Dogs from overseas. Have you adopted one.

[Itsmeandhim]

We have been searching for the right dog to adopt for nearly 4 months. And are prepared to wait as long as is needed. We'd prefer a dog or bitch between 1-5 years old.
We want a small dog that will get on with our sons dog who we have a couple of times a week.
I've noticed that a few dogs are from Romania and even China.
Has anyone else ever adopted a dog from overseas.
If they are a couple of years old what about the language.
How do the rescuers know the dogs history.

@Swisscheeseleaves patience is required to find that family dog - my issue with adopting abroad is that is often marketed as an “easy” and “quick” alternative to adopting from a U.K. rescue. The nownownow Amazon Prime generation don’t want to wait for the right dog to come along, they don’t want to contact a KC breeder and be on a wait list for 2 years.

And the reason the rescue website you looked at only had difficult dogs listed isn’t because only difficult dogs get signed over, it’s because the easier dogs and puppies may never hit the website as the rescue may well have a list of home checked people ready and waiting.

I know a U.K. rescue in that had 30 puppies in last month, plus 3 pregnant bitches. Most won’t go on the website, or if they do they’ll only be online for a few hours before they’re reserved.

Quite bunny - we’ve already been waiting 18 months. I think the wanting a puppy NOW rather than being prepared to wait is grim. The rescue centres are absolutely seen as the quickest way to get a dog.

We will wait for as long as it takes to find the right dog.
We don't want a puppy.
I was just wondering why there are a lot of dogs from overseas.

[quote bunnygeek]@Swisscheeseleaves patience is required to find that family dog - my issue with adopting abroad is that is often marketed as an “easy” and “quick” alternative to adopting from a U.K. rescue. The nownownow Amazon Prime generation don’t want to wait for the right dog to come along, they don’t want to contact a KC breeder and be on a wait list for 2 years.

And the reason the rescue website you looked at only had difficult dogs listed isn’t because only difficult dogs get signed over, it’s because the easier dogs and puppies may never hit the website as the rescue may well have a list of home checked people ready and waiting.

I know a U.K. rescue in that had 30 puppies in last month, plus 3 pregnant bitches. Most won’t go on the website, or if they do they’ll only be online for a few hours before they’re reserved.[/quote]
I didn't want a pedigree dog or a trendy crossbreed. I wanted a heinz 57 mix, a proper mongrel dog which is really quite difficult to find in this country. When I was looking rescue centres were full of greyhounds, huskies and staffies. I don't want one of those dogs.

There is a mid point between rescues and puppy farms, we are waiting for a puppy ourselves. We know several people with good dogs who might have a litter - because they want another dog from that bitch themselves, not because they want the money. We will wait for one of those puppies.

Oh amazing! So you've found the route to getting a dog that's right for you! Fab!

And i found the route to getting a dog that was right for me. I was going to buy a puppy. I was researching breeders but it's a minefield trying to find one that wasnt overly inbred. But i simply could not make myself happy with spending upwards of £2k on a puppy, who could still turn out to have huge problems no matter how accredited the breeder, when there's thousands of dogs already existing who need a home. I don't think it matters if my dog comes from cyprus or from the uk shelter down the road. It's still a needy dog who now has a brilliant home and me and my kids have a fantastic little dog who is better mannered, socialised and trained than most of the pedigree dogs we come across in the park.

I’ve got one... though I got him from a U.K. rescue, so same adoption criteria as any other dog and I knew he’d be a project dog when I got him, but I’d been applying for Dog’s that could live with cats for 2 years unsuccessfully and I’ve had dogs with behavioural issues before.

He’s still a lot more than I bargained for, we’re getting there, I’ve been working with a trainer who mostly works with foreign rescue dogs and she says most people who contact her say it’s more than they’d bargained for.

Your mum should have asked many many more questions about the dog.

She did. They told her what she wanted to hear.

@Sittinginthesand

Why do all these dogs come from a small range of countries- Cyprus, Romania often seem to be mentioned. It’s a really odd industry, exporting dogs. My opinion (and I know it’s controversial) is that if these countries have such a problem they should be addressing it at the root of the cause - dog licences, mandatory chipping, neutering and putting strays that can’t be rehomed domestically to sleep. Sending them abroad to satisfy the demand for dogs with a bit of a virtue signalling glow to them in the uk seems so odd to me, kind of a ‘white saviour thing’. When I was a teenager people used to go to Romania to adopt so called orphans too. I would love to see an investigation of these organisations- is anyone drawing a salary from them? Do you pay for the dogs? I think the uk homes are right to be cautious in who they give dogs to, if you’ve been turned down think about why?

There are good (and different) reasons why both Romania and cypus, and indeed the balkans have a stray dog problem.

I don’t have time to go deeply into it now but the Romanian street dog issue is linked to Ceaușescu‘s regime when the centre of Bucharest was cleared, people were forced out to high rise apartments on the city fringes, practically overnight. They were forced to abandon their pets. These pets subsequently multipled , and because of the historic memory and trauma of communism they are thought about in a totally different way to how we view strays. People remember they are the descendants of their pets but in the struggle to survive didn’t have the resources to provide for the dogs.

There are a lot of ex pats in Cyprus due to military bases. The Cypriots also have a strong hunting with dogs culture. Dogs are a commodity in a way they aren’t to our nation of animal lovers. When they are no longer good for hunting, or don’t make the cut in the first place, or are injured or diseased they are discarded like rubbish.

Decades of unrest in the balkans / Serbia etc have created similar but equally nuanced reasons for their large numbers of strays.

@Handsnotwands wow. Thankyou for explaining that. I always wondered.

We have our little Croatian hound and this makes sense

There are so, so many needy dogs who need rescuing here, please don't overlook them.

