Rescue dogs are "problem dogs"

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

I did not want to highjack another thread but was concerned by a few comments re rescue dogs.

It is just not correct that rescue dogs are difficult dogs or all of them have problems.

80% of people that have had a rescue dog say that they will rehome a rescue again.

If you are getting a rescue dog there is a huge variety of dogs to choose from - giving you more chance to get the right dog for your family.

You will know of any health issues with your dog as they will have had a full vet assessment


A good rescue will offer support and training and life time help for your rescue dog. They will have qualified staff to help.

Often there is less training required with a rescue dog than a puppy.

You can see the dog fully formed. With a puppy it can be hit and miss what you are going to get in the way of behaviour, health etc by the time you find out your dog is 18 months old. If you are inexperienced with dogs take a behaviourist with you at this point to help you choose the correct dog.

Things to consider when getting a rescue dog

Foreign street dogs may look cute but they have been feral and have learnt how to survive on their own - they will all need extra special care and training so not for the faint hearted.

Do choose a reputable rescue not a rescue without backup.

Do not be insulted if the rescue say you are not suitable for a specific dog - they have the dogs interest at heart and be encouraged that this rescue will find the correct dog for you.

Be very clear in your expectations of the dog and what you are able to offer to the dog and make sure the rescue knows of your life style.

Be prepared for it to take time for the rescue to find you the correct dog - it is worth the wait.

Consider where you are rescuing from and where they get there dogs from.

Be aware that a dog can be rehomed for many reasons, death of owner, relocation of owners, ill health of owners, financial difficulties of owners. Often the rehoming is through no fault of the dog at all.


Having a new dog will always demand changes from you to allow it to thrive whether that is a puppy or a rescue dog. You will have to make major changes to your life style when getting a dog and this is no different from getting a rescue or a puppy.

Please do not dismiss all rescues.

[BabySharkDooDooDooDoo]

Thank you argentino he is mostly all black with a white blaze and a full front white paw and half white paw on the other front leg. Id love to know his cross as when the sun hits him he goes a gorgeous chocolatey colour. So maybe been a brindle staffy and a black lab or chocolate lab and black staffy

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

The research is pretty conclusive that dogs will be affected by insufficient stimulation at 5 weeks and that this can not be reversed.

There have been studies that have used counter conditioning to help the fears and although it has helped, the dogs are not as "bomb proof" as the puppies getting the stimulation. This was measured through physical responses eg heart rate etc as well as observation.

Dogs reared on the streets are interesting and spreads the studies out to habitation as well as socialisation and how it affects them. Of course this has been harder to study but one small study shows that street puppies can socialise with humans at a much earlier age than home reared puppies and do choose to have human interaction. Probably for reasons of survival as where their are humans there is food.

Interestingly the Guide dogs have over the years done their own studies and came to the conclusion that breeding their own puppies was more successful than training older dogs as the dogs were more resilient. They also found putting the puppies into foster homes at the age of 6 weeks also meant the puppy would be more resilient and successful as a guide dog. However the puppy was getting the correct socialisation with knowledgeable trainers.

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

Sparkles I am sorry you had a difficult experience but delighted you now have the dog you wished for.

Babyshark There is nothing as great as a staffy grin

[Cyw2018]

My parents rescue dog has just turned 14, they got him when he was approximately 7 months. He has been a fantastic dog his entire life, and has never been in Kennels as he has a choice of second homes to go and stay at when required.

[AWomanNamedSpartacus]

We've had two rescue dogs, brought into our family as young adult dogs within 18 months of each other, over 12 years ago. We knew nothing of their background as they were brought to the rescue as strays. Both came with "baggage". Our first had some separation anxiety at first (mainly chewing shoes), solved by giving him soft toys and building trust. The second had been visibly abused and had recently had pups (no sign of them when she was rescued ), and was terrified and cowering when we first brought her home. Solved by gentle handling, and building trust. Both also came with health problems (which we knew about before adopting them) brought about by neglect in their previous lives. But with love, attention, and taking them to basic dog training classes (sit, stay, come, heel, etc) they became the most wonderful additions to our family. Beautiful natures, gentle, loving and loyal. Our first rescue, our beautiful boy, was pts last year (inoperable cancer) at 13+ years old. Losing him broke our hearts. Our second, our gorgeous girl, lives on in her old age (15+ years). She is an absolute pleasure, just wonderful.
Please, to anyone who is considering doing so, don't dismiss giving a rescue dog a home. Give them a chance, a bit of time, a safe home and a lot of love. They may return your investment by giving back more joy than you could ever imagine.

[AWomanNamedSpartacus]

Oh, and when the time comes, we would take another rescue dog in a heartbeat!

