We have a phone appointment with an overseas rescue :)

[CloseYourEyesAndSee]

I'm very excited!
it's a reputable rescue - I have a friend who has adopted through them and now volunteers for them. DS has wanted a dog forever but I WOH so couldn't. DP has semi moved in and he also wants a dog so a dog we are getting :)
DP has had dogs and I have when I was a child and teen. I have a cat so that's something that will need to be managed. DP is self employed and his office is close to fields so he will walk the dog during breaks.
I will be asking for lots of advice here I'm sure but for now does anyone have anything they think I need to think about??

Well we will discuss that with the rescue. We put the arrangements on our application form and will talk it over when we speak to them.
I appreciate what you are saying, and we will take that into account. It may be that DP can set up a temporary office from my place for a while and work from here while I go to the office to work so the dog can stay at home until they are settled.

We have a street rescue dog from Bulgaria, congratulations it's an amazing journey!

I would say be clear with the rescue the type of dog you'd like temperament wise so they can match you well. Ours told us no to a few dogs so they could find one right for us. Still it's luck because you won't have met the dog so there's a risk there. Also ours was a street dog so no training on lead, being in a house at all and everything scared her so we took months and months to get her used to being with us.

Unless you’ve actually had one of these dogs i don’t think your experience of meeting them in the park is that relevant.

I’ve got 2 from Cyprus, the first took time to settle in, was incredibly nervous and still doesn’t really like bearded men, but otherwise she’s amazing, a cuddly little ball of fun who everyone falls in love with. It took her a good 6 months to fully get to that stage. The other was a puppy when we got him and has been much more challenging, but he’s calming down now the older he gets. I don’t regret getting them at all but they are incredibly hard work and if they’ve been on the street they may struggle in the home environment.

just be aware though that the happy confident dog you see in videos might not actually be the dog you actually get when it comes off the van - you have to be prepared to adjust your plans around the dog even if that means taking several weeks off work

This overseas dog rescue fashion is hopefully going to get clamped down on soon. So many problems, too many dogs in the UK already, too many inexperienced people.

I have 4 rescue dogs from abroad, 2 street dogs, 2 hunters dogs. They can definitely be rehabilitated to live very happily in your home, some easily, some are harder work (one of mine was extremely hard work but he's blind, so understandable)

With regards to cats, mine (now) live very happily with my 4 cats, but just bear in mind that 'cat tested' often means tested with cat savvy dogs. A cat that is not used to dogs WILL run and the dog WILL chase - it's instinct! But it can definitely be changed with time and training.

Take time off work to settle the dog - he/she will need time to get used to you and your home before being taken into the office etc. Good luck!

I've explained our living situation several times. I know it's unconventional to keep two homes but I assure you he's here the majority of the time and when he won't be, I will be. I've also explained the situation to the rescue and they seem to understand it perfectly well!

The issue us that an overseas rescue requires consistency, and this just doesn't appear to be very consistent for the dog who will be terrified and unsettled as it is.

Can you both arrange a good month off work at least to help settle them in?

Thank you!
they are a good rescue and I expect they will take the time to match us properly.

What do you suggest to people who want to adopt a dog and can't from a U.K. rescue? Is it better for these dogs to live out their lives in shelters, whether U.K. or overseas? What are the problems that are causing enough social issues that they should be 'clamped down' on?

I can't, but he could.

My friend got her dog from a rescue abroad - there were definitely issues with setting in and the vet bills were pretty high (although the insurance sorted that), but she’s fine now and an adored family pet. Your living arrangement sounds fine and I wish you all the best on your new addition to the family

ooh I’ve never been fashionable before.

get over yourself - these dogs are in far more need of help than the average dog in a cosy dog shelter in the UK. I wanted proper mongrel dogs and you don’t get them in the UK so I looked abroad. Just in the same way if I wanted a pedigree poodle I wouldn’t consider a labradoodle even if the rescue had one.

Thank you!
I don't believe that our situation is that odd and we are probably more prepared and suitable than many people who buy puppies!

What a lovely little face! My DS is looking forward to walking the dog so much, but we would use a long lead in the park. We do live near a beach so I hope the dog likes water :D

It obviously depends on where you're looking but because ours was from the centre of Romania he'd never been on a beach before. He was even scared of a stream near our house when we first walked near it but on his 4th trip there he was paddling in the water in a small quiet area.

He's still a bit wary of the sea but he absolutely loves going to the beach now. He wasn't a fan at first but the more you go then the more normal it feels to them.

