[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8551063]
What is all this talk about Shelties? The dog in question is a POMERANIAN.[/QUOTE]
Shelties are known for being barkers. It has been suggested that the OP’s parents find a Sheltie breeder to ask about debarking.
[QUOTE=Pep ‘n’ Ann;8551154]
Shelties are known for being barkers. It has been suggested that the OP’s parents find a Sheltie breeder to ask about debarking.[/QUOTE]
Shelties are the poster dog for that kind of overreactive barker.
That doesn’t mean they are the only ones, any one dog may be wired like that.
Pomeranians are not as bad, but some sure can be.
Try putting a motion detector in every room and every time you turn a page, move in your chair or bed, the phone rings, get up to walk over to the bathroom, the refrigerator wiggles starting or stopping, every little thing sets that motion detector off with a shrill screech at full volume!
That is what those dogs are to live with and you can only do so much to train them, why with some, some end up with that choice here, debark or rehome and who would want that kind of dog anyway, why he has already gone thru other homes.
I would not know what to do either, sad, painful choices all around, but with neighbors, you can’t just grin and bear it, you have to do something more than what they have already tried and didn’t work, within what makes sense for them to try, why they are there now.
Just to keep in mind, we are all ASSUMING that he wound up in the shelter due to barking. He could have come from a different living situation where either he didn’t bark, or it wasn’t an issue.
[QUOTE=Chall;8550892]
I’d be very interested to see the shelters position on this.
Call up a no kill shelter and see if they’ll give you a dog if you state you intend to debark them.[/QUOTE]
No sure I understand this post… They got the dog a year ago. Until very recently had they never heard about debarking. They did not get the dog with intent to debark. Nor would they even consider this if it was not a big issue. This dog doesn’t just bark when there is a reason or when they are not home…This is consistent barking high shrilly barking…with no identifiable trigger. While they are not “pro” animal peeps they are good pet owners who have had dogs all there lives.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8551203]
Shelties are the poster dog for that kind of overreactive barker.
That doesn’t mean they are the only ones, any one dog may be wired like that.
Pomeranians are not as bad, but some sure can be.
Try putting a motion detector in every room and every time you turn a page, move in your chair or bed, the phone rings, get up to walk over to the bathroom, the refrigerator wiggles starting or stopping, every little thing sets that motion detector off with a shrill screech at full volume!
That is what those dogs are to live with and you can only do so much to train them, why with some, some end up with that choice here, debark or rehome and who would want that kind of dog anyway, why he has already gone thru other homes.
I would not know what to do either, sad, painful choices all around, but with neighbors, you can’t just grin and bear it, you have to do something more than what they have already tried and didn’t work, within what makes sense for them to try, why they are there now.[/QUOTE]
Well said…
[QUOTE=Horsegal984;8551280]
Just to keep in mind, we are all ASSUMING that he wound up in the shelter due to barking. He could have come from a different living situation where either he didn’t bark, or it wasn’t an issue.[/QUOTE]
You are right we do not know why he was a owner surrender to the shelter. We are assuming that this could be a likely reason is all.
[QUOTE=Horsegal984;8551280]
Just to keep in mind, we are all ASSUMING that he wound up in the shelter due to barking. He could have come from a different living situation where either he didn’t bark, or it wasn’t an issue.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know that anyone is assuming that; who knows why he was there? But to return him now because he barks constantly won’t improve his chances of being adopted. If someone must rehome a dog, a shelter has to be the absolute last resort. What a horrible thing to do to a beloved pet (as this one apparently is.) 
[QUOTE=S1969;8551441]
I don’t know that anyone is assuming that; who knows why he was there? But to return him now because he barks constantly won’t improve his chances of being adopted. If someone must rehome a dog, a shelter has to be the absolute last resort. What a horrible thing to do to a beloved pet (as this one apparently is.) :([/QUOTE]
I was responding to Bluey’s post where they stated this is why the dog has already gone through multiple homes.
Prior to these most recent posts by the OP the parents were not considering surrendering the dog to the shelter where it came from, they were looking at possibly rehoming the dog with full disclosure. I do not consider responsible rehoming to be a horrible choice. I think offering to let people try the dog for two weeks and see if this is an issue in a new environment would be quite reasonable. I do know a dog who has horrible separation anxiety if she is an only dog, but is fine in a multiple dog household. This dog could be similar. Who knows.
[QUOTE=S1969;8551441]
I don’t know that anyone is assuming that; who knows why he was there? But to return him now because he barks constantly won’t improve his chances of being adopted. If someone must rehome a dog, a shelter has to be the absolute last resort. What a horrible thing to do to a beloved pet (as this one apparently is.) :([/QUOTE]
My guess would be, knowing the history of the dog, that yes, the chances that his out of control barking very well could have been by itself the reason he was given up before.
I think that the current neighbors are being gracious to be giving the current owners so much leeway to remedy this situation, knowing they are really trying, but at some time everyone is going to have to say, enough is enough and I think they may just be getting there, why they even consider this one more option now.
I have never lived with a debarked dog, or even one that needed a no-bark collar, so don’t know, but the ones I have known and questioned at dog shows have mentioned that the dogs don’t even seem to notice, they keep barking at all and anything the same way, only the sound is low enough now not to bother the neighbors.
One of those people was a sheltie breeder with six dogs that had two debarked, about 30 years ago or so.
I expect is even easier on the dog today with laser tools.
Whatever they decide, it will be painful, to debark or give the dog up or move, no good solution there for anyone, owners or dog.
They seem to have ruled out giving the dog up, so those options are even narrower now.
I sure would not know what I would do, not my dog, my life, my neighbors.
I think the OP has heard enough now, no sense in beating them over the head any more, let them make the decision, they and their dog will be the ones to live with it.
The Story of " Ruckus" !!!
Once there was a barn owner, race horses, who needed a new dog to travel with him and go EVERYWHERE … vanning trips and to the track … to get a hair cut EVERYWHERE !
BO went to vet’s office as there was a Westie, named Ruckus who needed a new home … sadly his owner had passed away.
BO was taken to the back kennels to meet Ruckus
and :eek: Ruckus lived up to his name :lol:
barking his head off at the BO !!
“Take me home! Get me out of this place!”
Ruckus was a ruckus :eek::yes: but OH ! SO CUTE ! and so
the BO said “OK Dr.* if you can remove his vocals cords and silence that noise I would love to take him home.”
So Ruckus had his vocal chords removed and was delivered to the barn by TAXI … everyone was so excited to meet and greet the new barn dog …
and then Ruckus barked :eek: not a big loud bark :no: just about a 1/2 of a bark…:eek::no:
So the Taxi was called and Ruckus returned to the vet’s office
surgery was performed again and ??? Ruckus returned the very next afternoon via Taxi …
Needless to say we were cautious and scared to welcome the handsome lad … but when Ruckus tried to bark only a minor :yes: LITTLE squeak came out …
and Ruckus, the Westie had a new home and accompanied that BO EVERYWHERE !
Everyone lived happily 
ever after ~ The End !
Thinking people do not like to meddle with what is natural for a dog, but to have the dog stay in a good home, or go back to a shelter to who knows what, I would vote that, after doing research into what vets might specialize in such a surgery,
to ask as many questions as possible and make a decision.
Dr Stanley Coren from UBC is a doggie guru - OP could perhaps check him out.
