[Golfingnut]

This is a hard one for me. I love dogs and have a neighbor with a bird dog that barks all the time. It does not bother me, but a few of the other neighbors are distraught over this. I am afraid for the dog and the owner. I have overheard some very disturbing comments about violence to both the owner and the dog. I have talked to the owner about this and they are in fact having a trainer work with the dog. It is a hard case for me to deal with.

[SantaClaus]

We used to have a couple of Labs who were a nuisance to the neighbors so we had to have their vocal cords cut. They acted like it never happened, silently barking their hearts out, and the neighbors were happy. Maybe get a quote from a vet and drop it in their box; maybe they don't know there is a solution.

[keithwand]

Bad Santa.

[SantaClaus]

???

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by SantaClaus

We used to have a couple of Labs who were a nuisance to the neighbors so we had to have their vocal cords cut. They acted like it never happened, silently barking their hearts out, and the neighbors were happy. Maybe get a quote from a vet and drop it in their box; maybe they don't know there is a solution.

Seems very extreme to me. If your house was on fire at night, I'm sure the barking dogs,(you know, the ones with the cut vocal cords), would have alerted you, with their barking.

A shock collar to stop the barking would have been much more humane.

[SantaClaus]

Smoke alarms are cheap, a forced move to the country is not. Bark collars require training to be effective, and these home owners don't seem to be interested or capable of training their dogs. There is nothing inhumane about debarking; spaying/neutering has a bigger effect on the dogs physiology. And like I said earlier, our dogs had no idea their bark was gone (well, dramatically quieter). I'd much rather have the surgery than have to give the dogs away. I love my dogs like children but if barking stood in the way of us moving to the Villages I'd have the surgery done again in a heartbeat.

[Patty55]

Originally Posted by SantaClaus

We used to have a couple of Labs who were a nuisance to the neighbors so we had to have their vocal cords cut. They acted like it never happened, silently barking their hearts out, and the neighbors were happy. Maybe get a quote from a vet and drop it in their box; maybe they don't know there is a solution.

OMG, I would never mutilate my dogs. I would, however, allow my neighbor to have his own eardrums punctured.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by Patty55

OMG, I would never mutilate my dogs. I would, however, allow my neighbor to have his own eardrums punctured.

Why does barking bother some and not others? It has no effect on me, but some folks are horrified by it.

[gerryann]

I had two Dashunds. Loved them both. One was well behaved and the other a brat...but I still loved her. She was a barker. Barked at birds, at leaves, at the wind. Sometimes she barked just cause she could. We tried EVERYTHING!!!! Discipline, shaking coins in a can (loud noise), citronella spray (supposed to work), even did the shock collar. (Tried one time). My son heard the dog yelp and was upset. He put the collar on himself and he yelped. I took the collar back and sent the company a long letter about the cruelty of that awful collar. We were getting complaints from everyone about the barking. Finally, her vet suggested that we de-bark her. She said it was not cruel. She also told us that she went to a place where a whole room full of beagles had been de-barked. She said it was still quite loud and that it only muffles the bark. I chose to forget the de-barking procedure and just did the best I could to deal with her and her barking. She died at 11 years from someone who poisoned her. She died of kidney failure. Her sister lived to 18. It can be a real problem for anyone to go through. My pup now never barks. She's a sweetheart. But if she did bark I would still love her.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by SantaClaus

We used to have a couple of Labs who were a nuisance to the neighbors so we had to have their vocal cords cut. They acted like it never happened, silently barking their hearts out, and the neighbors were happy. Maybe get a quote from a vet and drop it in their box; maybe they don't know there is a solution.

That is one of the cruelest things I have ever heard of doing. You and the vet should have both been fined and jailed. The vet should have had his license revoked forever.

YOU are now on my IGNORE list.

[SantaClaus]

Originally Posted by buggyone

That is one of the cruelest things I have ever heard of doing. You and the vet should have both been fined and jailed. The vet should have had his license revoked forever.

YOU are now on my IGNORE list.

Wow, seriously? This is very common and the dogs were as happy as ever. Seriously, neutering is way "crueler". Even the ASPCA fight efforts to make the procedure illegal.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by buggyone

That is one of the cruelest things I have ever heard of doing. You and the vet should have both been fined and jailed. The vet should have had his license revoked forever.

YOU are now on my IGNORE list.

[SantaClaus]

Ok, you caught me, I'm a dog mutilator... And I make patè and veal in my back yard. Whatever.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by SantaClaus

We used to have a couple of Labs who were a nuisance to the neighbors so we had to have their vocal cords cut. They acted like it never happened, silently barking their hearts out, and the neighbors were happy. Maybe get a quote from a vet and drop it in their box; maybe they don't know there is a solution.

Never thought of that, but we have had Irish Setters who were total clowns and barked incessantly......enough so that the neighbors would call and complain. So, I do understand the neighbors' frustration.


Also, our daughter and husband had two huge Tibetan Mastiffs who also barked constantly........day and night. They told us that it was because the Tibetan Mastiffs were raised to "guard the temple".....that it was "ingrained in their breed". All I know is that our neighbors would call and demand that we stop these dogs from barking. It's a very difficult situation. Finally, one long Thanksgiving weekend of barking did it........a neighbor in back called to say her husband was dying of cancer and could we please stop the dogs from barking.........I simply handed the phone to my daughter. After that, they found a dog boarding place and came down alone, just with the grandchildren. A great relief.


Now we have two little beagles across the road from us that only bark, in unison, every evening at about 8:30 p.m. and drive the neighborhood crazy..........we love dogs , however, not everyone can tolerate the incessant barking. Did the vet recommend the vocal cord cutting???

[SantaClaus]

I'd never heard of the surgery until the vet brought it up in reaction to our desperation brought on by angry neighbors and a very threatening visit from the police.