I produce a publication for the general dog public that includes municipal Animal Shelter newsletters. I’m working on an article about re-homing dogs that have come from sport kennel environments. Retired greyhounds, racing sled dogs, hunting kennels etc, where the dog had a job, a schedule, was housed in an area surrounded by dogs, 1 person handler for every group of dogs but no one dog had a personal “person”.

We are running into similar responses from these dogs whether they are sled dogs or retired greyhounds. Most have had fair human socialization and, in the beginning do fine but none can tolerate a schedule change, time alone where they do not know when the person is returning, and exhibit really challenging behavior after a few weeks to a few months. It seems once the dog’s shock of the change wears off, things change. I would think it was like being in the army then moving then going home to a family. The structure is suddenly gone.

The other issue is that they no longer do what they were bred to do or at least not at the consistency or level. A ½ hour skijoring is not the Iditarod.

What brought this to light was attempting to rehome a Saluki X GSP/Husky mix. He was bred by an old time breeder and sent to Alaska at 10 weeks. He has the speed but not the physique for Alaskan winters and did not fit into the team. ( I can’t even get started on these Petri-dish kennel operations. Mix it up and see what comes out but that’s another rant)

I connected the Alaskan sprint sled dog kennel with an interested party. The meeting with the excited new owner went great according to the kennel owner. Four months later the new owner called me and said she could no longer care for Morgan in her apartment in the city with a litany of destruction, separation anxiety, fear, shyness, lack of appetite, the list of issues went on for pages. I liked the dog and asked her to bring him to me. She spent 3 hours at our home before she left Morgan and as each issue came out it became all too clear that, unlike shelter dogs that may have had a home, kennel dogs were an entirely different pile of problems. He fits into our home well because we take the time and focus on the dogs. They are our social life. Despite Morgan’s first 3 years he is a big cuddler, friendly, socialized with other dogs and cats, with a humorous, playful personality. While I see his problems we are addressing each and he seems to be enjoying our environment with a minimum of damage/stress.
Another thing I noticed with Morgan was mimicking the other 3 dogs. I’ve never seen it so pronounced. Things it took weeks or months to train in a group: sit for dinner, down for treats, sit for photos, Morgan did right away.
Yesterday, he taught me not to stand on the long line on a snow packed driveway with a sled dog on the other end. Ouch!

In our state we get hundreds of unclaimed, surrendered, or siezed sled dogs in our shelters or rehomed from the kennel itself.
Other than the shelter dog advice:
Any additional ideas about kennel dog rehab?
As our municipal shelter is expanding with a major renovation, new programs are being added including socialization and new owner education. What could be done to educate the new owners, advise new owners of the challenge of a kennel dog, and any attention at the shelter to prepare the dog for family life?

How can you resist this?
Alaska Dog News

It's an interesting discussion Linda. I have only one brief experience with a greyhound who was shell shocked after being adopted out and was returned. He just did not cope well outside of a kennel environment and would have full on panic episodes in the outside world.

The answer for Frank the greyhound was to live his life in a kennel. To be specific in my vet's kennel as a blood donor. He was happy, loved people, slept at the receptionists feet, was quiet and didn't bark, but if you tried to walk him outside on grass or near the street it was full on bowel explosion panic. Back inside the clinic happy as a clam with the yodel of all the clinic dogs and him sleeping quietly on his kennel bed. Last I knew Frank was in his senior years no longer a blood donor but still content living at the clinic.

The answer to this is not simple. At a certain point you have to look at what is more humane for the dog who is having his world rattled. A dog that is fearful due to lack of structure odds are had the structure taken out of his life a little too suddenly and just simply lacked the ability to cope due to temperament. The answer for some of these dogs is to bring back that stability and structure which is difficult for the average pet owner to impliment as well as understand, for some it's drugs to take the edge off the anxiety while adjusting to these changes, and some sadly are beyond saving if they are a danger to themselves and others.

Fortunatly for our Morgan even though at a sled dog kennel he had house time, a variety of experiences, though crating and alone time were not part of the training. Morgan also gave blood yesterday but would not accept the treats. He was upset but not to the explosive kind. He got stuck at the vets for 4 hours waiting for 2 emergencies to be cared for, that looked like they would need blood.
I think that in the discussion in our newsletter we have to make people aware that this is a slow process. I saw a write up from the Greyhound rescue and they suggested 3 days. Really...

I asked the vet about a mild seditive for the crate fear, he goes in but may panic later. Last week I took him with me to Anchorage 60 miles away. I had one meeting go a little long. Took him to a park right after, its -25 and he decided he was riding in the front seat, all against my rules for traveling but my frozen hands made me bend the rules for the time being. I just gave up rather than freeze trying to get him into the crate.

Food did not work. In the old days I would have just shoved him in but now that would be punishment and he is not the temperement of a Lab at all. The delema for the sled dogs is that the new family may be the first stop in a long line of shelter visits.

Thanks for the reply.
http://www.alaskadognews.com

I have an opposite problem. I rescued a dog that I believe was probably gotten as a puppy and thrown out in the back yard and left that way until almost a year old. I got her at 10 months.
After getting her home, and her beginning to adjust, I can see she has absolutely no idea how to interact with other dogs, or people. When I take her for a walk she runs around all hay wire, and seems to have no directions in mind when walking, in fact the other day as a car passed she tried to run after it. IT takes about one hour for her to finally walk in a straight line with me. She is a very soft dog and once calm, very sweet, and although goofy, very, very smart. She picked up learning tricks watching my other dogs. She has had to learn how to interact with other dogs, (mine at home) the hard way. Of course we supervise, and things have improved. She isn't agressive, but doesn't seem to know when to stop playing, even though the other dogs signal to her they are done.
I have to correct her, or redirect her.
We have had to learn to take it very slow with her. Very slow.
I never realized there was such a problem with kennel dogs and dogs with such schedules readjusting. Its sad what us humans can do to animals. (agree that sometimes it is the best interest of the animal to have them in a kennel until they can be rehomed, but boy, the side effects of long term kennel living!
Have you found any kennels who have incorporated ways to lesson the effects of kennel living?

Thank you for the topic to think on. Very intersting.