Adopting a Dog from a Rescue Shelter

[Boysy]

buzyizzy - Can I just ask if she has come from Chiltern Dog Rescue in Hertfordshire? I know that they take 14 dogs from Romania every month as well as UK rescues as they have expanded their kennels and now have the room for them.

I myself have a Romanian bitch from them, got her last Sept/Oct time and never heard another peep from them from the day we took her home.............. She has zero recall off lead unless in a pack of dogs and has dreadful lead aggression but is fine off lead. She goes to doggy daycare once a week in a pack (different dogs every week) and her recall is perfect all day and zero aggression shown but off lead on her own is zero zilch nader, she is a natural born survival hunter as are most street dogs although surprisingly has no food aggression, she eats anything she can get her mits on though even stuff we would perceive to be totally inedible (my garden is destroyed)

She adapted very quickly to being indoors and was house trained within a week, is affectionate to a degree although aloof a lot of time, she won't come over for a cuddle/stroke unless it's on her terms or she wants food, I'm used to cuddly dogs that like nothing more than being tickled and kissed which has been odd to get used to.

However the on-lead aggression is difficult to live with as we are surrounded by dogs round here who are mostly off lead and bound over with useless owners who couldn't give a stuff at the 'get away' vibes that my dog is clearly giving off then bellow as my dog launches for theirs! Unfortunately this is also now transferring to people who approach her which in my mind is a big fat no behaviour in any situation so she will now be muzzled for her own safety until this is cracked on the head so to speak and we have luckily found a local behaviourist who has said this should be an easy problem to solve together. Price is no-where near what you have been quoted though.

 

[Fragglerock]

I adopted her at the beginning of February. Had a few issues at first, but basically I firmly believe she had no tests done at all. She was fed and walked and that was all. I wasn't allowed to see her in her kennel, she was brought to me and she was considerably overweight. I have spoken to them several times, but haven't had any support or suggestions. They are only interested if all is going well, otherwise tough bananas. In desperation this morning I went thru all the numbers of dog behaviourists until I got to speak to someone and we had an extremely eye opening chat. I have now contacted my local behaviourist and waiting to hear from him. I don't blame her at all for her issues, I do blame the charity for not telling me as the one thing I did need was a sociable dog, and that she certainly isn't (yet). :frown3:

ETA yes it was a small scale rescue

My parents had exactly the same thing. They have had a behaviourist for a couple of hours and that left them feeling more optimistic - next time he comes he is going to go out for a walk with them. Their problem is the dog next door is as bad as theirs and they are very aggressive towards each other although they have a wooden fence between them. I can't see that ever changing.

 

[RIDMagic]

We adopted a staffie from the RSPCA. They told us he was suitable for children aged 6 and above. We got him home, he was very territorial, aggressively protective of toys and after a few days we had an incident when for about 10 seconds I genuinely thought he was about to rip me to shreds. RSPCA totally not interested, made me out to be a liar, he was re-adopted to another family where he ended up biting someone and was sadly put to sleep. I don't know what had happened to this poor dog to make him that way, but he needed an experienced owner who could deal with his issues. They did no tests whatsoever which was a dangerous mistake as we could have had children, and he could have easily killed a child. I would never adopt from the RSPCA again. A shame as I'm sure others have had better experiences with them.

 

[buzyizzy]

buzyizzy - Can I just ask if she has come from Chiltern Dog Rescue in Hertfordshire? I know that they take 14 dogs from Romania every month as well as UK rescues as they have expanded their kennels and now have the room for them.

I myself have a Romanian bitch from them, got her last Sept/Oct time and never heard another peep from them from the day we took her home.............. She has zero recall off lead unless in a pack of dogs and has dreadful lead aggression but is fine off lead. She goes to doggy daycare once a week in a pack (different dogs every week) and her recall is perfect all day and zero aggression shown but off lead on her own is zero zilch nader, she is a natural born survival hunter as are most street dogs although surprisingly has no food aggression, she eats anything she can get her mits on though even stuff we would perceive to be totally inedible (my garden is destroyed)

She adapted very quickly to being indoors and was house trained within a week, is affectionate to a degree although aloof a lot of time, she won't come over for a cuddle/stroke unless it's on her terms or she wants food, I'm used to cuddly dogs that like nothing more than being tickled and kissed which has been odd to get used to.

