Some dogs who come to the UK for a new home have spent months (or even years) fending for themselves and utilising whatever methods they see fit to deter threats & guard resources.
They may also be very wary of people.
These dogs certainly are not prepared to immediately become a family companion – some will have a meltdown if you even try to leash them! Why would they be accustomed to our equipment?
Many have extreme prey drive after spending time catching their own food; many display severe resource guarding after having to literally fight to keep their resources.
Of course, lots of the dogs who have been bred in this country can display these behaviours and no dog is ever going to be easy, whatever their origin.
But we would like to say two things to those who have a new overseas ex-stray:
1) you are not alone! We help hundreds of overseas dogs adjust to being a pet every year
2) before your dog comes home, what experience of being a companion do they have? Have you seen videos? Have they been in foster?
Be wary of adopting a dog who has been taken off the streets and put on a bus to come here unless you are willing to do a LOT of behaviour modification.
These dogs undergo a huge emotional transformation when they come here – sure, they now have all the resources they could need and will never go hungry again, but they are a fantastic example of love not being enough.
Owners of these dogs need to understand their previous life and how to communicate with them in a way they understand.
If you have a new overseas dog, please don’t assume they will be free of behavioural problems (problems to us, normal survival methods to them) – in fact, assuming the worst for everything is safest.
We can help your dog adjust to family life, but we want to emphasise that some of these dogs have a long journey to understanding the customs of their new life.
