Romanian Dog Adopters’ Guide
Prior to adopting a dog originally from Romania, it is important for all potential adopters to understand how Romanian dogs differ from British dogs and what potential issues may be faced post adoption. The following gives an insight into the origins of the dogs and their common behavioural traits. We ask that you read through the following document and consider it carefully before continuing with the adoption process. We encourage you to contact the Rescue Me Team with any questions you have or points you would like clarification of and recommend conducting your own research too. We can offer a list of helpful resources on request.
Origins: Understanding the history of the dog and their lineage.
Rescue Me works closely with private shelters in Romania and the majority of dogs available for rehoming have been rescued from the streets of Romania before spending time in a private shelter. Before entering the shelter the dogs will have been from one of the following groups:
Dumped, surrendered or Escaped Yard Dogs: Romanian citizens often keep dogs to work as guard dogs or ratters at their homes. It is standard that these dogs live outside and are treated as working dogs and not like traditional British ‘pets’. They have interacted with humans and often rely on them for food and shelter however not all interactions with humans are positive ones and there will be little or no training, play and ‘unnecessary’ interaction between the dogs and their owners.
Street Dogs: Born on the streets of Romania and living free, with little or no human interaction. These dogs are wary of humans thanks to the Romanian dog catches who are tasked with clearing the streets of stray dogs.
Puppies: The private shelters are often called upon to care for litters of puppies born on the street or dumped by the owners of the mother dogs. These puppies are raised, treated and inoculated within the shelter environment and have only positive experiences with humans upon arrival. However it is important to understand that the puppies of street dogs will still display some of the inherent behaviours of their parents and there is evidence to suggest that pregnant mothers who experience trauma whist carrying puppies can birth a naturally nervous litter. It is a common understanding that it is easier to adopt a puppy who has not suffered trauma and therefore will not come with ingrained issues. Though there is an element of truth in this it is a key understanding that Romanian puppies come with their own quirks, such as hyperactivity, lack of focus, high sensitivity to change and a potential for reactivity which must be curbed with positive training and consistency in routine, and will need the same patient, understanding and compassionate homes as their adult counterparts.
Prior to relocation of any dog to the UK, our colleagues in the private shelters assess the dogs for suitability for rehoming. It is very rare that a true street dog will be considered appropriate to rehome due to their feral behaviours. It is understood that those dogs selected for rehoming via Rescue Me are human oriented, sociable and trainable. All incoming dogs are then reassessed upon arrival and placed, whenever possible, in UK foster homes to begin acclimatising to a life indoors. Fosterers do a wonderful job assisting in this transition, making settling into a forever home easier for the dogs. However, the dogs will likely be nervous in a new place and so even those who have been in foster should be expected to take time to settle after adoption.
Common issues and their causes:
The following list outlines some of the more common behaviours exhibited by Romanian dogs. It is important to note that Rescue Me is proud of our track record of successful rehoming of Rommies into well suited and settled homes, the following is not designed to be off putting but educational. Each dog is an individual and may demonstrate, some, few or indeed none of the following behaviours. However, in order to prepare adopter adequately, it is felt a solid understanding of a wide range of possibilities is important from the outset.
The accomplished escape artist:
Understanding that the dogs have, at least for a time, lived free, independent of humans and roaming the streets of Romania makes it easy to see why a low garden fence will do little to hold back their desire to explore. It is important that all adopters are vigilant about open doors, gaps in enclosures and your dog’s inherent ability, and potentially desire, to escape. Though, once settled your dog will want to remain with his people, Romanian dogs are often easily spooked or keen to explore so keeping them safe is the most important thing in the early days. It may be some time before the dog is settled enough to lose the desire to escape so keeping a long lead on them while exploring the garden, making sure there is always a closed door between the dog and an open exterior door and keeping them on lead for walks is vital in this first period.
A complete change of environment:
The private shelters with whom Rescue Me collaborate to rehome Romanian Dogs do an amazing job, they are a huge step up from the dangers of being on the streets and allow the dogs to come into contact with caring, compassionate humans whom they can trust. However, the stray issue in Romania is enormous and the shelters overwhelmed by dogs needing help. Though they offer all they can it is nonetheless standard that the dogs remain outside and sharing their space with large numbers of other dogs unless disabled, unwell or too young. Upon arrival in the UK, therefore two key things are vastly different; their environment, and their company.