However the on-lead aggression is difficult to live with as we are surrounded by dogs round here who are mostly off lead and bound over with useless owners who couldn't give a stuff at the 'get away' vibes that my dog is clearly giving off then bellow as my dog launches for theirs! Unfortunately this is also now transferring to people who approach her which in my mind is a big fat no behaviour in any situation so she will now be muzzled for her own safety until this is cracked on the head so to speak and we have luckily found a local behaviourist who has said this should be an easy problem to solve together. Price is no-where near what you have been quoted though.

No, she was from South West GSD Rescue which rescues GSDs (obvs) as well as GSD crosses. Having been told that once she has been in the UK for more than 6 months the charity will have her, they have now said they can't say for definite when they can have her. They have all her details plus a photo, so very committed, but I need her rehomed. Just about to take her out again today as I am off work, but I can't say it's much fun and the folks around here are definitely getting fed up with her.

 

[WeeLassie]

No, she was from South West GSD Rescue which rescues GSDs (obvs) as well as GSD crosses. Having been told that once she has been in the UK for more than 6 months the charity will have her, they have now said they can't say for definite when they can have her. They have all her details plus a photo, so very committed, but I need her rehomed. Just about to take her out again today as I am off work, but I can't say it's much fun and the folks around here are definitely getting fed up with her.

So, BizzyIzzy - on Wed lunchtime you feel shes making progress and you are keeping her to see how she goes. Then Thursday you say shes come into season and you are annoyed. Then today you say you are letting her go to another charity and are going to lie to where you got her from and say you rehomed her.
She is aggressive, presumably big and a danger to other dogs.
Why can you not go back to where she came from and tell the truth? They may pay for her to be spayed.
Passing her around to yet another home doesnt seem kind- as someone suggested above maybe you should be brave, do not let other people cloud your judgement and get her PTS? Seems the best thing to do IMO, before someone gets hurt. Not all dogs are rehomable.

 

[SpottyMare]

Just wanted to say that I had a very good behaviourist out to my husky, and it cost me £50, not £300 - I got a full written report, with suggestions on what needed to be worked on. He also didn't insist I had to use him for any additional training - was happy for me to use another trainer, or crack on myself and he would provide support on an ad hoc basis if I needed it. He also did some training in a secure field with my mum's dog who was reactive to other dogs (bringing one of his own as a 'target') and very quickly we got her to focus on me and ignore the other dog.

I'm currently working with the same techniques on the husky (the original issue was different) as he's dog reactive, but mainly because he wants to play - unfortunately, he has no dog manners (lack of socialisation I think) so I end up with a husky x tigger kite on the end of the lead...which has the effect generally of scaring the other dogs (and their owners!) and annoying my other dog... As getting him to focus is 1 step forward and 2 back, I now have a couple of strategies I use to get his attention on me..
1. If he's not listening to my voice and the 'look at me' command, I keep a squeaky toy in my pocket which is sometimes more effective at getting his attention
2. I keep a very short lead in my pocket that I clip onto his collar so he can't bounce so much, and is close
3. High value treat waved under his nose along with the 'look at me' command - he gets the treat if he keeps his focus, but this has to be repeated several times on one encounter if necessary
4. Lots of fuss after the event and he's tried.

There are a couple of dog owners around me who realise he's not being aggressive, and who will stop and chat - similarly to your dog, he then calms down of his own accord. We have got to the point where we can pass other dogs without incident on the lanes, but we're still having to work on encounters where they are any closer, or they bark at him.

