For the Dog Lovers.

Blueyed228

So my state just became the first to ban de-barking of dogs.  Hopefully other states will follow suit.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/07/new-law-banning-devocalization-of-dogs-and-cats-to-go-into-effect-in-massachusetts.html

AllAboutTheBenjamin

That is so incredibly kickass.

I hope other states follow, too.

saxy414

That is awesome.  I can't believe people would do that--it would never, ever cross my mind to "de-bark" a dog.  It's what they do.  Would you "de-voice" a human?

npasquale16

I was pretty pissed when I saw Grow Ups (I LOVE Adam Sandler and Kevin James) and they were joking about debarking.  I teach film studies, so I get that a movie is just a movie, but it still pissed me off.

Seshat411

That's awesome. Hopefully de-clawing cats will be next.

nda_roxybabe

Aww we had a dog once that had been debarked, it was so sad. She would still try to bark but came out sounding like a chronic smoker.

ohwhynot

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

That is awesome.  I can't believe people would do that--it would never, ever cross my mind to "de-bark" a dog.  It's what they do.  Would you "de-voice" a human?
Posted by saxy414

I can't say I've never been tempted . . .

hz80408

Wow, I've never even heard of that!  Crazy to think someone would do that...poor dogs!

opalsky007

I just saw this so weekend. I'm glad for it, but horrified that the practice even exists. I was stunned. It would just never occur to me to do something like that to an animal.

JenGin74

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

That is awesome.  I can't believe people would do that--it would never, ever cross my mind to "de-bark" a dog.  It's what they do.  Would you "de-voice" a human?
Posted by saxy414

100% agree. Although sometimes I wouldn't mind having the option to de-voice some of the people I work with

jasmineh7777

Woot!
I, personally, hope we get to a point where docking of tails and ears is not allowed.

BTW, look at this fierce pitbull. ;) She belongs to a friend of mine, and is bff's with my dog.

katiewhompus

That is so fantastic!!

I've read many articles written by dog trainers and breeders about the great service provided by de-barking. They basically use the same logic and de-clawing a cat. It makes it so that the owner doesn't have to worry about noise problems and increases adoption rates because you have a silent dog (like a clawless cat). They encourage all shelters to debark and declaw along with spay/neuter animals that are adopted out of the shelter.

Knittibell

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

That's awesome. Hopefully de-clawing cats will be next.
Posted by Seshat411

AMEN!

jasmineh7777

katiewhompus

Looks like a ferocious beasty to me Jas ;)

J&K10910

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

That is awesome.  I can't believe people would do that--it would never, ever cross my mind to "de-bark" a dog.  It's what they do.  Would you "de-voice" a human?
Posted by saxy414

I can think of more than a couple people that I would do this to if I could.  Just saying.

Blueyed228

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

Woot! I, personally, hope we get to a point where docking of tails and ears is not allowed. BTW, look at this fierce pitbull. ;) She belongs to a friend of mine, and is bff's with my dog.
Posted by jasmineh7777

My pits ears are not cropped.  But some kids a few towns over got arrested for clipping a pitbull puppies ears with scissors.

People are idiots.

jasmineh7777

Her name is Max. My neighbors were horrified when she was running in my yard. It's ridiculous, because she is the most sweet, submissive puppy ever.
I'll probably be dog sitting her for a few weeks when my friend has her baby.

saxy414

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers. : I can think of more than a couple people that I would do this to if I could.  Just saying.
Posted by J&K10910

You know, I've totally had that thought, too. 

I guess what I want is: that we wouldn't actually do it.  It seems crazy to remove that from a human (no matter how much we wish we could sometimes...). :-)

jasmineh7777

Cropping is just cruel, imo, as is de-clawing. You shouldn't alter your pet's body to make it easier to handle. If you can't handle those issues, then don't get the pet.

nda_roxybabe

Schnauzers have their tails docked, right? I can't imagine schnauzers with long tails...

jasmineh7777

It's entirely for looks, unless it is a farm dog and you're worried about getting it's tail trampled. I don't see removing part of an animal because it looks cute.
(Sorry, that sounds soap-box-y.)

saxy414

I wish we hadn't declawed our cats. Right after we got the second one declawed, I saw an article on what happens and what can possibly happen down the road, and now I will always feel a little guilty for doing it to my kitties. 

I don't understand cropping--are there benefits to cutting your dog's ear or tail off?  My grandma had boxers, and they were never cropped, so I don't understand why you would do that anyway. 

Edit: Nevermind, you just answered the question.

ExpatPumpkin

I have never even heard of this!  And it should be illegal - how can the dogs alert others or warn off bad guys without barking?  That's crazy.  My dog "sings" and it's one of his ways of communicating his happiness.

On the flip side, I HATE OWNERS WHO LET THEIR DOGS BARK OUTSIDE ALL DAY/NIGHT.  It's a real problem here in Mexico, even in the nicest of neighborhoods, and I'll never accept it as part of the culture.  It seriously infuriates me.  Especially when DH can't get a good night's sleep.

Blueyed228

I believe that some cropping is done to prevent infections in certain breeds.  Im too lazy to look it up right now.  But that is done by the vets while the dog is under anesthesia.

Most breeders crop the ears with razors when the puppies are newborns.

Pitbulls ears got cropped so they were not bitten off in dog fighting.  Now people do it so they "look tough".

My dog lost half her tail because she got hit by a car. I would never have done it just for appearance.

jasmineh7777

Certain breeds are cropped regularly. Dobermans, Danes, Pit Bulls.
Part of the problem is that people think it makes them look tougher, and then dumbasses do it themselves. People that do their own cropping are also people that likely have the breed for the wrong reasons.

ricksang

WTF? I didn't even know you could do that. Terrible!

katiewhompus

I once walked into the vets operating area while a cat was being declawed. I took one look, walked to the bathroom, threw up and started sobbing. All to protect some furniture.

jasmineh7777

My aussie has the tiniest nubb of a tail. It might be  genetic, but more likely some idiot cropped it badly. There are serious health consequences, including damage to the spinal cord.

jasmineh7777

In Response to Re: For the Dog Lovers.:

I once walked into the vets operating area while a cat was being declawed. I took one look, walked to the bathroom, threw up and started sobbing. All to protect some furniture.
Posted by katiewhompus

:( I would have done the same thing.

aprovencher21

In Response to For the Dog Lovers.:

So my state just became the first to ban de-barking of dogs.  Hopefully other states will follow suit. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/07/new-law-banning-devocalization-of-dogs-and-cats-to-go-into-effect-in-massachusetts.html
Posted by Blueyed228

Yay!!  I'd love for NJ to do this!