Would You - Could You - Debark Your Dachshund?

Could you debark your dog?  That's the question thousands of dog lovers are answering all over the country after this article was published in The New York Times on Tuesday.  Meet 'Nestlé,' right, a Dachshund-terrier mix who had his vocal cords cut by a veterinary surgeon after a neighbor in the family’s apartment building on New York's Upper East Side threatened to complain to the co-op board about the noisy dog. His human, Dr. Mike Marder, who is also a veterinarian, says that the new addition to the family, 'Truffle' will also probably be debarked unless she quickly learns to play quietly.  Excerpt from The New York Times:

Although there is no reliable estimate as to how many dogs have had their vocal cords cut, veterinarians and other animal experts say that dogs with no bark can readily be found — but not necessarily heard — in private homes, on the show-dog circuit, and even on the turf of drug dealers, who are said to prefer their attack dogs silent.
The surgery usually leaves the animal with something between a wheeze and a squeak. The procedure, commonly referred to as debarking, has been around for decades, but has fallen out of favor, especially among younger veterinarians and animal-rights advocates.
Dr. Marder said that Nestlé’s surgery stopped the neighbor’s complaints, and “it really did not change the dog’s personality whatsoever,” adding, “He’s certainly a tail-waggy, happy guy.”

Read all about it, see another photo, and listen to Nestlé "bark" at The New York Times.  Thanks to our pals at Flying Dachshunds Films (one of our favorite videographers!) for sending in the link.