[Sparkles1992]

Thank you @Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten shame it didn't work out but hopefully someone with more experience has her now. 🐶

[Allycumpooster]

I have littermates. One I got age 9 weeks the other I “rescued” or rehomed age 10 months.
They are completely different. One is brazen, confident, naughty and has great drive the other is timid, shy, reactive and needy. I’d love to say it was the rescue who is the confident one but sadly no, he is very anxious and a tricky dog to handle. His sister is not an easy dog either but that is more down to her terrier tenacity than behaviour problems.
I love them both very much and I hope my rescue boy continues to develop as he has been since living with us. It’s not been easy but it is very rewarding seeing his little improvements.

[adaline]

I think it's great that people are willing to adopt rescues but I admit I get fed up of reading that it's the ideal way to get a dog.

Not everyone can get rescues, for starters. We were turned down because we both work, even though we had daycare and walkers lined up ready to go. Others are refused because they live in flats or have small children.

And even if you could get one, not everyone wants to and that's okay. Surely it's better that dogs go to homes and to owners who really want them? I don't think it's always a good idea to encourage everyone to rescue dogs.

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Completely agree. I can't find the article now but I did see a list of top reasons why dogs are rehomed - and it was all stuff like having a new baby, moving house, change in working house, owner ill / died... it was pretty much all stuff to do with owner circumstances rather than behaviour. Now, it may be that when you dig a bit deeper some of them will have a behavioural element (e.g. how is dog behaving towards the new baby), but the top stated reasons had very little to do with the dog itself. As almost all dogs are bought as puppies once I suspect these figures would be fairly illuminating... if I could actually find them!

As for adopting a rescue dog... I accidentally acquired a dog from a friend with a bit of a sad back story (and none of the usual assessment / advice / support that you get when rehoming from a charity). He has behavioural problems, but he's brilliant 99% of the time, I adore him, and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat even with 20/20 hindsight (albeit a bit more skilfully second time around! I've learned a lot along the way). Even the dogs with issues can be fab dogs in the right home.

[Pumpkintopf]

We have a wonderful rescue ex racing greyhound and have volunteered at the local sanctuary walking these lovely dogs. They are a wonderful gentle loving breed, would recommend them to anyone.

[BagelGoesWalking]

Rescue dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Not all are broken or have issues. Many have been in rescue since they were born and then adopted straight after.

Many are well socialised by a good rescue, many are not in kennels but in foster homes (small rescues especially) so they have "normal" lives and can easily adapt to another family environment.

I fostered 2 rescue dogs, ex street dogs and they were the sweetest things. No issues with toilet training, no chewing, barking, aggression over food whatsoever. No issues with other dogs, the only issue was recall training as they're used to wandering but that kind of training is necessary for any dog.

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

Adaline I agree a rescue dog is not always the right way to get a dog. I have dogs from breeders as well as rescues.

However the reasons you give for rescues turning down people are valid and again are from experience from the rescue.

People that work are more likely to return a dog to rescue - fact figures prove it for the last 15 years is has been consistent. Also if working full time it is impossible to have a puppy anyway.

People with children will need to have the dog checked thoroughly for the reasons mentioned on the other post - this is time consuming for the rescue and it may be quicker and easier to rehome to a childless home HOWEVER many rescues do rehome to houses with children and will have fully assessed the dog - so just a matter of doing research.

Living in flats well the rescues have a point not every dog would be happy with that situation - they would tolerate it but .....

I have been turned down for a rescue dog on an occasion it is not a personal dig if you are refused, just not the right dog or situation for you. Good rescues offer life time support so do need to get the rehoming correct or else the dogs will just be pinging back to them.

I just would like the message to get across that buying a puppy fro a breeder is not a blank page as people think, that puppy will have had a lot of character health and behaviour issues already iembedded in them at 8 weeks.

Rescue dogs get judged incorrectly and puppies get given labels that they can not live up to.

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

Bagel interesting about your street dogs and their love of humans.

There is a some excellent research about how dogs became domesticated and that started with village dogs in very early civilisations of humans. The village dogs realised that by pleasing humans they got food reward and hence dogs began to "work", please the villagers. Hence the early domestication of dogs and the major difference between wolves and dogs. Wolves don't give a shit about humans!

The street dogs are still using the same technique to survive

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

After collies (just kidding!) there is no better rescue dog than a greyhound Pumpkintopf

Lying on the sofa legs in the air just chillin......

[Costacoffeeplease]

Please don’t do the same and tar all foreign rescues as problem dogs. Dogs and puppies go to the UK from here (Portugal). Recently two 4 month old pups were homed in the uk - I had bottle fed them from 1 day old when they were found by the side of the road. Once weaned they went to foster homes, and then to the UK to forever homes. They’re not all ‘street’ dogs who have been fending for themselves

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

Agree Costa Absolutely not all foreign dogs are street dogs. I hate seeing the puppies being sold in markets in Portugal but that is another thread

[BagelGoesWalking]

The first foster I had only got nervous once when we passed someone raking up leaves. I reckoned she has been threatened or hit with brooms/sticks in her previous life. But, even then, not one bark or growl, just gently backed away and went to the side furthest away.

