I think that it just plain cruel, that's like taking away your tongue. You have to teach them to be quiet, sometimes it works and other times it doesn't, but that's all a part of owning a dog. I was at a dog show last winter, and there was a little yorkie that was trying to "bark". I asked the handler what was wrong with her and she said that she had a cold. Yea, right! Why was she there? She was debarked
AKC rules state that there should be no altering, (neuter, spay,) but yet this could go unnoticed? Makes you wonder...