As the pace of life gets faster and ‘ quality time’ with the family gets of even higher demand. Dog ownership increases to match and fill theses demands, with an estimated every other household owning one or more dogs.
But with this demand in wanting to own a dog, more and more people are approaching rescue centres from other countries.
This can be very successful, but like with all things…..there can be a down side.
And in my line of work , I’m beginning to see a very steady increase in the down side of
seeking a rescue dog from abroad. Meaning….an increase of aggressive behaviour towards other dogs and people/ new owners.
What has to be taken into consideration here, is that a lot of these rescue dogs are street dogs that have had to be tough to survive…they are use to ‘fighting their own corner’, coupled with not having much asked of them.
And then we come along, wanting/ expecting them to just slip into our way of life.
This can sometimes be an explosive situation, with people getting bitten and dreams shattered.
Of course there is nothing more worthy then taking on a rescue dog, but choose carefully. Ask lots of questions, particularly focus on how many character checks have been run through on the dog. And has it even lived with a family before , let alone in a house !!
Do not be pressurised into making a quick decision , just because there happens to be a delivery in transit.
Pick the right dog for your life style/ family and you will have many years of wonderful dog ownership.
And always consult a qualified behaviourist when embarking on corrective training,