 

[Tabitha]

Many people have had very good things to say about debarking and it has turned out for the better for the dog and owner. But also there has been many dogs that have died from this surgery. I can't even begin to count the amount of times I've heard of a dog chocking to death on it's food from it going into it's lungs because of this surgery and many other life altering or endding situations from debarking. Yes many people have never had bad things happen to there dogs from this but there is still that high risk.

If your worried about the barking that much get a bark collar. Many people think it's inhumane and hate it (same with debarking) but just think. Your considering taking your dog to the vet and having hes voice REMOVED. The collar, like your life in the city, is temperary. He doesn't have to have it on all the time, just when he can't be watched. Plus muting his barking will not stop the others. They will see he's trying to bark then they will fallow him just like before. But the collar will stop him altogether. Starting at just an anoying little tingle and going up as the dog barks more and more with out stoping for a certain amount of time

I have also considered debarking, but when I put the risks and rewards side by side the risk was just to great. Do your research and look at reviews form people that have gotten this surgery for their dogs, not just in SN but everywhere. Watch YouTube videos, talk to different vets and get their input on the matter. If I were in your situation I would never consider debarking. Your life in the city is temperary, why should your dog have to be scared for life because of it?

I hope everything works out for you and your shelties and you do what YOU think is right. Good luck!

 

[SpaceCadet]

Many people have had very good things to say about debarking and it has turned out for the better for the dog and owner. But also there has been many dogs that have died from this surgery. I can't even begin to count the amount of times I've heard of a dog chocking to death on it's food from it going into it's lungs because of this surgery and many other life altering or endding situations from debarking. Yes many people have never had bad things happen to there dogs from this but there is still that high risk.

If your worried about the barking that much get a bark collar. Many people think it's inhumane and hate it (same with debarking) but just think. Your considering taking your dog to the vet and having hes voice REMOVED. The collar, like your life in the city, is temperary. He doesn't have to have it on all the time, just when he can't be watched. Plus muting his barking will not stop the others. They will see he's trying to bark then they will fallow him just like before. But the collar will stop him altogether. Starting at just an anoying little tingle and going up as the dog barks more and more with out stoping for a certain amount of time

I have also considered debarking, but when I put the risks and rewards side by side the risk was just to great. Do your research and look at reviews form people that have gotten this surgery for their dogs, not just in SN but everywhere. Watch YouTube videos, talk to different vets and get their input on the matter. If I were in your situation I would never consider debarking. Your life in the city is temperary, why should your dog have to be scared for life because of it?

I hope everything works out for you and your shelties and you do what YOU think is right. Good luck!

You're right, our living situation will be temporary, as would a bark collar. I have mixed opinions on bark collars as well as debarking. I have tried a citronella collar on my little guy, but his fur absorbed the spray so it obviously did not work. I recently bought an ultrasonic egg, which worked at first but eventually lost all effect on him(it also scared our female sheltie and the quiet chihuahua). I don't think I'm comfortable with putting a shock collar on him because he has a history of trauma. Like many shelties, he is incredibly sensitive. I also worry about debarking...while my sisters have never had any issues with their debarked dogs, I worry about potential health effects from the procedure...such as respiratory issues(which seem to be the most common side effect though I have only seen one dog out of dozens who had a constant hacking but I'm not even sure that was caused by the procedure). I'm considering trying some kind of calming remedy. I tried a thunder shirt in the past, but it didn't do much and couldn't find one that fit him properly.

 

[PatC]

For what it's worth--my two are debarked, as were all of their breeder's dogs. Otherwise, as he said "you wouldn't be able to live here." He had 12 to 14 dogs in residence most times; the din would have been incredible. He is very protective and careful with his dogs and has been debarking his dogs for decades, with no ill effects. Mine both bark freely and happily...one has a whispery bark; the other has a fairly normal sounding bark although it is a bit higher-pitched and not as loud and resonant as it would normally be. And every morning at 5:15 when they bound out the kitchen door, barking joyously, I am very glad they were debarked--the neighbor's kitchen door is about 20 feet away.

 

[ortegah]

Luckily I've not had to debark my guys, but that's only because they are pretty good at not barking unless they are playing or announcing a visitor. If I had to, I would do it and I've encouraged others to have it done when necessary.

As for it being dangerous, I'd like to see the stats showing these deaths from choking, etc. In all of my research, the only thing I've seen is that there is just as much risk with this surgery as with any surgery or procedure requiring anesthesia. Shoot, I put my dog under to have his teeth cleaned and he came out of it deaf. That's a chance you take with anesthesia.

 

[Ann]

I can't even begin to count the amount of times I've heard of a dog chocking to death on it's food from it going into it's lungs because of this surgery and many other life altering or endding situations from debarking. Yes many people have never had bad things happen to there dogs from this but there is still that high risk.

If your worried about the barking that much get a bark collar. Many people think it's inhumane and hate it (same with debarking) but just think. Your considering taking your dog to the vet and having hes voice REMOVED.

Please check your facts. Debarking does NOT "remove the dog's voice." I have three debarked dogs and they all have very healthy barks, which they use frequently. Their barks are just softer than a normal bark would be. I don't know any dog whose voice has been "removed" by debarking.

I would also like to see facts and statistics on choking, as I have never heard of that either.

 

[Silaria]

If your worried about the barking that much get a bark collar. Many people think it's inhumane and hate it (same with debarking) but just think. Your considering taking your dog to the vet and having hes voice REMOVED.

Your facts are very wrong regarding debarking removing the voice. "Debarking" is actually a very poor name for the process because it's actually bark softening. Edan and CJ both have pretty healthy barks and they've both been debarked. If you need proof of that, I'll take a video of them playing one day. Their barks are plenty loud enough to wake us up out of a sound sleep.

Many people have had very good things to say about debarking and it has turned out for the better for the dog and owner. But also there has been many dogs that have died from this surgery. I can't even begin to count the amount of times I've heard of a dog chocking to death on it's food from it going into it's lungs because of this surgery and many other life altering or endding situations from debarking. Yes many people have never had bad things happen to there dogs from this but there is still that high risk.

ANY surgery involving anesthesia is dangerous. My understanding regarding modern procedures to debark a dog is that it involves minimally invasive laser surgery rather than actually having to cut open the throat to get to the larynx. You'd have to inquire with the vet doing the procedure to find out how they do it. If you don't like the process, find someone else.

I'd like to see where you found actual statistics on choking deaths. Statements like "I can't count..." or "many times..." are skewed by personal experience. I know people who hit a deer once on a road and remark they "always seem to hit a deer", it happened ONCE.


Regarding anti-bark collars, you need to be careful using those because you may end up with a fear aggressive dog rather than just a barker. The dog may not associate the noise or spray from the collar with the bark but with the object it's barking at. Instead of controlling the barking you are creating fear - more barking, lunging, etc. - with some other object/person.


As I stated earlier, my dogs came debarked and live happy healthy lives. I know a number of other dogs in my area who are also debarked and healthy. HOWEVER if my dog came full voiced I'd leave it be unless I had to make a choice between debarking and surrender.