Environmental change: Being indoors is often a completely new experience for these dogs, everything is different and unfamiliar: televisions, hoovers, unnatural floor surfaces such as carpets, tiles or varnished wood, even narrow doorways can be strange and intimidating for a Rommie. Whether a flighty street dog on the look out for a dog catcher, a guard dog listening out for intruders or a ratter on the hunt for pesky rodents, these dogs rely heavily on their senses for survival and as such are often much more highly alert than British dogs. Sudden movements, unfamiliar noises, and new environments can be strange and even startling. You may therefore encounter some of the following behaviours:
Difficulty settling/relaxing at home – on high alert
Difficulty getting the hang of house training/toileting inside
Barking at noises or passers by.
Insecurity / lack or confidence / nervous behavior
Fear or new and unfamiliar places / halting / refusal or reluctance to walk
Fear of collar or lead (again, completely new to most)
Easily overwhelmed resulting in stress and potentially reactivity
A change in company: Whether during their time in a yard, on the street or even in the private shelter, the company kept by these dogs is predominantly canine rather than human and so going from this to a home environment where there are significantly fewer or no other dogs is a big change. For some dogs the change is highly positive, thriving on being the centre of attention, no competition for resources and a doting human to adore them while others struggle without the backup of their more confident friends. It is also important to understand that the canine company kept in their previous life will completely shape both their displaying and reading of body language so we must endevour to ‘think dog’ when interacting with them.
Sustained eye contact is threatening in canine language so should be avoided. Rommies are typically very good at reading other dog’s body language which can be a real bonus out and about, however having a dog on a lead significantly alters their movement which can be very confusing and difficult to read when your dog has never before come into contact with an onlead dog. It is therefore sensible to exercise caution with interacting with other dogs in the early days. Remember, these are ‘real dogs’ rather than pampered pets so behaviours such as growls, teeth baring and rough play are commonplace in their previous canine life and you should learn how to read and calmly redirect their energy into something positive without reprimanding the behaviour. It is important not to teach a dog that it is wrong to show you when they are uncomfortable. Look out for some of the following behaviours:
Difficulty settling as an only dog / separation anxiety
Resource guarding as a result of high competition on streets and in shelters
Fear of new or unknown humans / potentially reactive or defensive response
Over attachment or ‘Imprinting’ – though it is lovely to have a heavy bond with your new dog this
must be carefully monitored and managed to avoid you becoming a guarded resource and the
dog displaying reactive tendencies to others in order to protect you.
Aloof behaviour – when used to being independent these dogs may not feel the immediate need
to cuddle up to you on the sofa. It is important not to crowd them or force interaction on less
tactile dogs, it will come in time.
Moving forward:
As previously stated, this document is designed to give you a brief outline of the potential behaviours displayed by the Romanian Street dogs rehomed by Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary. We encourage you to seek out further information and ask questions about the dogs in general as well as the specific dog you may be interested in. Please remember that the dogs rehomed via Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary are from private shelters, not public ones and assessed both prior to and post transport for rehoming suitability. These are points that should be considered in connection with any further research. It will not be that a dog rehomed via
Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary would be an untamed, feral street dog with no hope of being handled and with the right training, compassion and continued support for the rescue team, our dogs are thriving and settled in their loving homes.
We advocate positive training methods only as, due to their make up, Romanian dogs do not respond well to aversive methods and these can easily cause serious and lasting detrimental effects on their behaviour. There are a number of local classes we recommend for training once your dog is settled and you have a good bond, please ask for details. We are, of course, willing to offer advice and help with any problem you may come across at any stage of your dog’s life post adoption and actively encourage you to stay in touch and ask for assistance if needed.
The most important piece of advice we can offer in rehoming a Romanian dog is to go at their speed. There is no set time to which you should be able to take your dog for their first walk, have them lay next to you on the sofa fully relaxed, take them to the pub or on a camping holiday, or let them off lead in a public place. We ask that you manage your expectations and do not force your dog to rush things which may be scary or overwhelming. Giving a loving and understanding home to a Romanian street dog is challenging but it is also hugely rewarding and we are here to support you the entire way.