Is Debarking dangerous?

Question

I have a year and a half old Dauchie and she barks constantly! I think it is her favorite pastime! She'll bark at her tail, birds, cars, other dogs, cats, whatever! I think she actually likes the sound of her own bark! Ive tried everything from professional training to all the correction collars! Ive tried ignoring her and yelling at her! I've decided that debarking is my only option left! But i know everyone says its inhumane but i really love her and want to keep her! But we are going to have to move to an apartment soon and i dont want to get evicited! But my question is... is it safe? And what is the difference between the pinch operation and cut operation! Will it cause any long term damage? Please help and ideas would be great!

Answer 1

Here is a very good discussion on the procedure> http://www.dogpatch.org/sheltie/debark.html
Humane society's stand on it> http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=faqs_debarking
Here is a site with the pros and cons (debate)> http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dogsarticles/An-Overview-Of-The-Debarking-Debate.html

This should be a personal decision between you and your vet...

Answer 2

I also find debarking inhumane, which probably is the reason why it's illegal where I come from. Luckily there are many other solutions to the barking problem. I don't know if you've tried the ones below, but here goes.

Did you try to teach her to bark on command? This makes it easier to teah her to stop on command. Once she's understood the stop command, you can stop her after one bark and then praise her - then you can perhaps even take it a step further and stop her just as she's about to bark. Remember to praise her every time and give her the occasional treat, and hopefully you will have a bark-free dog or a at least a dog that doesn't bark a lot.

Dogs can also bark out of boredom. Also if your dog is not a well stimulated dog, she will be easily excited and bark at everything and anything. The solution might also be to make sure she gets enough exercise, both mentally and physically, but especially mentally. There are many online resources for great games that will tire out your dog, but not you. :)

Never yell at your dog when she barks. The owner making noise as well only seems to encourage them.

Good luck with her. I hope the operation will not be necessary.

Answer 3

my mother had the same problem with her dog, and the vet told her a very good thing. Lets say you dont debark your dog...most likely she will drive you crazy and you will get rid of her and the next owner will also get so anoyed and cant take it,,,,, so most likely the dog will end up dead either by owner or by the city because of to many neighbor complaints. So the best thing would be to take the chance and debark. Well my mother has take the vets advice. Reyna has been fine as she could be. Of course she still barks all the time but it just sounds very funny. The vet says she has no clue she isnt being loud because they go bye the vibration in their throat and think that they are still barking? The only thing that could go wrong really is that if they continue to bark constantly is that over time they can rebuild their larynx(not sure how to spell that...lol) muscle and their bark may return. So all in all if you want to keep your dog i would go for it.

Answer 4

Oh boy, do I know what you're going through...I have two dauchies..what a racket..but I spray them with a water pistol, works every time for a while then I have to start again.

Stubborn dogs...

Can't say much about Dauchie's but I had a Basset Hound debarked..for a while it worked, but he overcame it and learned to use his vocal cords again, but in a "way" that would make you shiver.. It sounded like a "fog horn"..and I gave up on the debarking.

No, I don't think it's inhumane, she wants to be with you and you want to be with her....that's all that counts, if she can't bark that's not a big deal, it's all for the good of you and you're dog.

P.S. make sure it works though..I don't know the difference in the "pinch or the cut" someone else will tell you.

lol..sorry, but I can't help it..they do like the sound of their own bark, I agree.

Answer 5

I have 10 dachshunds and I would agree that this breed is a yaper. However I think debarking would be a very cruel thing to do to a dachshund or any dog. You should work on training her more. Train her to bark on command and then to be quiet on command. You could also do away with some of the things that she gets excited about. Close the curtains so she can't see the birds, the people or whatever in the street. Exercise her more so shes too tired to bark at her tail.

Answer 6

Always see this argument when discussing debarking, and IMHO it is a personal decission and I wont try to perswade anyone either way.
First off there are two different proceedures that can be used. One is to go in with a lazer from inside the mouth, and the other is to surgically enter the larynex from the outside of the neck.

But everyone will have to decide for themselves if debarking is better than being hauled off to the pound.

Answer 7

I would not get your dog de-barked. Surgery always has some risks and you would literally be taking away her voice. She'd have no way to communicate with you or others.

Your dog is a hunting dog, and though she is small she has a lot of energy and needs a lot of excersize and it sounds like she might not be getting enough stimulation and has taken up protecting her territory by parking as a past time. Try taking her out daily for at least an hour and let her have exposure to the things she barks at. And when you take her out, do make sure she walks and don't carry her.

Answer 8

It is a very minor surgery and not a big deal at all. The dogs don't seem to care, they still make some muted noise, and as Ragapple said, they are probably relieved to not be yelled at anymore.

I have never heard of a pinch technique, they usually go in the mouth and make a small snip.

Much more humane than getting rid of her and better than losing your housing. It sounds like you have been trying different things, but a few dogs just will never quit.

Answer 9

sometimes its a pure relief for the dog as well as owner. No more getting yelled at, shocked sprayed with nasy liquid.....
and by they way I have not seen amuzzle YET that stopps barking the type that hold the mouth shut forse them to bark closed mouth which muffles it a bit but it also prevents panting to cool off, eating, drinking, and lets not even tink about if the dog should happen to throw up. Basicly its 40x more dangeous & inhumane than debarking.

Answer 10

The operation you are speaking of is harmless in the same way that having YOUR vocal chords removed would be. (She barks at her tail!?) Some dogs just like to bark in the same way that some people - and they know who they are - like to talk. Personally, I think that its rather inhumane - albeit a typically human way of solving a problem (like killing the patient to cure an illness) and instead of fixing the dog, you should perhaps find a more conducive environment for her. Besides, she's still young and who knows? She mioght grow out of it. When they reach 3-5 they sleep about 20 hours a day.

Answer 11

It can be a dangerous operation. As with any surgery, anesthesia can kill a dog. I have even heard of a vet cutting the the veins and causing the dog to bleed to death. If you didn't want a barker, you should not have got a dog. Maybe give it to a no kill shelter and get a cat. Dogs bark. If you or someone you know talks too much, would you want to be fixed to where you can't talk.