Oregon court rules LGDs must be debarked in case against farmers

[sannabelle]

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/pet...st-be-surgically-debarked-oregon-court-rules/

Just curious as to what everyone thinks of this. Found it interesting that they claim the dogs aren't truly working dogs because the "income" (animals) they protect only bring in 26,000$ a year revenue.

Anyways...thoughts?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Okay...I read the article...and here is my personal opinion on this...as a former paralegal, as a former Guide Dog for the Blind puppy raiser (7 projects), and as a former rural gal who actually grew up in Grants Pass (years ago).

I feel for the neighbors who had to put up with incessantly barking dogs for 10 years and couldn't find a peaceful resolve from a neighborly chat. The farm owners are totally inconsiderate and also apparently have no idea what a good LGD should do.

A well trained LGD does NOT need to bark and bark and bark. It alerts only when there is actual presence of a predator, then briefly to drive off the predator or alert the sheep herder.

I lived in that area for many years (grew up there, visited family over the years) and the area has grown up a lot. My daddy had an 80 acre ranch south of there, and then a 20 acre homestead for his retirement years. Let me just say, were were out in the boonies. Good grief, there aren't THAT many predators lurking around. We kept horses and cattle...and just checked in on them periodically. We saw an occasional bear, maybe a coyote or two. I don't remember ever having a loss, just a garden raided by bear. Even if there are numerous predators now (which I doubt as the area has filled in with a lot of suburbia), they aren't driven away by constant noise. It is the presence of the animal which deters them. Plus, if there were so many predators that the dog has to continually bark, you've got MAJOR problems. You'd have rifles out, some wildlife permits, and some better deterrents like electric fence and traps.

A poorly trained dog left to itself, in boredom, will bark and bark. It is a sign of insecurity not of trusted guardianship. Good working dogs are chill until they need to act.

Working cattle and sheep dogs bark when they herd sheep from one point to the next, however, that is a relatively short part of their day. Most of the day they are simply chilling keeping an eye open for any possible harm that might come. You might get occasional alert barking, occasional herding barking, but not day end and day out constant barking.

That kind of constant, never stop barking, is a bored and insecure dog left alone too much....put that into a pack of insecure dogs, and you've got too much noise.

I'm sure the courts were reluctant to order the de-barking of the animals (Oregon is very pro-animal and green as well). I can see the judge mulling this over as a way to give peace to the neighbors but yet allow the farm owners to keep their beloved pets....which honestly is what these animals are more of than trained working dogs....annoying pets.

My 2 cents.

 

[sannabelle]

Thanks for your input!!

I looked through a few sites trying to get a better picture of what these people's property looks like- proximity to neighbors, etc. didn't find anything.

I train and rehab special needs dogs for rescues in my area. Have my own LGD- he does not incessantly bark. My neighbors are happy to have him around to keep the problems away.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

A good working dog is a joy to have around, indeed.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

For 6 dogs to make that much noise, that you can record them clearly, means these farm folk are close in....more rural than actual farming.

Which from the court's response is their take on it as well. That this is a hobby farm on small acreage in the outskirts rather than a true working farm on acreage.

We could have set off a cannon nightly and not bothered our neighbors. 80 acres gives you quite a bit of buffer.

LofMc

 

[deedles]

Feel bad for the dogs, that's a terrible thing to do to a dog. But yeah, the owners sound like they could be more considerate.

 

[Leighe]

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/pet...st-be-surgically-debarked-oregon-court-rules/

Just curious as to what everyone thinks of this. Found it interesting that they claim the dogs aren't truly working dogs because the "income" (animals) they protect only bring in 26,000$ a year revenue.

Anyways...thoughts?

6 dogs for 3.4 acres of land????? Really??? I have 2 and I have 186 acres though they don't guard all that. They have that many sheep and animals on 3.4 acres? Geez. My dogs bark but literally only when something is around, which like @Lady of McCamley said, if they were barking incessantly I'd be lookin at my game cameras the next day to see what we're dealin with. Just their presence and occasional bark makes the coyotes think it might be easier to find food at the next farm, lol. I couldn't live with barking all day. The fact that this family suffered for 20 years is cra cra.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ah yes...you are right...the article does state:
"Court papers describe the couple's land as a 3.4-acre parcel, populated by sheep, goats and chickens."

Oh my gosh...that is NOT a working farm...that is what we called suburbs in my day...way too many dogs, likely in kennels. On 3.4 acres, you are not seriously working sheep in that tight of quarter...there is no need to drive them any where...and WHAT predators do you have that close in?

We also had 1 acre in town...never saw any wild life in the suburb house other than the occasional skunk or oppossum...which was pretty much farm pasture with various smaller holdings.

There is NO NEED for constantly barking dogs in town or on farm.

Poor neighbors.
LofMc

 

[Lazy Farmer]

That kind of constant, never stop barking, is a bored and insecure dog left alone too much....put that into a pack of insecure dogs, and you've got too much noise.

OUR CLOSEST neighbors have those kind of dogs. They spend more time with a can of beer than training 7 K-9 part time companions they own. We moved out of our spacious master bedroom 4 years ago because that part of our home was closest to the fence line. They let their dogs out of their home at 4:30 in the morning and they automatically run to the edge of our property, with non stop barking and biting each other. we can hear the smaller dogs cry and wimper while the alpha dogs fight to get attention on our fence line. our ugly American neighbors told me that we are zoned agricultural so we can do what we want.
So now we moved our bed into a small closet size room in the middle of our home so we can rest and sleep in peace. the local law enforcement says to get a lawyer but no lawyers return our calls.
life is too short to start a Hatfields and Mc Coys BS situation...

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have been in dogs for 38 years of my 57 herding dogs was my breed of choice but a all breed handler / trainer of Belgians ... I am now mostly blind raising chickens so naturally went to a working dog but also taking on aging gsd as a rescue... lgd is pyrenees...
De-barking does not always work I know this and yes a barking dog of most any breed is bored