What is debarking?
This is a surgical procedure to reduce tissue in the vocal chords. Some vets use a punch to remove tissue. Other surgeons make cuts of varying sizes and I have heard of some using a laser. The goal of the surgery is to lower the volume of the dog’s bark and the ability of the bark to carry over a wide area. Q: Does debarking remove the dog’s ability to bark? A: No. Debarked dogs continue to bark. What debarking does is to lower the volume of the bark so that it does not carry for miles around. Q: Is the surgery always successful? A: Sometimes scar tissue forms and heavy barkers will become louder than when first debarked. The skill of the veterinarian is also a factor. Q: Is this a “cruel and barbaric procedure?” A: No. People with little or no experience raising naturally noisy and talkative breeds may tell you this. People with breeds like Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) can tell you that this procedure is simple and that it saves lives of dogs that might otherwise be dumped in the pou
