Thinking of adopting a rescue dog from abroad?

Adopting a rescue dog from a foreign country can be extremely rewarding. Often these dogs instinctively know they’ve been given a second chance and make very loyal, loving pets. The process is usually quite straightforward and in most cases the dog can make it’s journey to your home within weeks or a few months at the most. Some of the dogs showcased here may already be in foster care in your country or may have to travel.IMG_1856

Generally speaking the cost of transport is paid by the adopter. The cost is dependent on the method of transport and whether a flight volunteer is available to accompany the animal. Sometimes dogs have donated funds towards their journey.

Once an initital adoption enquiry is made through K9Aid, will put you in touch with the relevant organisation responsible for each of these animals, and you can correspond with them directly.

Safety & Tips for introducing a Rescue Dog into your Home

When your dog first arrives it’s important to wait until you are in a secure area before opening the travel crate. (preferably inside your house). Your dog has just had a very long journey & has entered a foreign environment and is likely to be frightened. Some dogs are keen to come out of their crate & straight into your arms, others will take time to trust & settle.

Many dogs will arrive with microchip already inserted. If so, ensure you receive the chip number from the Rescue group you are adopting from prior to dogs arrival & register ith with your local authority.

Prior to your dog’s arrival please ensure you have collar & tag attached with your phone number.

A secure harness or martingale collar is strongly recommended. Your dog has entered a completely foreign environement & could be easily spooked. Ensure you have the dog secure at all times.

The following is information comes straight from your rescue dog.

Please ensure you read & understand a little about what your new dog will face in their new environment.

Roz1Give me at least two weeks for us to get to know each other and for me to feel like I am truly at home.

Picture me as an empty bucket. I am a bucket that holds stress. I added to the bucket with each of the changes I mentioned. It takes weeks for some of the stress hormones to leave my body. Add to all that stress, the fact that I was not socialized well as a puppy which means I may not have learned the necessary skills to adjust to new things. My bucket is already nearly full! If it overflows I might overreact to events and growl, snap, or bite.

Let me briefly meet your other pets, one at a time.

Always try to introduce me to your other pets (for the first time) – somewhere away from your home. A local park or similar would be a great place to introduce us. If I am nervous about them inside my new home, let me get used to them through a barrier like a baby gate. When I calm down, then let us be together with you right there to keep me safe.

Put me on a leash and show me around our home. Let me sniff and look.

I expect to be kept away from some areas of our home until I can show you that I can be trusted not to chew on your furniture or your clothes, or use the inside of our house as a toilet.

Don’t let me outside on my own or off leash

I have lived at the shelter for a very long time & it will take me some time to realize that you are my new family & this is my new home. When we go for walks, please don’t let me off the leash until we bond & I want to stay safely near you. Please don’t let me outside on my own because I don’t realize that the shelter isn’t just around the corner & I may be tempted to find it!

Give me a place that is all my own where I can rest in peace and know I am safe.

Please make a house rule that when I am in my “special place” no one is to bother me and other animals are to be kept away. I will appreciate it if you make my place comfortable and quiet, and give me something to do while I am there, like toys and something to chew. This would be a good place to feed me until I am comfortable around others in the family while I eat. PLEASE DON’T CRATE ME!… I am not used to being in such a confined space & crating is not something I’m likely to enjoy. Please allow me to settle into my surroundings without being crated.

Feed me what I am used to eating for a few weeks before gradually changing my diet.

The stress of changing homes again may make my tummy unhappy with new foods. At the shelter I got dry food which I’m used to. Of course a little tinned food mixed in will be a treat for me & I’m sure I’ll enjoy many more tasty foods as I gradually settle into my new diet.

Start right away with the routines I must follow.

Take me out to potty using the same door each time and taking me to the same spot outside. Do this often so that I can quickly learn where to go and so that I won’t have accidents in our house. Start right away showing me house routines like where I will sleep at night and what I should do when you are eating dinner.Please tell me how good I am when I do what you want.

Show your children how to play politely with me and always be there to make sure we are being polite with each other.

Dogs like me who’ve grown up at the shelter, or spent time on the streets usually aren’t used to being around children. Closely supervise children around me at all times & don’t let children near me when I’m eating. Sometimes I can get too excited or too tired and forget my manners, just like children can. Please supervise us both and separate us if either of us gets out of hand.

Let me stay home for the first two weeks I am here so that I do not have to meet new people and dogs, or deal with new places and activities.

I know you want to share me with family and friends, but that will have to wait. I first need to feel relaxed and fully at home with you, willing to engage with you, both when I want and when you want me to. Until then, please do nothing to add to my stress. If strangers of any age come to visit, please explain that they will have to leave me alone for now. Once I can trust that I will remain safe, introductions to other people and animals should be done slowly, allowing me to make the choices about whether or not to interact.

If I am shy you may have to introduce me gradually to every new person, animal, and place with which I come in contact. People can gently toss small treats to me (I would suggest something yummy like small pieces of boiled chicken). You can tell children that I am like a stranger from another country who does not understand your language, doesn’t know how you do things, needs help understanding the rules of this new place, and that you are teaching all of this to me. It will be a while before they can play with me. If I begin to show signs of stress, either quietly remove whatever triggered my behavior, or take me far enough away to allow me to relax. Please wait for me to do so. Stand quietly with me: do not pet me or try too hard to comfort me. I might misinterpret this as praise for acting frightened. Talking quietly to me and remaining calm will convey to me that all is well and that I can relax.

I also might suggest a flower-essence mixture called Rescue Remedy

Just a few drops a day may help me to relax. It is not a drug and is perfectly safe. It just has a calming effect. It was originally for people and now they have one for pets.IMG_2248

Be patient! Remember that I want to do what is right: I just don’t always know how.
Take me to a training class. If you have problems with my behavior, please ask for help.

 

SPECIAL SECTION FOR SHY DOGS

Many of us are termed “shy” & may need extra patience & handling to ensure we settle into our new home. If I’m shy please don’t walk me outside for 3 weeks after arrival. Three weeks seems to be the time it takes us to get used to our new surroundings. This period is best spent in your house & outings should only be into your enclosed garden area with supervision. After the 3 week period if I seem more relaxed then it may be time to start walking me outside your home with my harness & leash securely in your hand. Remember that strange or loud noises may startle me, so please keep me safe & secure.

If I’m shy, I may cope better if there is another dog in your home that we can learn from. A resident dog will be able to teach us how to stay calm & relaxed. Our Adoption Manager will try to place us in a home with another dog, but it may not always be possible. If it’s just you & me, I will try my best to settle as quickly as possible, but please be patient with me.

 

Adopt don’t buy a dog from “A Puppy Farm”…

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