Romanian Rescue Puppies are Different.

Doreen Potter Author

Little Whispa will be my 5th rescue in 9 years. Does this mean I am an expert in Romanian Rescue?

I am bringing another little Rommie Special into the family next weekend.

Little Whispa will be my 5th rescue in 9 years.

Does this mean I am an expert in Romanian Rescue?

No it doesn’t.

Just because she is my 5th Rommie rescue doesn't mean I am an expert, it means I have experience.

Bringing a 5th Rommie rescue home is what has given me the experience to understand these special dog's needs and their innate behaviours.

My years of studying dog behaviour and training makes me the expert.

I have seen so many people comment that

“I have had dog's all my life”

“ I know all about German Shepherds, my uncle breeds them”

“ I do this, It works for my dogs “

“Just watch that fella on the TV, I learned everything from him”

So many good intentioned experts out there.

These dogs are different.

They are born savvy, they will be extremely aware of anything that they may perceive as dangerous. They have to be like this to survive.

Imagine………. There is something in the hedge moving………..do you risk your life to have a look or do you run to keep safe?

If you dare have a look, and you do get eaten, that's it, game over.

Survival is in genetics.

These dogs are born to be wary until they learn to trust.

They are innately different from our UK dog's.

WHY?

Our UK dog's have always had human interaction, human selection. Mostly bred to do a job. Romanian dogs don't have the same human input.

It is nature's selection not human selection.

Just because Whispa is only 4 months old, does not mean that this will be a piece of cake.

It doesn’t mean that she will fit right in without any struggles.

She might not have any struggles at all, but sometimes people have expectations that a rescue puppy should be fine. After all, what struggles does a puppy have !!!

So even a 4 month old pup can have struggles with coming into a home in the UK.

• Like any rescue any age, she will need time to decompress from the journey

• She will need time to know the family, the dogs, the home and the garden maybe weeks before she even ventures into the big outside world.

• She needs time to learn that she can trust me, I am a stranger to her. How long does it take for a human to trust a stranger? Dog's are the same.

• She will need time to get used to the family routine.

• She will need time to feel comfortable in a collar, never mind a harness and lead.

• She will be struggling with leaving her sister and the life she knew.

What I have learned is that if you don’t expect too much, always think of the worst scenario, and be prepared, then it is a wonderful feeling when everything just fits into place.

Romanian dogs are different, they are born survivors and have had to learn skills to survive that have been passed on through their genes for generations.

Most importantly, I have to go at her pace, she will be the one calling the shots.

No amount of love will make the innate feelings go.

What is needed is to recognise they may struggle and help them build that trust.

Trust, relationship/bonding first and foremost..

Are you thinking of adopting and want some advice, or are having struggles with your rescue dog please book a free phone call and lets chat about how I can help.

Categories: Anxious/nervous dogs, Dog Behaviour, Dog Training, Romanian Rescue