I haven't done the research into debarking myself so I won't comment. There are many other additional methods you could try first.
Pennies in a can worked wonders for me, but needs to be used consistantly.
A couple friends of mine have used spray collars with good success - they spray some kind of citrus when the dog barks - eventually the little guys got the idea and no longer need to wear it.
How old is Hooks? Have you tried ignoring him when he barks? You have a couple months to work on the barking issue, there is ways to train it out of them. Personally I would leave debarking as a last resort.
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Jennifer Leigh |