The chap I consulted is based in Tewkesbury, so I was wondering if you were in the area (as you got your dog from SW GSD Rescue) - it might be worth a try? Even if you still want to rehome her, it may make walking her in the meantime more enjoyable for both of you.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Have you spoken to a good dog trainer & vet? My first step would be to find out why the dog is behaving this way- could likely be fear. Could also be age related (I.e puberty?)

Its possible the dog may have been tested, but is reacting to being in a new situation (new handler, food, different dogs, living arrangements)

It's not easy rescuing a dog, (as you know!) particularly from abroad. You definitely need patience, experience & lots of time to understand & manage behaviours ,But I truly believe there are very few behaviours that cannot be changed- you just need to tap into what motivates your dog.

I hope you get to the bottom of it asap so you & your dog can get some enjoyment out of your time together

 

[Clodagh]

Not really hugely aimed at the OP, but anyone thinking rescuing a foreign import dog is the way to go should read this thread.

 

[attheponies]

Not really hugely aimed at the OP, but anyone thinking rescuing a foreign import dog is the way to go should read this thread.

Agree, I'm sorry but to me it is just wrong to bring in rescue dogs from abroad when there are so many dogs already in rescue here needing homes. One of the other liveries has just rescued a young dog from Romania and poor little mite has a lot of issues.

 

[TheresaW]

When we first took on Aled, I posted numerous times about his guarding issues. He’s is not food aggressive in any way shape or form, but he will take a mobile phone off the side, the tv remote, or something else so obscure, and becomes so aggressive if you try to take it back. We manage him now, but we don’t have children. I did have to shout at my MiL when she stayed at Christmas and despite me telling her to leave him, she decided to march in. I know how to distract him and get the end result.

Had Aled ended up in a shelter, the chances are, this behaviour would never have shown up. We had been warned about it before hand, but he’d been with us a good 6 weeks or so before it raised its head.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Agree, I'm sorry but to me it is just wrong to bring in rescue dogs from abroad when there are so many dogs already in rescue here needing homes. One of the other liveries has just rescued a young dog from Romania and poor little mite has a lot of issues.

Why on earth is it 'wrong'?

Just wondering as I can't say Ive ever felt wrong giving my little rescue dog from bosnia a loving home .

 

[Clodagh]

Why on earth is it 'wrong'?

Just wondering as I can't say Ive ever felt wrong giving my little rescue dog from bosnia a loving home .

Wrong if they end up being too much for the adoptee, who no doubt set out with the best of intentions. And what if they attack the neighbours dog? Or God forbid the neighbours children? Their issues can be way beyond the average owner and love cannot fix all.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Wrong if they end up being too much for the adoptee, who no doubt set out with the best of intentions. And what if they attack the neighbours dog? Or God forbid the neighbours children? Their issues can be way beyond the average owner and love cannot fix all.

So perhaps you should rephrase & say it's not the right thing for some owners.

 

[AmyMay]

Why on earth is it 'wrong'?

Just wondering as I can't say Ive ever felt wrong giving my little rescue dog from bosnia a loving home .

It's not wrong per se, and no one would begrudge any animal being given a chance of a loving home and happiness. But it does seem totally crazy to me to adopt from abroad - when kennels here are full to bursting.

 

[AmyMay]

Going back to the original post.

I'd have her put down.

The rescue may make a song and dance about it. But unless they enquire, I simply wouldn't tell them. But if you did want to inform them (after the fact) they can't pursue you in any way.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

It's not wrong per se, and no one would begrudge any animal being given a chance of a loving home and happiness. But it does seem totally crazy to me to adopt from abroad - when kennels here are full to bursting.

I looked at dogs here for years, never saw anything suitable. Saw mine & knew it was meant to be. There are standards of care in the kennels in the Uk, unlike other parts of the world where dogs can be kept in horrendous conditions.

We could say the same for any animal. Horse rescues in the UK are full to bursting, yet horses are imported from abroad. You choose the animal that suits you. What really is wrong is backyard breeders selling fashionably named crossbreed dogs for ridiculous prices & dogs being bred to be asthetically pleasing to us humans, to the detriment of the dogs health....but thats a whole other subject!

