Debarked
Sting's was almost $200.00.It was $40.00 for the check-up and then 150.00 for the surgery.
Sting's was almost $200.00.It was $40.00 for the check-up and then 150.00 for the surgery.
Debarked Dogs
- Thread starter ClantyreSheltie
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ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
She is up to like $100. I refuse the Ace, since I don't like to drug them.
danisgoat
Moderator
Wow...that is not much at all.
I've always been a little squeamish about the issue of debarked Shelties. I heard one at the first dog show I went to in Birmingham (site of my future obedience humiliation). To me, it sounded pitiful, but obviously, the dog was having a hell of a time and never noticed the lack of a big bark.
Having only had one Sheltie at a time, barking was never a huge problem until I got Neechee into the obedience ring. He barked his stupid head off if there was any other noise outside the ring. He was just too sensitive to the ambient noises, and debarking would not have helped in the least, since the behavior would still have been there.
His bark was the bark of a much larger dog (I have no idea where he got that big-dog resonance in his little 12 pound body), so it wasn't unpleasantly yappy. Plus, when he barked he usually had a good reason. Not an obsessive/compulsive barker.
I can see where it would be necessary to do the surgery on an obsessive/compulsive barker or because it annoys close neighbors, or if it's a choice of debarking or losing the dog. I haven't been put in any of those situations so I can't say that I'll never have a dog debarked.
As to dogs who don't "sound" debarked - their vocal cords can and do grow back sometimes.
Having only had one Sheltie at a time, barking was never a huge problem until I got Neechee into the obedience ring. He barked his stupid head off if there was any other noise outside the ring. He was just too sensitive to the ambient noises, and debarking would not have helped in the least, since the behavior would still have been there.
His bark was the bark of a much larger dog (I have no idea where he got that big-dog resonance in his little 12 pound body), so it wasn't unpleasantly yappy. Plus, when he barked he usually had a good reason. Not an obsessive/compulsive barker.
I can see where it would be necessary to do the surgery on an obsessive/compulsive barker or because it annoys close neighbors, or if it's a choice of debarking or losing the dog. I haven't been put in any of those situations so I can't say that I'll never have a dog debarked.
As to dogs who don't "sound" debarked - their vocal cords can and do grow back sometimes.
Debarked
Wow that is a nice price.I wonder out of curiosity how much the other vet in Conn. is.I know he is in Somers Conn.Then again Conn. is a rip off state .
Wow that is a nice price.I wonder out of curiosity how much the other vet in Conn. is.I know he is in Somers Conn.Then again Conn. is a rip off state .
Danny's mommy
Forums Enthusiast
Just saw a posting at a sheltie rescue site that said the dog was given up because of barking. Debarking could have helped them keep it, maybe.
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
Yep. Our rescue has debarked several to keep them from coming back.
The Quahog
Forums Enthusiast
Still....
Even though I've largely gone into lurk mode on this forum, and appreciate that once again I shall take some heat for this one, I can't let this go without a dissent of some sort. It does continue to surprise me that the Sheltie board not only advocates for debarking but shows a real 'message board' animosity toward any who oppose it.
I'm willing to bet that if I go on the Lab Chat board, or the Pug Board, or any other 'yappy' breed board, even the (heaven forbid) Beagle Board, and I say 'I'm about to get my new puppy debarked, just in case, because I have all my dogs routinely debarked', then I'm gonna get the riot act read to me, big time.
(Don't believe me? I'm happy to give it a go on Lab Chat with a 'Ya know, over on the Sheltie Board they say... wanna bet?)
This attitude of 'I get all my dogs debarked, and if you have a problem with that then I have a problem with you' does seem to be a Sheltie owner idiosyncracy, and i confess I don't quite understand it. - Dr. Mac
Even though I've largely gone into lurk mode on this forum, and appreciate that once again I shall take some heat for this one, I can't let this go without a dissent of some sort. It does continue to surprise me that the Sheltie board not only advocates for debarking but shows a real 'message board' animosity toward any who oppose it.
I'm willing to bet that if I go on the Lab Chat board, or the Pug Board, or any other 'yappy' breed board, even the (heaven forbid) Beagle Board, and I say 'I'm about to get my new puppy debarked, just in case, because I have all my dogs routinely debarked', then I'm gonna get the riot act read to me, big time.
(Don't believe me? I'm happy to give it a go on Lab Chat with a 'Ya know, over on the Sheltie Board they say... wanna bet?)
This attitude of 'I get all my dogs debarked, and if you have a problem with that then I have a problem with you' does seem to be a Sheltie owner idiosyncracy, and i confess I don't quite understand it. - Dr. Mac
missjenneygirl
Forums Enthusiast
I hear what you are saying, and though we de-bark, the decision is always on a individual case. It is not blanket coverage for us. Among my 10 shelties, I have an almost 6 month old that we are growning out. He is an a delight. I don't think I've heard him bark but a handful of times.
I bump into many beagle breeders, at the vet that does de-barks, and have for many years. I think he would say, he does mostly shelties and beagles. Also, collies.
One time at the Greenwich Kennel Club Show, Megan and I were walking by the rings, and beagles were about to go in. There was a beagle that was de-barked (if that is what you would call this), he barked and barked his fool head off, and there was absolutely no sound. Now, that was sad.
I truly see both sides of the issue. It just isn't black and white when you have my numbers, and neighbors. Though I am totally compliant with my kennel licence, and noise ordinances, I have to be respectful of people living around me.
I bump into many beagle breeders, at the vet that does de-barks, and have for many years. I think he would say, he does mostly shelties and beagles. Also, collies.
One time at the Greenwich Kennel Club Show, Megan and I were walking by the rings, and beagles were about to go in. There was a beagle that was de-barked (if that is what you would call this), he barked and barked his fool head off, and there was absolutely no sound. Now, that was sad.
I truly see both sides of the issue. It just isn't black and white when you have my numbers, and neighbors. Though I am totally compliant with my kennel licence, and noise ordinances, I have to be respectful of people living around me.
tofu pup
Moderator
It is an interesting phenomenon, and you're quite right - I've seen the Lab boards where debarking is a flameworthy topic.
My theory is that we've simply reached a critical mass of cultural acceptance: enough breeders have their dogs debarked (and are 100% OK with it) that they tell their puppy-buyers that it's OK, and the puppy-buyers go forth and spread the good news, so to speak. A huge part of that is the process by which debarking becomes 100% acceptable among breeders. Back in the very early 90's, we had a very barky young bitch. She was the first one we had debarked, and it was only after a great deal of consideration.
Now, the reality was that the little dog was quite obviously none the worse for wear after debarking. As an owner, my mother could see that she barked just as much after the surgery as she had before, and seemed to suffer no physical or mental harm as a result.
And that, I think, is the critical tipping point. If you've only ever met one or two debarked dogs, it's very easy to construct a narrative in which the meanie abusive owner has had the poor animal's voice-box removed (or, more fancifully, has slammed a steel pipe down the dog's throat). However, if you meet enough happy, healthy debarked dogs... and enough caring, perfectly-humane owners of debarked dogs... debarking becomes more normalized and more acceptable.
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