He's unbelievably well house trained too, we did ask about that when we got him and we were told he was amazing. He's actually so good that he won't even go in our own garden so always has to be walked further away before he'll do his business. It can be a bit of a pain when it's hot like the last few days or when the weather is bad but that's part of the joy of having a dog. One of our other dogs my husband had since he was a puppy and he's the one who likes to pee on random things around the house, always has done no matter how much training we've done or how often he goes outside.

He doesn't mooch for food from us at all but he did manage to knock our food waste bin off the counter and eat an entire chicken carcass from it one night so we now make sure he can't get into the kitchen overnight.

Thanks @Tarkan
my parents had a rescue from a U.K. rescue and he was always scared of the sea. You never know!

Im envious of you having two homes, i would love a bit of space from my OH a couple of times a week

However, I do still say that overseas rescues of street dogs is misguided. Street dogs dont need 'rescuing' in the way that a stray dog in this country would, they are street dogs, thats how they live, its how they were brought into the world, in the same way you wouldnt rescue a fox or deer in this country.

I have only known of people have terrible problems and its good that there are examples on here that dont but the vast majority come with significant health or behavioural issues

Are there no small independent rescues you can contact?

The vast majority of people on this thread have direct good experiences - I do think that people over egg the bad experiences to try and put people off even looking at overseas rescues. I don’t think first time owners with no garden and small children should get one but that doesn’t mean that all dogs are unsuitable. My girl was found on the street and she’s fabulous

I don't think anyone is over-egging anything.

Many of us on here work with dogs and we see first-hand how traumatised some of these rescues are. Many have never lived in homes, have never been around children, have never worn a collar or walked on a lead. They can be highly reactive and serious resource guarders.

Of course, that doesn't mean all overseas rescues are like that and I'm glad lots of people have had great success with theirs, but it's something to go into with eyes wide open IMO.

I walk one who is (luckily) very good with people but he is so reactive to cats and other dogs that he is a huge challenge to walk. He is SO strong on the lead and no amount of training seems to help - as soon as he spots a cat or dog, it's like he switches off completely and he won't respond to voice commands, toys or treats - his entire focus is on that cat/dog and I am under no illusion that he would attack if he got off his lead.

All that being said, he is excellent in the house - calm, loves a cuddle and was easy to house/toilet train. But the walking is a real challenge and the owners really struggle with him. He's not been easy.

This is boring of me but remember if he's staying that much I think it's very possible you no longer qualify for single person council tax reduction, so you need to check with them them or you could get a fine if you continue to take the single person reduction while someone spends 5/7 nights with you.

Thanks
he maintains his own home and pays his own bills there so I'm still ok on the single person discount

Loads of overseas rescues are fine with cats. My spanish girl is not interested in cats at all. Most dogs i see on these sites will say if cat tested or not or if they need to be an only pet.
Mine was cat tested. I saw a video of it.

Thank you :)
without giving too much detail my friend who volunteers for them has more than one dog from this rescue and they are all fine with her cats.
my cat has never lived with a dog but my neighbour has a dog and the cat hangs out in their garden and in their house when she leaves her windows open and he isn't bothered by her dog at all. Previous neighbours also had dogs and he used to go in their garden too.

One of the things I’ve learned about MN is that if you are getting a dog, lots of people will tell you how unsuitable you are as an owner, regardless of the circumstances.

Enjoy him or her OP.

We got an ill thought out oversea rescue. Ended up a wild street dog who was clearly traumatised and very aggressive. Despite them saying he was calm and suitable for children. I would never advice it. They dont check or know the animals enough. I think it comes from a good place but you cant just pick poor dogs up that have had to fight to survive and expect them not to be scared or lash out. He went to dog therapy and was rehomed by me to an older couple. Hes apparently happier but extremely over protective of his owners and does snap still/have to wear nuzzle. He is continuing with training/therapy. I feel really sorry for all the swapping and changing he had to go through and it really upsets me even now.

Second this. I have a Spanish rescue - couldn’t get a uk rescue as I work - go figure, some of these rescue places would rather dogs languish in Centres rather than get homes I think. I make sure I WFH a lot and my bf comes over if I am in the office, or I take my boy with me where I go - he is rarely left alone, but for short periods is fine as I have trained him. I also have cats and with patience and training they live together fine. My boy - who was a young adult when I got him - is happy, healthy and just wonderful. He is a lot of work due to a traumatic past for sure, but any dog can be challenging, you need to put their needs first. Good luck op.

You can see from the stats how many are ending up having to be rehoused. You can see how many people are getting dogs for the first time. Many of these dogs are not suitable for family homes.

I grew up with dogs, working dogs, I do not understand why so many silly people think they can take poorly trained or untrained animals off the streets and it will all just work out fine.