debarking or bark "softening"

[Ringo1]

I'm reading all suggestions because I'm really worried about my Westie when we move. The houses are super close together (not like what I have here) and I can see some complaints coming my way.

I'm going to go price the citronella collar; though I see it's been used with varying degrees of success.

I love the idea of doggie daycare and we are moving to a larger area so . . maybe. Ringo doesn't get along all that great with strange dogs though so maybe not.

I really feel for this poster living in an apartment.

[roseslevi]

Massachusetts just passed "Logans Law" which will not allow any debarking surgeries in the state which I am totally all for....however I do see the OP's point that she has tried many different ways to solve this problem. If it was the absolute last resort debark or rehome the dog,then I think I may have to consider surgery.

[Brooklynn]

Originally Posted by roseslevi

Massachusetts just passed "Logans Law" which will not allow any debarking surgeries in the state which I am totally all for....however I do see the OP's point that she has tried many different ways to solve this problem. If it was the absolute last resort debark or rehome the dog,then I think I may have to consider surgery.

Absolutely agree

Donna

[katy-yorkie]

If I lived in an apartment, I would get a lot of complaints about Buster & Maggie. Maggie will bark if she sees something different in the yard (trash can, newspaper, etc.), Buster will bark because she is barking. Even my daughter has asked me if I can do something about their barking. Day Care is not an option for me, most don't open until I have been at work for two hours. Rehoming would not be an option either. That is a tough decision to make. Good Luck.

[Mitzis Mom]

I agree with the neighbors to be debarked but I also see your point. To tell the truth I thought of it already myself b/c Maggie has a very very annoying bark that hurts my teeth...LOL...
But on the other hand... would you have any possibility to sound proof your apartment so less noise can come in or out? I could imagine that a debark surgery is not quite cheap and maybe with some insulation from your Lowes or Home Depot and a bit of elbow grease you could make a big difference with less money?

[yorkieusa]

I would move out of the apt into a single-family home. I would never consider debarking.

[MyBabyFynnlie]

My neighbor had a rescued Sheltie who had had her voice box removed. It was sad. She would try to bark but she couldn't. She almost got hit by a car because she couldn't bark and he didn't know she was running towards the road. It was terrifying.

I'm completely against it.

[smartpuppiepets]

Originally Posted by MyBabyFynnlie

My neighbor had a rescued Sheltie who had had her voice box removed. It was sad. She would try to bark but she couldn't. She almost got hit by a car because she couldn't bark and he didn't know she was running towards the road. It was terrifying.

I'm completely against it.

Very good point !
XOXO

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by Mitzis Mom

I agree with the neighbors to be debarked but I also see your point. To tell the truth I thought of it already myself b/c Maggie has a very very annoying bark that hurts my teeth...LOL...
But on the other hand... would you have any possibility to sound proof your apartment so less noise can come in or out? I could imagine that a debark surgery is not quite cheap and maybe with some insulation from your Lowes or Home Depot and a bit of elbow grease you could make a big difference with less money?

This is an excellent suggestion you could look into, besides daycare. As Britster pointed out, it would be naive of us to get a dog without thinking they would cost us money. They are the cutest money pitts we have. It does sound like an awful situation. You either keep getting fines and allow your little one to enjoy barking, and maybe get evicted. Or you move, which is hard when you have a pet. Whatever you decide to do, it seems like you have thought this through, so you can't feel bad with whatever you do. You tried, you really did.

[CouversMom]

I personally would move before debarking my dog. I know this is not always possible, but you need to find a way. You should be able to find a rental house for cheap to keep your dog.

Here is a video I found on YouTube... very interesting to watch.

YouTube - Faces of Devocalization

[lisaly]

Originally Posted by Brooklynn

I'm in agreement it should NEVER be for the convenience of a pet owner but in this case I would be for it because rehoming in this case wouldn't be an option for me. I feel you've done everything possible to control the barking and if you have to debark I see nothing wrong with it as long as it's not for convenience.
Donna

I had 4 Yorkies, all from the same breeder. I got my first one 30 years ago, and when she passed away, I got Ashley and then Kiwi four months later. At that time, I didn't know that she had her dogs debarked. After spending more time at her home, I discovered. I was horrified by it, and I was surprised that the veterinarian did it. She said that they still barked but no sound came out and didn't really know the difference. What I heard when they barked sounded like a slight raspy sound. It really bothered me, and it still does. She said she needed to have them debarked, because neighbors complained. My breeder kept one of her puppies that was very tiny because she thought everything about her was perfect. She caller her Amazin' Gracie and she was very beautiful. When Gracie was 6.5 months old, she was still very tiny, and it was apparent that she would never get large enough to breed. Knowing how Ashley and Gracie were taken care of and how much I loved them, she asked me if I would take Gracie. She didn't charge me for her.

