Muttly

ah the mystery glass of water is really an old trick out of the hat. But a super soaker could be handy for when my neighbour is working on his house - he told me that they gave him a headache:(

yes they just got the mystery glass of water when a friend arrived a little while ago, no howling, all noise ceased. Will try the scary noise and invest in a supersoaker for my neighbour:)

Thanks everyone for some good ideas. Mita I do what you list in the first point, except to tell them to be quiet if barking goes beyond a short period, which they obey. I might have to look at blocking off part of the yard and seeing how that goes. In summer the garage gets very hot, it is just uninsulated metal. Keep the ideas coming!! And Jemappelle would love to hear how the collar goes.

Thanks MrsD 400 metre radius sounds pretty good. I have to find what is available here, electric collars are I think illegal so the BigDog thingy might be too:(Sean has met most of my pack and could see stress levels whilst Souxie the foster dog was here. They relaxed a lot after her but certainly need a break now.

thanks for the ideas. yes fencing off might be an option, or moving to a house with no laneway:( Yes I am aware of the issues with exercise, it is just hard re/ snakes, but then I had one go through my yard the other day, so I probably just have to move on. They can die by snake bite or howling barking. I could try the garage as well. I guess I was just hoping there might be some nifty new collar on the market... as well as putting in some more time (aside from a heck of a lot more company than most dogs get). Working breeds...

Thanks Mooper, just sme of it is complicated by having 4-5 dogs here. Without fosters mine can do the treat balls, marrowbones etc. I don't want to stop fostering, but also don't want to divide my block up. Let me know how you go with the collar enquiry - I am NSW. I have very little hope in Citronella - have not tried it yet, but the zone they go into I think might be Citronella-proof - at least once they empty the cannister.. i used to have such well behaved dogs.....

Working, studying, parenting I am home a lot. But it isn't Sep. anxiety. The trigger is someone going past the laneway and the barks turning into a hell cacophany. I have three busy and vocal working dogs. I am told it only happens when someone goes past the house. My 'problem' BC has always been very vocall, it is just that she and the kelpie have hooked up and found this propensity to howl and bark together. They recently started to do it when people they are attached to visit. I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams that protection barking also is crescending into this. It is a recent discovery. I have only had Diesel the silly black Kelpie since August. My other girls had had about 15 months of foster dogs here by the time he arrived. They formed a pretty tight pack through the last three months and he hasn't really caught on to this whole idea of dogs coming and going. Is stressed as they are. I am going to have a break soon. Exercise is curtailed due to snakes at the moment, it is a very bad area with several dogs dead. Might be neurotic but I feel I can't chance much as I am over 20minutes froma vet. I know I need to leave more interactive toys etc, I am not away often for long periods, maybe couple of times a week for 2-6 hours. Often less, shorter trips, greater frequency. Once this foster re-homes, I can put some time into training, 1:1 and having more bones etc around. But I am concerned that this howling business sounds to have become habitual. I have a neighbour who is very dog-friendly and he hadn't complained to me. I asked him as a matter of course how the noise levels were as I have a few fosters come and go - I never anticipated that my own were a problem. And then when I heard it while walking up the street..... It is de-barking material. So particularly re/ collars etc I would love some advice. I can implement greater exercise (I'll just have to drive a fair way) and more interactive play toys. But this 'aren't we great sounding like the Hounds of the Baskervilles'... I have tried putting them on my deck. Diesel just jumps the 2.5 off it, but at least they are separated. And that worked for two days. Then the 'problem' BC barked for 20 minutes at apparently nothing yesterday....

Would be good to hear from anyone who has had protection drive turn to howling.

Hi, I foster and have three of my own. 2 of mine are the problem though likely in part from stress of foster/pack changes etc. One is a Kelpie Diesel I adopted, adult male already quite mad when arrived - bee chasing, shadows etc, had been I assume a bored only dog, has strong working drives. Second culprit one of my BC's female adult. Bella has always been very protective of property when I am not home in particular, and I live next to a laneway. Bella has always howled at harmonica and sirens. Diesel when he gets very excited (someone he knows arriving) will excited bark but recently then move into howling which Bella joins with and they feed off each other... Recently they have started to do this when protective barking when someone goes past when I am not home. ANd apparently go on for awhile They rarely bark when I am home, and not for long and certainly don't howl... I think they need more activity, more exercise perhaps but overall I am at a bit of a loss to what to do as I am not here when they offend. I think that citronella wouldn't do much with these two monkeys. Any suggestions re/ barking collars etc? Thanks

Graet news Mel. Very very light meal, and yummy breakfast.

