My friend has just homed a stray dog from the dog warden. She has only had her for a couple of hours and she hasnt stopped howling. She thinks she maybe deaf but isnt sure. Any ideas on why she might be doing this and how to stop her as she wont be able to keep her otherwise because of the neighbours etc

The poor dog's probably confused and terrified. I'd probably howl too in yet another strange place after having my life turned upside down! Has she taken her out for a walk (on the lead of course!!) to help her settle? It'll probably be a few weeks before the dog shows her true personality.

A couple of hours is nowhere near long enough for the dog to settle.  Taking on any rescue requires a lot of patience and understanding.  A dog doesn´t just walk into your home and fit in with your idea of a perfect pet.  Maybe if the neighbours were made aware of the circumstances of the dog´s situation they wouldn´t be so quick to whinge.

I would take her round to meet the neighbours and give them her story, I am sure if they know she will need time to settle they will understand. Your friend will probably need to sleep downstairs or let the dog in the bedroom till it settles down.
You have to remember that this dog may have had some traumatic experiences and will need lots of time and patience. Once the dog has started to settle and bond with the new owner then you can start to think about training needs, but tell her to take things very slowly and use lots of praise and rewards.

I've told her all this and she really wants to keep it but the dog warden has said to have her for the weekend and then make up her mind. If she doesnt keep her she will be PTS.
I said the weekend isnt long enough.

Can she ask the dog warden for a longer period ? This would take the pressure to make a decision off her.
I know that some dog charities only give a week, before a decision has to be made, and this puts far too much pressure on the new owners, and may force them to give up rather than be stuck with a problem that they may not be able to cope with.
If the dog warden is just going to put the dog to sleep, could your friend not keep the dog and then after a longer period if things really did not work out, take the dog to another animal charity, at least they would have a fuller picture of the dogs problems, and looking on the bright side if the dog settles there won't be a problem anyway.
I think their are some comfort coats that you can get that fit tightly and snuggle and comfort the dog, I have not used them myself but have heard good reports. It might be worth googling them and seeing if you can make something similar for the short term out of a baby gro or a jumper.
Also I have heard good reports of Serene-UM made by Mark & Chappel Ltd www.markandchappell.com They sell them now at Pets at Home and they also have a Behaviour Helpline -0845 600 3642.
Good Luck and please report back how your friend gets on.

I texted her about an hour ago and she says its not howling as much now. She says although she appears to be housetrained she cant wait for long and has had quite a few accidents. She also drinks a lot and has sore eyes and mouth so my friend thinks she could possibly be diabetic. She is taking her to the vet tomorrow for a check up.

Stress could be causing the accidents and if she is howling and panting a lot she will drink more, and if she drinks more she will urinate more.
Probably best to treat her like a puppy and keep taking her out at regular intervals. Give her a treat if she will take it but if she is very stressed she may not want too much fuss, and just saying good girl each time will be enough.
Yes best to get her eyes checked out,it could be conjunctivitis which can be cleared up with eye ointment, but I would not make any rush diagnosis that she is diabetic, stress can cause all sorts of behaviours, she probably will need lots of quiet time to just relax, poor girl may have been picked up and living rough for some time. Sometimes dog like this will sleep and sleep once they relax, because they have been living on their nerves for so long.

My dogs howl to call in the pack.  She is just looking for familiarity and is obviously stressed.
What a shame she can't get a bit of patience and understanding.

Who says she isnt getting any patience and understanding. I think my friend realises she is stressed etc just would like a few tips to help her settle thats all. My friend is a nurse practioner so I think its the nurse in her thats making a diagnosis lol.

I suggest lots of treats for the toileting outside and just hang in there. Hopefully after a few more days the dog will become more relaxed and less stressed. Taking on a challenge like that may be hard work for your friend but it will be worth it in the end.

Your friend will need to remember that this is a 'special needs' dog, as it were, with loads of emotional baggage to contend with, and as such needs as much careful input as an 'ordinary' baby puppy. It could be a long haul (I assume your friend won't be leaving her alone for more than short intervals) but it'll undoubtedly be worth it in the end.

That's the way I read you previous posts, Kizzistaff.  You mentioned that this dog only had till the weekend to settle.  I just stated that she may need more patience/time.  And anyone who knows dogs, knows it can take some dogs much longer to settle in unfamiliar surroundings.  #i don't think you can put a time frame on that.

I do hope she has calmed down a bit now for your friend.

She howled all night. The dog warden suggested the weekend as a trial because she was quiet when they first picked her up and seemed very calm. So they told my friend before they brought her round that she would be ok with being left etc as my friend works full time. When they took her there she howled all the way there and also the whole time the warden was there and hasnt stopped really.

The dog warden suggested the weekend as a trial because she was quiet when they first picked her up and seemed very calm.

Sigh. Sometimes you wonder why some people work with dogs!!! Tell me any rescue dog that shows its true self the first few days in kennels after being picked up as a stray.