Pic shows 20mth old Cyprus Poodle looking for a home.

[Beaverhausen]

I rescued my old boy 12 years ago from Dogs Trust, I was his last hope, he had been returned 3 times before he was only 2 years old.

I have never had a problem with him, was warned that when I had my daughter from the volunteer who works for DT that I would have to have him PTS as he would not accept my daughter and would be a problem dog.

He has never bitten her or any of my other pets and has been her best friend since day 1.

Sadly my old boy is on his last legs at 14 and I am hoping he makes another few, as my partner always says we will be long gone and old Jack will still be bumping along.

Rescue dogs are not problem dogs at all it is how you treat them and how you handle their problem and whether you are the right fit for a dog.

[Wolfiefan]

Very interesting. I bought a pup from a very good breeder. She has had separation issues and anxiety issues. We have had foot chewing and allergies and all sorts of things.
She's not keen on people she doesn't know and finds strangers approaching her quite intimidating sometimes. I couldn't tell any of that from meeting her as a pup.
A rescue that's been in foster is a much more "known" entity and the rescue (if they're decent) will be able to find the most suitable home and offer after care and support.
We didn't rescue due to already having cats and kids and preferring a certain breed. (The cats were also kittens when we took them on. Buggers. If we get any more they will also be adult rescues like our last ones. It was much clearer how they would get on together and suit our household.)
Interesting about socialisation. Mine came from a massive litter. Wonder if that had an effect?

[parklives]

I've adopted 2 'foreign street dogs' and they were both the opposite of feral.
Very friendly, clean dogs (neither of them moulted) no problems with recall ever (they were both off lead with a few days/weeks depending on my judgement) good around people, children, live with my cat.
My second one does bark at the postie etc but I've heard some dogs do bark so I can't complain!

I got mine both through rescues I found on Facebook and they were 2-5 years old, about 10kg in size. I was prepared for the worst, and very pleasantly surprised at how well they fit in with my household.
They were both picked up as strays in Romania and who have been killed if the UK rescues hadn't taken them in.

[Fstar]

100% agree, my rescue has been with us for 7 years and his personality has grown so much from the poor little dog we adopted. When we first got him we were consistent in giving food, treats and praise and within a short time he started to trust us. He wouldnt sit next to us on the couch but now he loves to snuggle up and has grown into such a secure, confident dog.

[Sallystyle]

I have a rescue from abroad. Had him 6 weeks now. He was a hunter's dog but lived on the streets for a while and there is evidence he was abused by his owner and I don't think he had ever been in a house until he was fostered for a very short while before going back to kennels. He was blind for a while due to tics and he was skin and bone when the rescue found him.

He is nothing but love. He was an anxious mess for the first two weeks, understandably. He has some attachment issues with my husband (we think it was because he was dumped and abused by a male and then fostered by one for a short time) and we have yet been able to leave him home alone but we are working hard on this. His walking needs work and recall is non-existent. However, he is a scent hound and hunted so we know recall will take a long time to achieve, if ever.

It has been hard work at times but his temperament is amazing. I have never known such a soft, loving dog. He is so very beautiful and it has been wonderful to see him growing in confidence daily. He is very happy now, unless my husband leaves him for longer than a couple of hours, which is thankfully not very often as he isn't working.

I would not have wanted to rescue when my children were very young but any future dogs will certainly be rescues.

[cropcirclesinthefields]

We have an 8 year old lab x staffy rescue and he's adorable and so loving, except when he's around other dogs. He has dog aggression and doesn't like certain breeds, he is muzzled and kept on a lead, but is learning to ignore the other dogs and not react. I'm on a reactive dogs group on Facebook and they advise using CARE to train your dog not to react.

[twiglet]

I have a wonderful rescue dog she needed socialisation and dog training but in her case it was a classic not socialised with other dogs at all let alone when she was a puppy so was scared of dogs and would go on the defensive.
She had been owned by an old lady since she was a puppy never let off her lead and never taken to classes. She was a classic example of why it is so important to socialise dogs her problems had nothing to do with her being a rescue.

We got her at 18 months old from a sighthound rescue charity you wouldn't know she was teenage years as when walking she would plod very slowly behind you didn't play etc.

Now she's socialised and playful, still loves to sleep as most sighthound do.
There is a misconception that if you work you can't have a rescue dog.... We both work my DH comes back for lunch every day its more about finding the right dog and having the right set up.