 

[AmyMay]

I cant disagree with much of what you say.

It still doesn't sit well with me though, sorry.

 

[SOS]

Why on earth is it 'wrong'?

Just wondering as I can't say Ive ever felt wrong giving my little rescue dog from bosnia a loving home .

I know you didn’t quote me but I put a similar post up earlier in this thread. I have nothing against the animals that come over, I’m sure like most dogs out there they are lovely beings that come right with a bit of love. And although I agree to an extent with amymay that it is slightly bizarre to be bringing more unwanted animals into a country brimming with unwanted animals, that’s not my main issue.

Whether you had a good experience or not, a small amount of research into these ‘rescues abroad’ can actually uncover a lot of corruption and profit. Like everything there will be good guys and bad guys. However the cost of importing the dog over is often inflated, paperwork has been known to be fabricated which puts our animals in the UK at risk and some say, supposedly like the dog of the OP, spay wounds have been falsely created. I agree back yard breeding is a terrible problem, and trust me it’s something I hope to campaign against in future, but is this not on paper very similar? Bringing more dogs into the UK, with dubious health, falsifying paperwork, overcharging people. They could, in theory, even breed dogs for demand.

Again I am sure there are genuine rescues out there but I would urge people to stick to UK rescues which *should* conduct thorough assessments of the animal.

 

[stormox]

Going back to the original post.

I'd have her put down.

The rescue may make a song and dance about it. But unless they enquire, I simply wouldn't tell them. But if you did want to inform them (after the fact) they can't pursue you in any way.

Same here

 

[el_Snowflakes]

I know you didn’t quote me but I put a similar post up earlier in this thread. I have nothing against the animals that come over, I’m sure like most dogs out there they are lovely beings that come right with a bit of love. And although I agree to an extent with amymay that it is slightly bizarre to be bringing more unwanted animals into a country brimming with unwanted animals, that’s not my main issue.

Whether you had a good experience or not, a small amount of research into these ‘rescues abroad’ can actually uncover a lot of corruption and profit. Like everything there will be good guys and bad guys. However the cost of importing the dog over is often inflated, paperwork has been known to be fabricated which puts our animals in the UK at risk and some say, supposedly like the dog of the OP, spay wounds have been falsely created. I agree back yard breeding is a terrible problem, and trust me it’s something I hope to campaign against in future, but is this not on paper very similar? Bringing more dogs into the UK, with dubious health, falsifying paperwork, overcharging people. They could, in theory, even breed dogs for demand.

Again I am sure there are genuine rescues out there but I would urge people to stick to UK rescues which *should* conduct thorough assessments of the animal.

Yes, that really sounds awful (re- fraudulent paperwork & spay wounds) however that is definite wrong doing on the charities part. As the owner of a rescue , I know a lot of others who have rescues & I haven’t met anyone who has experienced anything like that. In my experience our home and lifestyle was vetted & we had to go through checks and inspections to make sure we were suitable to adopt (felt a bit like we were adopting a child!) our dog was already in foster in the UK & I think the fact that the foster family were absolutely amazing & wanted the best home for the dog really helped as we had more contact with them than the charity.

I don’t think dogs from abroad are for everyone- particularly new owners as bringing them here for them to end up back in kennels is just adding to the problem. However, if like me- there is no problem you wouldn’t work through (& believe me we have had some) then I’d highly recommend it. I cannot tell you how rewarding it is. If your not into intense training & have young kids etc it might not be for you.
When we got our 6 months ago she was as good as feral- didn’t really know any commands (could sit, but not very reliably,) she now understands about 15-20 obedience commands & has started agility training & some canicross style running

In my experience it’s the best thing I’ve ever done

Going back to the OP - how are u getting on now? Can I just say, if she has on lead aggression I don’t see that as a massive or unusual issue! If you are on FB have you checked the naughty but nice training page? Lots of tips and advice for owners of reactive dogs. If anyone thinks a rescue will have zero issues then they are dreaming! Our has been major separation anxiety which although is still there it’s reduced massively through patience, training & consistency

