Fifi is a 4-5 year old female Cross-Breed. She is fostered in South Shields. She was living outside a Shelter in Crivatu, Romania with another little dog.
They would turn up every day to be fed and they would get so excited to hear the car at the shelter that they would run on the road, alongside it and it was decided that for their safety that they needed to come inside.
Fifi is the happiest, waggiest little dog ever. She dances about and wags her tail with her full body and is always absolutely delighted to see anyone she knows.
However, she’s lived her full life without any human contact, so she can still be quite a hand shy and she can still back away when we go to stroke her.
Fifi’s getting the hang of it, but her new family will have to continue with this and her socialisation. She’s super friendly and submissive with the other dogs in the foster home and she needs to live with another dog in her forever home for confidence.
Fifi tested positive for heartworm and will need to take 1 pill a month for the next 5 months which she will come with. She can live with children over 12 and has not been cat tested.
When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead. This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog.
If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness).
It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period.
Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and in situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night).
Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a backup safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool.
Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm.
Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted.
Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer. Retractable/extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a crate.
