Dog owners, could I ask your advice, please?

That’s exactly it GSM, a commodity. Relevant to the OP is the number of in-neutered males and female dogs, left alone or inadequately supervised. They howl and are desperate to get out and do as nature drives them to do.

So sad Iam. Just another disposable commodity.

grandtanteJE65, I would, indeed, mention it. There are reliable training methods to reduce separation anxiety. Your neighbour could use an indoor security camera to check on her dog when she's out.

The dog is distressed. Owner may not know about howling in her absence, you should tell her.

Dee1012

Germanshepherdsmum

I‘ve been looking at rescue GSDs online with a view to adopting another. The number of 1-2 year olds is heartbreaking. Obviously lockdown puppies. And that’s just one breed, in a small area of the country.

I've just taken in a puppy.... bought by someone for 'children', when he mouthed and nibbled as puppies do, he was locked out in the garden permanently!
He's a beautiful little thing but absolutely scared stiff - it infuriates me!

I volunteer for a breed specific charity. Influx of lockdown puppies aged 7-17 months. They’re coming into foster with behavioural/emotional problems. At least they’re being surrendered for assessment, training and re-homing. So many of these youngsters end up for sale on gumtree because the owners treat them like second hand cars, they want some of their money back

Maybe it would have been better for the dog not to have been acquired for temporary company during lockdown? People knew they would have to go back to their place of work.

My son had this with his dog following lock down. the dog had got so used to them being around that it was suffering from separation anxiety when it was left alone when they went back to work.

Their neighbours told them (nicely) that the dog was howling when they went out. My son was glad that they told him as there is no way they would have know otherwise. It also meant that he could address the problem quickly.

They read loads of books etc. on dog behaviour to try to lesson the dog's anxiety. They also installed a camera in the house so that they could check on the dog from their phone.

The dog seems to have settled down now.

Bless him. I hope something can be worked out. ?

I have had him in my garden occasionally when I've been outside. Maybe.
I will suggest it next time.
There is family staying at the moment so not a peep out of him except happy woofs when she comes home.
He is really lovely. ?

Would you be able to offer to mind him for a while?

Yes, GSM and Iam I have looked at this "formal" route a lot. It's maybe more complicated than I may have explained though as he's an old dog who used to have someone with him all day (working at home) but since a family breakup he can be left alone according to the shift patterns of his owner who is a nurse.

I think I just need to go over more often to complain. Stiff words to self to toughen up! I suppose she's hostile about it because she knows I'm right.
Maybe I need to go over every time it happens. I do know it would break his heart to be removed - but I do also hate to hear him so miserable.

Some years ago I was worried about the welfare of next door's puppy . My daughter in law had the following good idea.

Pretend you have found an old book of yours about dog care that addresses these problems. (You don't have such a book but can easily buy a suitably used looking book from an amazon seller for a few pence). If the neighbour is bit stupid a child's book may be best.

You innocently go to the woman's door and say you found this old book of yours and thought as a dog lover she might enjoy it. You could also give her a cake of a flower from your garden.

How awful. He’s come to a good home now. The GSD I hope to meet next week spent her life chained up outside.

Germanshepherdsmum

I‘ve been looking at rescue GSDs online with a view to adopting another. The number of 1-2 year olds is heartbreaking. Obviously lockdown puppies. And that’s just one breed, in a small area of the country.

I've just taken in a puppy.... bought by someone for 'children', when he mouthed and nibbled as puppies do, he was locked out in the garden permanently!
He's a beautiful little thing but absolutely scared stiff - it infuriates me!

I‘ve been looking at rescue GSDs online with a view to adopting another. The number of 1-2 year olds is heartbreaking. Obviously lockdown puppies. And that’s just one breed, in a small area of the country.

That’s so sad Notspaghetti, poor dog and rotten for you to hear how distressed he is. I’ve not much confidence the RSPCA will take effective action. Id still contact them and your dog warden.
It’s shocking that so many people bought lock down puppies with no idea what sharing your life with a dog involves.

I would report the neighbour to the local authority and the RSPCA notspaghetti. She's been told there's a problem. Separation anxiety. Why people have dogs when they go out to work is beyond me. We had cats until one of us was wfh. Please report it, for the dog's sake. He is very unhappy.

My neighbour has a lovely, friendly dog. He is really delightful but howls and barks whenever he's left alone.
It makes me really sad and makes my husband very very uptight and cross. We can't eat in the kitchen if he's howling because of the distress.
He's better in the summer as he goes outside where he has a lovely big kennel and space to wander and explore a bit.
His owner says "I can't do anything about it" - which I think is unfair - and wrong because every time we complain she has her son come over to work at home with him for a few weeks while she's working or her daughter pops in to see him during the day. Then slowly it drifts back and we have to complain again. She always implies that we are the problem and sighs a lot.
Hey-ho.
It makes me sad to hear him. He barked till he was hoarse last autumn.
I hope you have more luck.

Sorry, wrong thread.

This has probably been asked before but before I make a decision, would you have your dog spayed or not? We’ve no intention of breeding from her.

We have had 2 rescues for 15 months. One has separation anxiety and in the early days howled when left. Our son bought us Licki mats - check online. You smear cream cheese/unsalted peanut butter/yogurt on them. Keeps them occupied and they are then calmed down. It has to be accepted that when a dog has had a previous life they will experience issues when rehomed. Now our two get excited when the mats come out so worth suggesting.

Yes, tell the owner. Separation anxiety is awful for the dog and won’t disappear without expert advice for the owner.
Has this poor bitch been over bred from? If she’s been a puppy farm bitch she will have had a tough time

I’m a dog owner and would definitely want to be told if a neighbour was hearing my poor dog howl when I wasn’t there. You’d be doing the right thing in telling her.

She must be told as it’s not nice for the dog very distressing and obviously the neighbours won’t be impressed to hear the poor dog howling!

My nearest neighbour told me this very thing a few weeks ago. She put it a nice way, saying, "It sounds like you have a dinosaur in there!" ?