need advice asap

It's not likely that a neighbor would know that "you've got until the end of the week..or" unless he sits on the Board of the HOA or knows someone who does.  One thing to consider though is that if you're the renter, you may not always receive the complaints.  Sometimes they go directly to the homeowner.  Still, none of this makes sense.  I own a home in an HOA (never again!!!) and I actually received a ltr about my dogs barking.  The ltr was just an advisory though and not even very threatening.  If you think your dog's barking or howling, I think you owe it to the neighbors to try to remedy the situation though.  Maybe keeping the dog indoors when you're gone would help?  Or doggie daycare is another great idea.

It almost seems like maybe the dog howls when your husband is home and he doesnt like it an wants to get rid of the dog....

 
Not so far fetched.  That's how I got Maska.  His foster mom got a new boyfriend who didn't like the hound whine with his cheese.

Get a written document from the HOA stating their complaint and a reasonable time limit to change things. Interview neighbors as to the nature of their complaint. Don't get mad at them. It may or may not be something your SO dreamed up. Also, ask for proof that your dog is howling and creating a problem. That is, the neighbors or HOA should produce a recording made from the street wherein they can specifically hear your dog's distinctive howl.
 
I have an advantage of having a friend who works with several attorneys, a few of them being retired circuit court judges. But you might be able to find some legal aid, even at a local college with a law degree program.
 

Oh wow  hmm Can you take him too a dog day care when you are away? You said  he does not do it when you are home with him at night.  So maybe if you take him away from the house in the day they will not make you get rid of him? Or maybe a friend would be willing to watch him when you are away.    Wish you lived closer I  would be more then happy to keep the little one when you were off at work.  But atleast you are sticking up for the little guy!!!  Best of luck too ya!!!!

I agree something doesn't sound right about the whole deal. I think the neighbors should have came up to you at first if they were having problems with your dog howling. If they did talk to your husband it seems strange that he didn't come to talk to you that the neighbors were bothered by his howling. I would look into this and make sure about the whole deal before taking any action as of getting him a new home. I would also put a recorded near his cage to see if he howls when everyone is gone or a videocamera.
 
I also think you should have gotten some kind of notice from the HOA it doesn't seem right for them to not put up any notices and take your dog away from you without a warning. I hope you find out some info and see if there is anything you can do to keep Hawk.
 
We'll have our fingers and paws crossed that everything is all right and you don't have to give up Hawk.

Did you talk to the neighbors?

This sounds weird to me, too.  I look forward to an update.  I hope it was just all blown out of proportion.

Well what did you find out? Please keep us updated on the whole situation.

I'm curious too. I'm kinda dealing with the same thing right now. My home is backed to a hill which is open space. When the HOA workers come to work on the landscape on that hill behind my home...my dog barks at them. He barks, because there are strangers on the property and he is warning us that this is happening. I WANT him to do this!!! If I am home, I go out and check out what he is barking at and tell him that it's okay and he can back off. Then he stops. If I am not there he is going to keep barking, because he is warning them to stay away. He doesn't bark at people he knows or dogs he knows. I observed him watch the neighbor take his dog to go relieve herself in that area. He knew them...so he didn't bark. I haven't received a letter yet, but if I do...I want to be armed with knowledge. Luckily, my DH loves our dog! So he won't have any of it either.

Please keep us updated![]

Well I looked at the HOA contract and it says that a written notice must be sent before any action is taken.  It says nothing about confiscating animals out of the yard.    I also spoke to the neighbor behind us. She says its only been happening for a few days and that it is not all day just around 3pm when kids are coming home for school and he quiets down after a short while.  She also informed me that someone threw  firecrackers at him!!!!  OK... hello, no wonder he is making noise.  I have not gotten a chance to speak with the neighbor that spoke to my husband yet.  However after I told him what the other neighbor had told me he became upset and said he was going to find out who has been taunting Hawk by coming home early and staking it out.  So I guess he doesn't hate my baby too much.  His problem is, that he is so pessimestic that he couldn't see the bright side of the sun if it was shinning in his face.  Anyway I am still going to tape record Hawk and I will do my best to wear him out before I leave for the day.  Other than that, I am going to start watching my back so to speak, because maybe they might try to hurt him in someway.  All this is making me very uneasy about leaving Hawk alone even if he is in his kennel.  I may have to find a pet sitter or something.  Thanks for all of your comments.  This situation is not finished, but at least I am beginning to fit some of the pieces together.

Thanks for the update!!  Someone threw firecrackers at Lucy while she was at my aunts house... people are total ********s.  Anyway, glad to hear your DH is concerned, that a good sign.  It is possible that neighbor did tell your DH that as a threat to do something in a week himself if you didnt get rid of him, and in that case I would be very careful and make sure to report anything if you need too...keep us updated!

Firecrackers! how horrible. The dog we had when I was a kid was permanently traumatized by a teenager throwing a firecracker at her. She became violently thunderstorm phobic and would go nuts and try to attack teenage boys after that. Hope your situation isn't that bad..
 
if all else fails, anti-bark collars do exist and are very effective. "getting rid of" a dog because he occasionally makes noise is ridiculous.

Well I managed to talk to my other neighbor today and he apolgized for coming across harshly the other night at my husband.  He informed me that Hawk sometimes howls when it gets dark outside and no one is home.  So once again it is not all day and he said that since it gets dark later now that he hasn't really done it much.  He was just upset because on Sunday morning Hawk got suck outside and howled to be let back in and he had just returned home from the hospital.  I apolgized and told him that I will do my best to keep Hawk busy and to keep him from howling. 

Glad everythings not as serious as it initially sounded.  Hope you told him to come to YOU next time he has a problem with YOUR dog or anything for that matter so that the two of you as neighbors can work it out before going to the HOA right off the bat!