Friends have a podenco rescued from Spain it's a fabulous dog in every sense. Others have a Romanian dog that looks like it's base breed is a terrier. It's delightful. Other friends have a kind of lurcher thing that's not to my taste but has no obvious issues just a bit boisterous.

I wouldn't do it myself but I haven't heard any horror stories.

Over the past 7 years I have adopted 4 galgos from Spain all over the age of 5. I adopt them from a very reputable, large charity with amazing facilities and wonderful pre and post care including home checks. They have a vet clinic on site as well as an education centre for school trips to shift the Spanish mindset that these dogs do make great pets. Their long term objective is to rehome as many as possible within Spain itself. They are an international organisation with branches in the States, Finland and Central Europe. Very much not a tin pot organisation.

I am a breed specific adopter having heard of the awful, awful treatment these wonderful dogs often get at the hands of their hunters at the end of a very short hunting season.

All my boys have been gentle and affectionate and calm down quite quickly once homed.

A friend adopted a dog from Romania, she's the most laid back dog I've ever met. She lives with 3 other dogs and two cats and gets taken to the local school for children to read to her. She's beautiful, healthy and intelligent too.
Another work colleague got a dog from Cyprus on a whim. I was a bit about how it all happened but she's a lovely dog and hasn't given them any trouble,

We have a Romanian rescue for the last two years. He’s very nervous around strangers and can be reactive around other dogs but loves our 9yo dog.
It’s been hard work but very rewarding.
Many behavioural issues aren’t immediately apparent to rescues/foster as some dogs are shut down and it can take an while for issues to surface.

My friend adopted two dogs from Greece, they look like mini golden retrievers and are lovely dogs.

I also know someone with a Romanian street dog who is also a fab dog.

I don't think I'd be brave enough to do it myself but I can understand why people do.

Yes from Cyprus, through rescues led by British people - wouldn’t risk it from anywhere else. Rehomingcypruspointers for me / might not suit, but oh what good dogs.

@Woofington - our rescue dog came from Rescue Cyprus pointers! She’s upstairs with dh now, snuggling with him on the bed, while I watch the end of a programme.

Any rescue dog will always come with its own baggage. I also think that you hear very little from the people who adopted from abroad and received a dog unsustainable for family living.
If you believe you can cut out the hard work of training a dog by getting an older rescue, you are kidding yourself. Most have learnt behaviors that no amount of training will change. Most of these behaviors are harmless, cute or endearing... some are a nuisance at best, dangerous at worst. That's why most UK rescues are so strict about re-homing.

On a different note, if you want that perfectly safe family dog, your best bet is to get a puppy from a breeder that knows their dogs and temperament. Someone who is willing to do the recommended health tests and will be available for help and advice if needed. You can then socialise, train and shape the dog to your families wants and needs.

@starcup because overseas rescues are truly horrific places that are mostly kill shelters that's why. And alott have suffered unbelievable cruelty and torture

@alternative perspective - what a ridiculous comment to make. In that case we should ban overseas adoptions too!!!

Some massive dumbass comments here! Can't read anymore. What needs banning is puppy farms and people breeding and selling pups just to make a quick buck. Those that choose to buy puppies this way need a reality check

@Ylvamoon is right - any rescue dog will come with their own baggage. We have had two rescue dogs - one from the Dogs' Trust, and the other from Rehoming Cyprus Pointers, and both have had issues - mainly some nervousness and clinginess - but both the Dogs' Trust and the Cyprus rescue were very diligent in ensuring that we were well aware of the potential problems.

As I said in my first post, we had a home check visit from a representative of the Cyprus pointer rescue, and if we had had any serious problems, we could have contacted her for advice in person, or got back in touch with the lady in Cyprus via zoom.

Maybe we have been lucky both times, but both times we ended up with loving, friendly, obedient dogs, who fitted seamlessly into the family, and who were/are delights to own.

Our first rescue dog was listed on the Dogs' Trust as a labrador cross, but looking at her, it was crystal clear she was a pointer cross, with pointer dominant, and when we lost her (to progressive, untreatable anaemia), we were sure we wanted another rescue pointer/pointer cross.

We ended up going to the Cypriot rescue because every single dog we considered, from UK rescues (mainly the Dogs' Trust and SSPCA) couldn't live with cats, and we have a cat. He is a bit of a bastard (hence the nickname CatBastard) but he was here before the dogs, so does deserve consideration. The rescue on Cyprus was willing to get our current rescue pointer cross together with cats, and see how she responded.

I wouldn't personally adopt a dog from a different country. A family member did and it ended in heartbreak and thousands of pounds down. They first paid the fee for the dog to be brought over, dog was just handed to them. Started noticing something wasn't right, numerous vet trips, lots of medication and tests continually until they couldn't afford it. The rescue which was quite well known played it all down. Eventually the rescue took the dog back but before this the family member found out other dogs brought over from the same litter where really poorly. One ended up been put to sleep. The rescue took the dog back in the end. You would be better off picking a breed that suits you, doing your research and buying from the UK or at least a UK rescue.

You would be better off picking a breed that suits you, doing your research and buying from the UK or at least a UK rescue.

I am assuming from your name you have a French bulldog. It's a bit rich therefore to talk about congenital health issues. i can guarantee you that my cyprus rescue is healthier than any Frenchie. At least she can breathe and do things dogs should be able to do. Brachycephalic dogs are not healthy dogs. How many of those do you think get destroyed per year because they've been so inbred?

@Swisscheeseleaves whilst I agree yes I can assure you that neither one of my frenchies has breathing difficulties. They both have longer snouts than normal frenchies and I would think somewhere down the line another breed has been bred into their lines. They can walk without snorting and it's only my boy that snores when asleep. Both very healthy dogs.