Gracie was a little dynamo in a tiny body. She was the happiest little girl. When Gracie came to me at six and a half months, she had already been debarked. I, too, see all the red flags--a tiny baby having anesthesia, and I still hated the idea of debarking. What I can tell you is that the breeder adored Gracie, and I don't believe she thought that Gracie was being harmed. The vet who did it specialized in small dogs. Although I am very against this surgery, I know he was an excellent vet in every other way. He was also compassionate. I went to him myself because the breeder recommended that I go there. He was a half an hour drive for me. When Kiwi was having her dental done, Gracie got very upset and started to bark incessantly (yes, she did learn to bark anyway. They ended up holding her so that she could watch Kiwi having her dental, and Gracie calmed down. He has since sold the practice, and the veterinarian who bought the practice two years later is absolutely amazing! Ashley just passed away last month (my last one), and she saw him for almost fifteen years.

Fortunately for us, Gracie was able to develop her vocal chords. When we first got her, her bark sounded like a slight cough. It got loud enough where she could wake me up from her barking. It definitely wasn't as loud as Ashley's bark, and they were between 4.5-5.5 pounds. Dogs that size don't have deep barks, and Gracie's was definitely much quieter. Gracie continued to bark a lot, much more than my other two. Although debarking still bothers me a lot if it is done for convenience, I can tell you from experience that my precious little Gracie was still the happiest little girl. If I had to chose between debarking one of my dogs and giving them up, there would be no question that I would have it done. Our lives revolved around our little girls, and we did everything we could to make them happy and keep them healthy. I adored them, and I would never do anything to hurt them. It sounds like you have done everything possible to resolve the problem, and this is a last resort for you. If moving is not an option, this may be your only choice. I'm sure you will do the proper research to find someone skilled in this to make sure that she is not harmed by this, and I definitely would do a dental at the same time. I'm sorry this is so long; I don't support debarking, and it sounds like you don't either. I just wanted to assure you that I don't think Gracie could have been a happier little girl, even though she had the surgery. She was the sweetest, most loving, little girl with tremendous personality and a wonderful disposition. She absolutely had everything you could ever want in a dog.

[lisaly]

I've just read through all of the posts that were written while I was writing my reply. While I am opposed to debarking a dog, I certainly think my little Gracie was happier the way she was than if I had medicated her, used a shock collar, or kept her calm all day. She ran and played all day, and she did bark, but the sound wasn't raspy or loud. I don't think it would have been a problem if I lived in an apartment because it was still low enough. I'm not trying to justify anything, just because I had a dog that had been debarked. I wasn't the one who had the surgery done on Gracie, and I wish she hadn't had it. I DO know how happy my little girl was, however, despite the fact that she had been debarked.. In fact, the day before she died, the landscapers were here doing a winter cleanup. My husband said she barked nonstop, and every effort he made to stop her didn't work. I think we were so happy that she could bark, we didn't do the proper training with her to get her to stop when she did. She was as happy as could be that day, running from the front door to the back door barking at them. Her voice was hoarse that night, but I could see a huge sparkle in her eyes due to the fun she had that day. Perhaps she had only one vocal chord cut as Brooklynn said, and that's why her bark wasn't raspy and she had the ability to make a quiet bark.

[Darlene68]

Originally Posted by CouversMom

I personally would move before debarking my dog. I know this is not always possible, but you need to find a way. You should be able to find a rental house for cheap to keep your dog.

Here is a video I found on YouTube... very interesting to watch.

YouTube - Faces of Devocalization

Very sad

[Cares4Dogs]

If its just during the day when your not home, I'd try a no bark collar or something along those lines that is not permanent.

It irritates me to no end that there are people who will complain during daylight hours about regular noises that are normally heard in a neighborhood or apartment complex. A dog barking isnt as annoying as a teenager turning up the stereo or law equipment. Maybe the neighbors should watch this debarking video...maybe see if they have any compassion.

My neighbors complain about my kids making too much nose opening the plastic lids when they take out the garbage. They also get annoyed if my house guests smoke outside or if my kids kick around a ball on a saturday afternoon. Some people are impossible to please and if they'd prefer living with 0 noise--maybe they should move since they dont like anything!

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by CouversMom

I personally would move before debarking my dog. I know this is not always possible, but you need to find a way. You should be able to find a rental house for cheap to keep your dog.

Here is a video I found on YouTube... very interesting to watch.

YouTube - Faces of Devocalization

After seeing that, I totally change my mind. I did not know that it was unsafe if done by a vet/surgeon.

I wonder how many of those in the video were done surgically and how many were done by the breeder.

I think I would move