Debarked Dogs
- Thread starter ClantyreSheltie
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ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
Because I have close neighbors? Because I have dogs who like to bark while they play in the yard? Because they don't always play in the yard during business hours? Because we have noise ordinances that have to be obeyed? Because it's better than constantly yelling at them? Because if you have three or more, it's much harder to keep them quiet while playing?
Could I make them all sit and be quiet? Yes. But that defeats the purpose of having them play outside.
It's good to live someplace where your dogs can bark at all hours of the day or night without your neighbors being able to do anything about it. Be thankful.
I disagree, and agree with Chanku. Everyone has close neighbors...why are they bothering the neighbors? Shouldn't the neighbors be at work during the day? As my post says" I bark, therefore I am,"....I don't have a bunch of shelties but I have one sheltie and (4) schnauzers and the schnauzers will put a sheltie to shame with barking. All dogs bark. And even when the neighbors are home...there are noise control hours but they are not 24 hours a day....mine are from 9pm until 7am....so if you leave them out during that time and they start to bark too much...Bring them in...they won't die if they are in the house after 9pm. And defeating the purpose...what...putting them inside is worse than punching a hole in their vocal cords? When you talk too much does anyone say hey lets rip out your voice box? I don't think people do this for their neighbors, they do it for their own convenience....when you take away what nature has given to a person or an animal....That is wrong. And anyone who wants to discuss this with me send me a message.
take4roll10
Moderator
Some community noise laws are pretty strict. In my old neighborhood, your dog couldn't bark for more than 10 mins during the day and 5 mins at night. I only have one dog who goes outside and was only mainly outside to pee and poop. We received a letter from the city stating we had complaints from neighbors. If they received another complaint, we would receive a $250 fine and a home visit from a city official.
I had to strictly monitor her time outdoors from that point on. She was never allowed to be outside unsupervised. I couldn't afford a $250 fine every time a neighbor complained about my dog. I don't even know who was complaining because every neighbor I asked said they didn't have an issue with Bailey.
Anyway, my point is now my dog couldn't enjoy her time outside. We couldn't practice agility, play fetch or play in the snow because when she ran around and played, she would bark. Practicing agility and playing fetch indoors just isn't the same.
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
Spaying and neutering is also a convenience surgery, so avoid using that as an example.
My dogs are outside with me at all times. I don't leave them outside to bark like crazy. But sometimes I get up for a dog show or for work, and we are out at 4 AM. Or I put them out at midnight or 1 AM before I go to bed. Depending on the time of year, they might be out for a quick pee because it's too cold or hot to do much else. Sometimes it's lovely out, and we spend half an hour doing combat weaves and playing ball in the night lights.
If my dogs were limited to only playing noisily during "business hours" when no complaints can be made, then we would be up a creek, since I also happen to work during those same hours.
All I can say, is you must have some real great neighbors. I'm not some beginner here...but I can only speak for the laws in MIssouri, not in Maryland or New York or Sweden. But be that as it may...mutilation of any creature is wrong. My youngest daughter is a vet and I talk to her before I posted...she will never crop ears, crop tails, debark or take the clws from a cat...Mutilation.
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ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
I have horrible neighbors. We had to put up a $3700 fence because their dogs have 24 hour access to the yard bark non-stop. My dogs would run the fence, and I never could get them in. It was like "Fence Wars" every time we went out. I have a dog who has lost teeth biting into the old fence. By having all my dogs debarked, I am removing all doubt about where the barking is coming from. Nobody in my neighborhood can say the noise is me. Between that and the fence, I feel fairly secure that any dog issues in the neighborhood aren't me.
I won't have a breed that needs cropped/docked either, but debarking is not nearly as traumatic as it sounds.
take4roll10
Moderator
I'm sure my neighbors would say the same about me for allowing my dog to bark outside for too long.
The good thing is I moved away from that neighborhood. Not because of the complaint letter. I actually lived there for 6 months after the letter and didn't receive any new complaints. Unfortunately, my dog just couldn't spend much time alone outside...I cannot move from where I live now, so if it ever came down to having to re-home my dog because of barking issues (complaints from neighbors or fines from the city) then I would consider the bark softening procedure. I think a simple procedure like that would be far less painful for my dog then living with new owners in strange home. She would be beyond devastated if she never saw me again and I know she would never mentally recover. Neither would I.
Heck, most people spay and neuter their dogs and that is a much more serious surgery.
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OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
I feel your pain, I have a neighbor who is like this also, only I'm lucky that they don't live right next to me.
Even still, this neighbor will not hesitate to cause trouble if she can, which is a good part of the reason I've considered having Ginny debarked.
I find this a very interesting topic. So far thank God, Megan is not usually a nonsensical barker...I stole the word nonsensical 
, I like it! She barks like a typical Sheltie should or will do, sometimes too much, but I can usually get it under control. We live in the suburbs of Houston where it's house on top of house with of course fences dividing us. For the most part, our neighbors dogs don't bark too, too much, so I try to be respectful and not let Megan bark the entire time a person is doing yard work by our fence 
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, I like it! She barks like a typical Sheltie should or will do, sometimes too much, but I can usually get it under control. We live in the suburbs of Houston where it's house on top of house with of course fences dividing us. For the most part, our neighbors dogs don't bark too, too much, so I try to be respectful and not let Megan bark the entire time a person is doing yard work by our fence .- Status