Poor Jack, hope nothing too serious.

Beautiful girl. More than a fantastic age for her size and history, you were her most loved and nurturing home. You made such a difference for her, and considered her dignity in the end. I had to do the same with my old boy who was a rescue, 16-17 years old. They are so special, take care of yourselves

So sorry, must be so hard after so long.

Some effect so much more than others. This boy didn't stand a chance as he could be dog aggressive, something his previous owner should have worked on when he was a pup by socialising etc. Instead at 4 years having been a family pet that was good with children and cats, he was dumped at the pound. He like all of them was a special boy, but this boy I think was very special and deserved so much better. Sorry I couldn't help you mate, nor the several others who had the same fate this week. This boy was such a smoochy boy.

Great you are doing some research. i wouldn't have a BC as an only dog, particularly a young dog. Have you thought of a pair of Schnauzers so they are company for each other, especially when your baby arrives, because no matter how well intentioned, the dog will lose some attention from you. There is also a Schnauzer rescue so you could look at dogs that have an already mature and known temperament.

So sorry, was just admiring her on your site the other day. Lucky little sweetheart she looked.

Congrats to Clover - what a girl!

Just saw this thread, so glad he is being a more well if not good boy

So sorry for your loss, and for Tex

We recently lost a foster that had been seen scavenging for several weeks until someone fed him and handed him into the pound. He died from complications from a bowel obstruction. He had several small corn cobs (and their packaging ala fast food outlet) removed. Corn cobs (even without packaging) apparently retain their size, cannot be digested, and can kill them by causing obstructions. One of mine own as a pup used to pulled young corn off the plant and eat it, I am lucky.

Agree with Erny. Most effective tool I found with a very challenging foster dog was 'eating' his food in front of him, and making him wait after seeing his food dished out (out of his reach for a few minutes and only given after a very good solid sit and watching me eating it with sit being maintained). It is pretty basic but effective. I also teach all of my dogs including fosters to look at me before they receive their food. Not a power trip, but a pack trip. Dogs understand it very clearly and they do (I think) actually like and NEED to be pretty clear about pack hierarchy, and it takes a lot of stress and mischief away from them if it is clear that it is you! Makes them feel secure and protected, and that you are worth respecting so taining is easier, everything is - for if you don't have effective leadership everything comes harder etc etc Has helped keep my own dogs safe also with pack composition constantly in flux. Mine get fed within a range of about 4 hours. So my eating may or may not happen first. Aside from having to sit and wait, if there has been any challenge to me from my own dogs, I would be quite happy to instate the eating their food regime, but don't need to, they are responsive, submissive and wanting to please working lines kind-of girls. I do make a point of enjoying and not sharing my food with them though as a matter of course. With new pack members (foster dogs) who are almost invariably male and often initally entire it is a very easy and non-confrontational leadership routine. I also am the bowl controller - they come out with meals, they are licked and cleaned and then fun and resource control ends, I put them away after a few minutes. It starts and ends with me and I am worth pleasing as I am the resource queen. Of course I adore them, but this does work and makes sense to them. It isn't about taking something away from them, but how you give it

Another thing is to make your comings and goings very low key - ignore him, no goodbyes. Once you are inside the house, wait a few minutes before greeting him.

Training sounds like a very good idea. One of ARF's foster dogs came equal first in her class and she is 8-9 years old.

Local vet has been instructed a few times to just use Vit C (because of costs), not one positive outcome. I am 20 minutes from nearest vet on a rural road, that is close to how long you have with an adult brown, tiger bite if it hasn't fed for awhile. After researching it, i have personally chosen to use the valuable seconds getting dog to vet. If I lived well outside of that time in traveling I would use it but certainly not as a stand alone treatment. Good luck, hope it is a scenario that doesn't end up playing out.

So sorry for your loss, you would have given him a lot of loving and he was cared for when he went. Means so much. Take care of yourselves.