There is no way this dog can be left alone all day long -it shouldn't even be the case if it didn't howl.

I think she will probably return her. She knows she wont get a dog from rescues because of her working hours. The council dont ask any questions they just want a quick turnover as in the end it all boils down to money. I would be a rubbish dog warden I dont think they are doggy people at all.

She has been in kennels for two weeks and they did say she didnt howl there but to be honest I dont think they knew as only there to drop off dogs

>So they told my friend before they brought her round that she would be ok with being left etc as my friend works full time

As I'm sure you've emphasised to her over and over again (because you know from coming on here!) that unless she's made arrangements for someone to come in to take the dog out every few hours then her circumstances aren't right for any dog, let alone a rescue dog with 'issues'. It seems as though she was lied to in a desperate attempt to get the dog out of the kennels. :-(

> I dont think they are doggy people at all.

They may well not be.  There seems to be some confusion about their function.  They are not a dog rescue as such but work for the tax paying public in dealing with the problem of dogs not with the problems of the dogs.  As far as they are concerned if she can work it out they will not be concerned that she is going to leave the dog alone all day.  If it doesn't work out, as they have pointed out, they will be putting it down anyway.

You can tell people things over and over again but sometimes they only listen if its what they want to hear. She has a son whom will be able to come home at lunchtime and her neighbours are dog sitters so maybe they can help out.
She has been to the vet today and he seems to think she is healthy enough for an approx 12 year plus bitch, the dog warden told her she was about 5 or 6. Unfortunately she is still howling nearly all the time.

> She has been to the vet today and he seems to think she is healthy enough for an approx 12 year plus bitch, the dog warden told her she was about 5 or 6

It can be very hard to age some dogs after about 6. My oldie rescue was initially advertised as being 7 or 8, but everyone has a different estimate particularly now her teeth are cleaner due to being raw fed. She does have a lot of greying but some people said when she first arrived she could be 9, others 10-12 (and we've had her 2 yrs this coming Feb). The most recent guesstimate was from my agility trainer (who also runs a boarding kennels and rescue) who just shrugged and said "Middle aged upwards".

Teeth are probably the only thing used to guess a dog's age by until they are appreciably geriatric, and things including diet and genetics can affect the condition of the teeth. I believe there are some other more subtle signs then, such as paws spreading outwards, coat condition and that 'old dog' look in the eyes.

One thing to consider - if she truly is 12 years old, she may have some signs of incipient dementia, not uncommon in old dogs from what I gather, and may account for the howling.

It can be very hard to age some dogs after about 6. My oldie rescue was initially advertised as being 7 or 8, but everyone has a different estimate particularly now her teeth are cleaner due to being raw fed. She does have a lot of greying

I have a 7 year old Papillon who has worse teeth than my 12 year old Malinois, and also is a lot greyer than her. My youngest dog to start showing greying of the muzzle turns 2 next week!!! I think it's more or less impossible to tell the age of a dog. I agree with you that it is more the subtle signs, but even then some dogs are old at 7, others not until much later. And I think it is far more a case of genetics than breed, so unless you know the dogs in the background, it won't give you a clue to just look at the dog.
Edited to say: the 7 year old Papillon has had his age guessed to "at least 10" by two different vets this year -but I KNOW his date of birth (even though he isn't registered) and first saw him at 3 weeks of age, so there is no doubt about both vets being wrong.

> I have a 7 year old Papillon who has worse teeth than my 12 year old Malinois, and also is a lot greyer than her

Ah... but I think Ripley has a portrait in the attic! :)

I wish. :). Since having a mammary strip and retiring from shows she's aged a lot. :(

Poor dog is going back tomorrow.

So sorry to hear that, but well done to you for trying to help. Sometimes all we can do is try and give people as much information as possible, but in the end it is there decision.

That's a shame, but under the circumstances quite understandable. I think the dog warden and the rescue were very wrong in giving your friend false information about this particular dog bearing in mind her situation. I hope she doesn't feel too bad about it.

She is very upset because the dog warden told her what the dogs fate would be if she didnt keep her. There was no rescue involved its just the dog warden. She realises that there is no way she can leave this little girl so the warden is collected her tomorrow morning and taking her straight to the vet to be PTS. RIP poor little dog and shame on whoever was responsible for her being stray in the first place.

If this dog is a pure breed, then a breed rescue might be able to help rather than her being PTS?

No shes a cross breed although dog warden said was a lab but looks nothing like a lab from the picture I,ve seen.

It's a very sad story -and I don't think all too unusual as the council stray kennels etc just sell dogs, they don't worry about where they go, they just need to clear the spaces.  Your friend clearly isn't in a position to have this dog and was misled, with working fulltime she'd need one very calm and used to being on its own. There ARE worse fates that death, and at least this poor dog won't be unhappy now.

>There ARE worse fates that death, and at least this poor dog won't be unhappy now. <

so sad but true in this case...

RIP sweetheart..