Rescue dog from overseas- any good experiences- really worried

[wheresmymouseorgan]

Hi. We adopted a dog from a local UK rescue centre about 6 weeks ago. we were told that he was from Bosnia and would need some training re walking on the lead etc but assured that he had a great temperament and would make a good family pet (which certainly seemed to be the case when we met him several times at the centre). He is 3 years old approx.
We are making progress with getting him to walk without pulling on the lead, sitting when told etc. However, he barks and lunges at some people (mainly men) and dogs. We have managed to carefully introduce him to some visitors (women) by meeting the outside the home first but when we have tried the same with a male friend he barked a lot and seemed very aggressive. I am currently choosing walks/times carefully to avoid people and ensure I can keep a distance if we do encounter any men. Interestingly, if we are somewhere busier he does seem to be more accepting of people but from what I have read this is probably just because he has shut down with all the possible triggers around.
I am in the process of training him to accept a muzzle but due to his unpredictability I dare not have visitors round and I am worried when we are on walks. I am looking for a 1:1 dog trainer and have spoken to one who seems quite worried by what I have described and I have to say so am I.
Has anyone got any experiences of turning around behaviour like this with a rescue dog? I am starting to think that I need to decide whether I am prepared to put up with this behaviour for the rest of his life or return him to the rescue centre. I really don't think I have the mental strength to accept that for the next 10 years or so I cannot have friends over without worrying and to have to walk him at 5am or in empty fields every day. But I know that my children will be devastated if I send him back and I will feel incredibly guilty for failing him.
Any thoughts or advice? I really think I need to make a decision sooner rather than later to avoid everyone getting more attached and making things even harder.

I am an"auntie" to an dog adopted from Europe. My friend adopted him and he is frightened of most things. She can't let him off the lead or open the front door without closing him in another room. He would just run and run. He needs to have a fairly strict routine.The rescue explained all this to her and if she and her DH go away for a day or overnight, I stay with him, as he likes me!
For holidays, they employ house sitters. Its OK for her, they are retired without dependants. I don't think he would cope with a family. He is adorable but hard work.

Op if you are from scotland I can recommend good behaviourists. My own romainian had a lot of issues but now he is OK. Will never be perfect but who is?

We've had our Bulgarian street dog just over a year and he's now a little over two years old. When we first got him he was very much like yours - very reactive on lead particularly with men and very aggressive around strangers in the home if he didn't have a clear escape route.

With a lot of work, we've now reached a stage when he can walk calmly off lead past people and most other dogs, unless they react first. He will ignore visitors unless they crowd him, when he will respond with a warning growl. We haven't used a behaviourist but we do have experience with challenging breeds and other rescue dogs.

We knew exactly what we were taking on with him and we are in touch with the owners of his brother and sister, so having that support network has been a huge help. The rescue centre in Bulgaria is also amazing and they've been over to visit him a couple of times too, which is lovely. I would say that our experience has been hugely positive. He has so much love to give and is such a character.

This is a serious problem. It may improve with training or it may not, so you need to decide whether you can live with having to manage all his triggers at the level at which he reacts now for the rest of his life. That includes keeping everyone safe, e.g. other people on walks, visitors to your house etc. If he remains reactive, even to a lesser extent, he will always be a fear aggressive dog. Sooner or later someone will make a mistake, an open door, a muzzle that slips off, a moment of inattention - can you live with the consequences?

Of course British bred dogs can be fear reactive, it's not a nationality issue, but it is a matter of statistics. Most dogs coming from abroad will have had a terrible start to life with poor socialization, neglect, abuse and will have lived either on the streets or in kennels, so there will be a higher chance of getting a fear aggressive dog. Most British bred dogs will have had a better start to life.

Just wanted to say best of luck, and it's not to do with being an overseas dog or not.