 

[louf]

I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but it seems to me that,yes you have clearly been misled about some relevant pieces of information about your dog, such as the spaying, but it sounds to me as if she has a clear case of lead aggression/reactivity. We have adopted 4 dogs in the last 10 years, two of which have been seriously lead reactive and one which is reactive when she’s with the reactive boy we still have. It’s a case of patience and calm behaviour when walking them on lead. I have to make sure that I distract and treat our boy if there are other dogs near when he is on lead but not once would I have sent either of them back to kennels. He is now 7 and he was 8 months old when we got him - he is much better but will always have reaction issues. When you take on a rescue dog you must expect issues and if there are few then you are extremely lucky. Our boy had 4 homes before he came to us and that has contributed some way to his reactive behaviour - if you pass a dog from pillar to post then it will certainly become a problem dog. You can manage a lead reactive dog fairly easily most of the time by planning ahead with walks and times of the day. To put a dog down because it’s lead reactive is criminal. Apologies if I have misread the post but this is the impression I am getting. All of our dogs have been amazing in the house also. It is their safe place

 

[planete]

If all lead reactive dogs were put down that would certainly solve the dog overpopulation problem . It is actually quite a common problem and needs managing and desensitisation training. And of course an owner who cares enough about the dog to make an effort to help him or her.

 

[buzyizzy]

I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but it seems to me that,yes you have clearly been misled about some relevant pieces of information about your dog, such as the spaying, but it sounds to me as if she has a clear case of lead aggression/reactivity. We have adopted 4 dogs in the last 10 years, two of which have been seriously lead reactive and one which is reactive when she’s with the reactive boy we still have. It’s a case of patience and calm behaviour when walking them on lead. I have to make sure that I distract and treat our boy if there are other dogs near when he is on lead but not once would I have sent either of them back to kennels. He is now 7 and he was 8 months old when we got him - he is much better but will always have reaction issues. When you take on a rescue dog you must expect issues and if there are few then you are extremely lucky. Our boy had 4 homes before he came to us and that has contributed some way to his reactive behaviour - if you pass a dog from pillar to post then it will certainly become a problem dog. You can manage a lead reactive dog fairly easily most of the time by planning ahead with walks and times of the day. To put a dog down because it’s lead reactive is criminal. Apologies if I have misread the post but this is the impression I am getting. All of our dogs have been amazing in the house also. It is their safe place

I think I am safe in assuming by the way you have written your comments, that you do not work long hours. I cannot pick and choose the hours I take her out, she has to go when I am available. I was assured she was dog friendly and I emphasised how important it was given the location of my home. It was stated on the advertisement that she was dog friendly and that she was spayed. On the one occasion she met a dog when not on the lead, the dog had to be taken to the vet because of her injuries. Please don't judge what you haven't seen.

 

[buzyizzy]

If all lead reactive dogs were put down that would certainly solve the dog overpopulation problem . It is actually quite a common problem and needs managing and desensitisation training. And of course an owner who cares enough about the dog to make an effort to help him or her.

The rescue charity were very aware of the home she was coming into and the circumstances. Please don't judge what you have not seen as those of my neighbours and my good friends will tell you she is not just "lead reactive" so don't assume you can all be trainers on a forum without meeting the dog, owner or having been given all the facts. Now that is criminal.

 

[louf]

It wasn’t a judgement - merely an observation as I said I may have got the wrong end of the stick. Both myself and my partner work long-ish hours but that isn’t the point - I get up at 5 to walk them and my partner walks them at 8am and then comes home at lunchtime and lets them out and then they are walked again in the afternoon/evening. My point is that most issues can be worked with but if you don’t have the time to exercise her or to work on her issues then perhaps you should have thought about taking on a rescue in the first place. Having said that I know someone who is a rehoming officer for the rescue you got her from so I will speak to her about your issues if you would like some help. Apologies if I offended - that was not the intention. I just wanted to offer support.
People are only offering help, not making judgements and as we are not all in the position of knowing the full story we can only respond to what you have posted.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

The rescue charity were very aware of the home she was coming into and the circumstances. Please don't judge what you have not seen as those of my neighbours and my good friends will tell you she is not just "lead reactive" so don't assume you can all be trainers on a forum without meeting the dog, owner or having been given all the facts. Now that is criminal.

