Like most greyhounds, my 13 year-old greyhound, Sydney, has a quiet, gentle soul. But boy, can she bark! She barks when she wants to go out and she barks when she wants to come in. She barks when she’s happy and she barks when she is bored. I admit, it can be irritating, particularly at 5am when I want to relish that last hour of sleep before my alarm sounds. But would I consider permanently silencing her so that I can get that last hour of sleep? No. So what to do?
Many people may had never heard of dog debarking before last week’s front-page article in The New York Times. The article described a procedure where a dog’s vocal cords are surgically removed, leaving his bark to sound more like a whisper. I would never consider doing this to Sydney, but the wake of the article left many people wondering if surgery could be a quick fix to their own dog’s nuisance barking.
Nuisance barking is a legitimate problem, but a far safer, gentler and highly effective solution lies in using positive methods of behavior modification. For some helpful tips, be sure to check out the many great articles we offer on this topic and get in touch with trainer who can help. A great resource to find trainers skilled in helping you solve the problem can be found at www.greatdogtrainers.com.
