Dogs in rescue kennels. How long is too long?

I had a chat with dougie about this at the weekend, then sadly on the forum today there was a very sad thread re: a young staffie who had to be pts today as he was not coping in kennels, such a devistating situation for the pup/rescue to be in.
http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php?t=119033

I just wondered what thoughts people had on this,

how long in rescue kennels is ideal? I know all dogs differ in there way of coping with kennel life,

but if a dog is there for a very long time and has had not found a home, what should be done? should the dog be pts?

I often think it may be of use to move dogs out of the area into other kennels to help widen there chance, something the sspca used to do if a dog didnt find a home in one kennel,

its a very sad subject but just wondered how long should dogs be expected to live in rescue?

Some dogs cope and some don't. Dtaffies and collies are often bad, greyhounds and foxhounds seem to manage better.

Bit of a generalisation.

I don't think there is a definitive answwer.

rune

Such a hard question, one the one hand you dont want to jeapordise the chance of a home, but then how long do you keep a dog in a situation that some like poor spence just cannot deal with. Also they spend so long in kennels that they become too used to it and cannot cope or will take a LONg time to settle if they do get a new home.

I know that there are thousands of staffies in particular who drive themselves insane in rescue kennels because they just cannot deal with it.

Perhaps moving them is an option, but its finding space alot of the time, and also the costs and transport issues involved especially if its a small rescue who just rent kennels etc.( like us)

I really dont know the answer actually, but it breaks my heart as I dread to think how many dont make it due to kennel stress or just no one asking about them...

spence's thread just really got me today poor wee man

Lola was in kennels for 8 months..from 4 months old to a year old..the staff said she would never be toilet trained...as she was always dirty in her kennel..

When I met her to transport her to her new home, she was full of life, bouncy and positively nuts lol

However after 3wks in a new home she was returned to me..we ultimately kept her as she kept bouncing back to us..

she calmed down within 2-3wks..was toilet trained in the same time and learned lots of things..we took her back after 5wks to change her chip details and the staff were amazed at the difference in her..

i think it depends on the dog..she probably could have coped for longer but was a calmer dog outwith the kennels

me too, and I hadnt met him as he was in aberdeen, but we have too many in kennels and it really could be any one of them - its just awful.

He was 9 months OLD it just is beyond belief that a dog at that age is not wanted and effectively dies due to it.

and yet all the freeads and gumtree have pups a ten to a dozen

I think you have to look case by case.

Its the same with special needs dogs to a point....that perfect home could always turn up tomorrow.

Its a nasty situation to have to be in, and for the people who have bonded with this guy and cannot help him it must be truely horrific.

You can't save them all

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ditto

Ditto
The reason we took Mo was because she was so stressed in the kennels. (so part Greyhounds don't cope rune )
Another Lurcher in the kennels was there for around a year and coped beautifully with kennel life.
I don't know why that poor little Staffy wasn't homed so sad

As others have said I dont think you can put a time on it as each dog has an individual case.
That story of the little staff is SO sad. I am wondering how hard they tried to get him a foster home. I am not slating the rescue but he was only 9 MONTHS!! If they had an appeal out in newspapers and things they would have surely found a home for him.
I know I have applied to foster in the past for several rescues and most didnt reply......and it couldnt have just been cos i wasnt suitable as I didnt have to put a lot of details down. I just think rescues are so busy things just arent happening sometimes.