Unfortunately on a forum, people can only judge based of the info you have given. I may have missed part of your original post which said it had injured another dog, it sounded like she was only aggressive on lead. I'm also not sure how long you've had the dog, if relatively new I wouldn't have let it off lead with other dogs based on what the charity had told me until I'd tested it myself. I def think it would be a great idea (& responsible) to desensitise your dog to a muzzle to protect other dogs.

i think you've had some really good advice on here. If you work long hours was rescuing a dog really the right decision? You say not to judge but you have judged the person who wrote above assuming they don't work long hours. There is no need to be defensive, no one is claiming to be an expert but are drawing from our own experience (which is always great to share)

Have you consulted a trainer yet or are you battling away on your own ? Whats happened re the charity lying to you is really shocking but it's happened (unfortunately) & now your stuck in a crap situation which you need to move forward from. Have a one to one session (home visit) from a trainer so they can see the issues (might come as a surprise to you that we sometimes need to review our own behaviour!) I think mine was about £50 for an hour and a half, & I continue to go every week to her class (£10 a week) you wouldn't believe the transformation of some of the dogs since I've been going. It's a great support network too.

 

[louf]

Unfortunately on a forum, people can only judge based of the info you have given. I may have missed part of your original post which said it had injured another dog, it sounded like she was only aggressive on lead. I'm also not sure how long you've had the dog, if relatively new I wouldn't have let it off lead with other dogs based on what the charity had told me until I'd tested it myself. I def think it would be a great idea (& responsible) to desensitise your dog to a muzzle to protect other dogs.

i think you've had some really good advice on here. If you work long hours was rescuing a dog really the right decision? You say not to judge but you have judged the person who wrote above assuming they don't work long hours. There is no need to be defensive, no one is claiming to be an expert but are drawing from our own experience (which is always great to share)

Have you consulted a trainer yet or are you battling away on your own ? Whats happened re the charity lying to you is really shocking but it's happened (unfortunately) & now your stuck in a crap situation which you need to move forward from. Have a one to one session (home visit) from a trainer so they can see the issues (might come as a surprise to you that we sometimes need to review our own behaviour!) I think mine was about £50 for an hour and a half, & I continue to go every week to her class (£10 a week) you wouldn't believe the transformation of some of the dogs since I've been going. It's a great support network too.

Agree with everything you say Snowflakes

 

[Southern]

This dog does not need to be put to sleep. It sounds like (without seeing her) she could be responsive to correct training but also be aware that she may never be truly consistent with her aggression redirection.
If she's not suitable for your situation then plenty of homes exist where it doesn't really matter if a dog is socialised or not. They live a happy healthy life without other canine interaction. We have such a rescued dog in our family. He prefers human company. Has it all day and has a 32 acre property to enjoy on his own.
If you miss the bus for socialisation it needn't be a death sentence. It just suits a different lifestyle.

 

[planete]

The rescue charity were very aware of the home she was coming into and the circumstances. Please don't judge what you have not seen as those of my neighbours and my good friends will tell you she is not just "lead reactive" so don't assume you can all be trainers on a forum without meeting the dog, owner or having been given all the facts. Now that is criminal.

If you care enough you will get the advice of a behaviourist experienced with the problems you and your dog are having and who can see what is happening. You have been advised to do this repeatedly but seem to prefer to go on arguing on a forum. I will not post again as I feel we are wasting our time.

 

[Clodagh]

You have to worry about a rescue that rehomes an entire as spayed! How efficient - not. I suspect they would have trouble telling the truth about anything if they cannot know that.